Paul Rosner

You have to balance between job hopping and staying in a role too long. The deciding factor should be what you are getting from the current role. Ask yourself these questions: - am I using my full skillset? - how am I expanding my skills? - are there growth opportunities? - what is the next role I'd like to have and what skills do I need for it? Then set your sights on opportunities in and outside. Don't be afraid to hop industries. Consider both lateral roles and advanced roles that give you better total experience. Do these types of order: - support work - project work - team lead - test manager - integration mgr - program dir - IT leadership - second to CIO - CIO Consider consulting if travel and long hours are ok.

Check my profile to see why I'm qualified to comment. My advice is: - Be a solid individual contributor and good team member - Learn your company's business and how IT adds value there - Work hard and smart - Grab chances to grow - Develop a team culture of trust, respect, treating others well - Seek long term solutions, not blame - Build the next gen of leaders and experts - Weed out politics, defend your team against them, leave toxic environments - As you progress, balance time across responsibilities and think strategically - When leaving, hand off smoothly and stay in contact - Adapt to change, find roles where you add the most value - Use that network

Some things that I've found helpful: - Understand how you do business as an IT organization. I'm talking having an operating model regarding how you deliver value and how costs incurred in the process. Know expected costs and scrutinize surprises..it may mean you have poor contracts, vendors or some other issue. - Establish strong standards for technical direction, investment/programs, and IT operational activities to keep down rogue spend, promote re-usability and integration, and keep projects spend in range. - DO NOT fall into the trap of "total IT cost/# users"... that doesn't factor business benefits enabled or investments in long- term improvements.

You should get comfortable with making decisions without perfect information. If life was a series of perfect decisions, the world would be a much different place. Things go wrong, teams disappoint, trends change. Deal with it. Always think of your path forward as a cone-shaped path, like a hurricane. There is the cone of possible places the hurricane can go, but a line on the most probable path. That's you. You control as much as you can, fate does the rest. Learn to keep a wider view of the big picture to see all the possibilities, assess them, and determine how you want to impact your path. Good luck out there!

If you're strong and competent, without distraction, aware of what's happening, have a strong team, you can strengthen further and possibly take some well-considered risks. All that requires building the skillset further, learning through training and doing. Uncertain times will produce new opportunities, be ready to grab the good ones. Once you do, continue assessing...if it turns out to not have the potential you expected, adjust accordingly. Don't leave the past behind unless you find a very, very high flyer or you may find yourself out of your element and at risk.

Maintain contact with those around you. Often others can see unseen trouble ahead. Think and prepare yourself. Share ideas on how to cope with potential changes that are negative and to take advantage of opportunities for those that are positive. Don't let your colleagues walk out into traffic. Keep your team strong to weather uncertain times.