Welcome to Let’s Talk and the re-launch of the ITEffectivity website. I am Mary Patry.  I partner with IT leaders to help them address conflicting demands that prevent them from focusing on their strategic and innovation agenda.  In my work with IT executives and their teams, we explore beyond the what and how they deliver services to the business.  We look deep into the WHY.  

WHY can be an uncomfortable word. It can feel challenging or criticizing.  It can also be the word that will help you look beyond the surface.  I’ve found that when we discover the true WHY, the what and how are much easier.   

My Story  

I was asked “Why?” often as friends and family struggled to understand the reason that I would pivot my successful thirty-five-year career as an IT executive leader to focus on coaching.  Or, as my son once said to me a few years back “Is it worth it at your age?” My response… “Why not? It makes me happy.”  

Discovering your why is a journey for sure.  My journey to understand my why started with reading a paragraph from chapter three of Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why”.   

“WHY: Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. When I say WHY, I don’t mean to make money—that’s a result. By WHY I mean what is your purpose, cause or belief? WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care? “ 

This single paragraph did not tap me on the shoulder, it slapped me across the face.  Though my job came with a good salary and benefits, it had stopped feeling good.  It was no longer fun.  More than that, I knew it was a time for a change.  But what?  

This revelation created a conflict.  I wasn’t emotionally or financially positioned to retire.  I knew I had more to give to the world.  At the same time, too much of my identity was wrapped around my work, my title, my salary, and my perception of “value” to just give it up.  My new revelation pushed the edges of my favorite mantra: “Do something every day that scares you” a little too far.  I am not a person willing to wallow in fright, so I went in search of answers.  

Fortunately, a colleague and friend suggested that an Executive Coach might help me in my quest.  I cringed at the idea but could not deny that I could use help to sort it out.  I resorted to one of my favorite questions, “What is the worst that could happen?”  With that confidence in hand, I called the executive coach.  That call, and 6 months of a coaching relationship formed my purpose and a path.  

Most importantly, I discovered my purpose had always been there.  A purpose that is based on core values of respect and caring for the well-being of my peers and employees and the power of teams.  I discovered that throughout my career technology had been a tool, a mechanism – my true joy was found in the mentoring and coaching of IT people.  

Once I figured out my WHY, ITEffectivity, LLC was created with the sole purpose of working with IT executives and leaders to develop their skills as leaders and professionals. Over the last five years, I’ve been rewarded by partnering with over 50 IT leaders as they forged their own path. “Why” can be an uncomfortable word. It can feel challenging or criticizing.  It can also be the word that will help you look beyond the surface.  I’ve found that when we discover the true WHY, the what and how are much easier.   

Here we are, together now. You can count on seeing leadership perspectives and lessons learned each week.  In turn, I hope you will share your thoughts and feedback with me. Yes, I take topic requests too.   

In addition, I will be announcing a group coaching and learning experience targeted to the mid and entry IT manager.  It will be a collaborative six-month program in which a small group of IT managers with common work experience, requirements, and challenges come together to develop their management skills, learn from an experience IT executive practitioner and collaborate with their peers.  The promise of this program is in transforming the lone wolf technologist into the leader of the pack.  

Until next week, have an effective week!   To further this week’s conversation, schedule time with me and let’s talk! 

Let’s Talk sponsored by www.ITeffectivity.com – an IT management and advisory practice targeting CIO’s challenge of leading and delivering business solutions with a focus on effective people and process capabilities.
Discover the possibilities by scheduling a complimentary strategy
session with Mary Patry.