First and foremost I want to be a part in a great team of people just like I am now. The most important quality here is that I want to work with professionals that are dedicated to getting A's in their craft.
Second, I want to work on and build products that are consumer facing. While there are great jobs and careers to be had farther back in the supply chain, I have been awakened for the second time in my career about the excitement with consumer products.
Finally, I want a real "seat at the table" with the business to help reach a successful outcome with these products. The marketplace is tough. I recognize there aren't easy answers to getting significant returns with the consumer. Nevertheless I want the challenge to help create this value and return.
All industries have their proven business models but these models are changing quickly due to technology advances. I don't want to work for a place that doesn't recognize this changing dynamic and has a bunch of sloganeering and jingoism about the "established business model". The business model is where some of the most interesting innovation will need to come in order to be successful in the marketplace of the future.
I like your three key features of a CTO job. Like you at Oxygen, I have these 3 at Kaplan.
ReplyDeleteWithout consumer-facing, it would effectively be a CIO job.
I would add a fourth - growing business. Maybe you implied it, but technology at a growing business is quite different than technology at a flat or shrinking business.
Jon great to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteYes very good point. I assumed that in my analysis yet it is not always true. As you know at Oxygen we went through growth, then dramatic downsizing and now in the last two years growth again.
I favor growth as you too!
Cheers,
steve