It was a great pleasure to be back at MacSysAdmin for its 20th year! The last two years, I gave highly technical talks on Apple technology in beautiful Göteborg, Sweden. This year’s talk is a little different.
When I started looking for a technical subject, I didn’t find one that fit the last year of experience. This past year has been very different for me, moving from product management back into IT Leadership.
Content Warning: This talk contains stressful subjects, including work performance management, burnout, corporate politics, and mental illness. This isn’t a happy go lucky talk.
There is a coda to this talk that I ran out of time to give.
When I return to the US later this week, I will be able to share that coda, recorded in my office.
IT Leadership is about more than just pushing software and fixing computers. It’s about understanding your role in the business, what you need to do to provide value as a supporting player, and how you can drive meaningful change from that role.
This talk was very cathartic to write, as it’s the result of burnout, recovery, and re-engagement.
I’ve learned so much from having written it, and it was a privilege and an honor to share it.
colophon
I used a lot of things to write this talk, including a lot of books, external resources, and music. Here are some of them!
Thinking: Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman – Overdrive and Amazon
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant – Overdrive and Amazon
https://embed.music.apple.com/us/playlist/favorites-mix/pl.pm-20e9f373919da080500652a65185b713
Cannonball 