Time, Purpose & Courage…#2

Last year I published an article, twelve months exactly to the date of this article, congratulating all the recipients in the CIO Top 50 of 2019 and acknowledging the career milestone for me (and my family) to break into the Top 50, 2017, and then again in 2019, ranked at #18. Now, as was last year, I sit here processing the 2020 result of being Australia’s #2 CIO for 2020 surrounded by an extra-ordinary list of technologists. This is an award and recognition that belongs to so many people – I will get to the thanks as best I can – but first, let’s talk about “time” and “purpose”.

To me there is no greater gift, in life & leadership, than our time! An epiphany for me when I was a mere 23year old, I have lived this learned statement since, yet, never truer is this lesson in a year that presented us with a global pandemic. 2020 is a year like no other! Still, it is time and those moments that matter that have kept me resolved with purpose – for our family; our health; our colleagues; our friends. A Mother’s Day card in early May from my adult children – handmade – sits on my home office desk beside my monitors and I glance at it often. There is one line amongst many that stands out as validation for time spent wisely, ‘…During this time, we are so grateful to have you by our sides to help us get by with a smile! We don’t know what we would do without you’. This a direct reference to the hours juggled, from January to the date of that card in May (and many, many more since), between leading my family and leading my colleagues with courage and empathy, through an unfathomable year. As I wrote my last CIO Top 50 article in 2019, I could not have imagined what 2020 would look like. I was looking at 2020 as a year my youngest would sit his HSC & graduate, my eldest turn 21, my middle start university and even myself, complete my confirmation of candidature to commence my doctoral research. This year, as with so many others I am sure, has tested my resilience yet I can unequivocally say, continues to make me stronger and anchors me to time spent and time given in the support others.

“By knowing who you are and what you stand for, you come to life’s choices with the most powerful tool of all: your full self”
Susan David (Emotional Agility).

I am very privileged to align what I do every day to my greater purpose. I have been so lucky to have equality at the core of my relationship with my husband, my family and my education, allowing me to grow and develop without barriers – but that is not the case for every girl or woman. I look at this years CIO Top 50 list, and see industry represented statistics for female participation in STEM – a product of a factor which I am yet to uncover, understand and alter. My research will help me gather data to uncover the factors impacting this representation and by doing so, give Australian Government and Organizations frameworks to improve the female participation at senior technology leadership roles (check out my featured articles for more details on my story & research). By advancing woman in STEM we advance and accelerate this country.

At J&J, I am honored to add my story to a leadership legacy that started back in 1888, and proud to say 8 of the first 14 employees were female. Last month, the Women’s Leadership & Inclusion (WLI) employee resource group in J&J celebrated 25yrs of formation however J&J has been championing women, giving them tools, resources and opportunities to succeed at work and at home since the company founded over 130yrs ago. Both male and female employees drive the vision of gender equality to create a better, healthier world and as our Chairman & CEO, Alex Gorsky nicely said, ‘…At Johnson & Johnson, women have been at the center of solving the world’s greatest healthcare challenges since our company was founded. Their ingenuity, determination and creativity isn’t just inspiring – it’s contagious’.  I met the J&J Historian earlier this year (via zoom 😊) and was awed to learn the story of Edith von K, our first female scientist over 107 years ago – what a trailblazer. As I look towards these amazing scientists, what they have done and what they do now, striving to produce a vaccine for COVID-19, my heart does swell with pride for the STEM disciplines – Technology very much included – as we work to overcome healthcare and social challenges.  

‘’The top priority for any manager should be the well-being and success of your people”
Bill Campbell, Trillion Dollar Coach.

One of my favorite chapters in the Trillion Dollar Coach – The leadership handbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathon Rosenberg and Alan Eagle, is ‘Your title makes you a Manager; your people make you a Leader’. As spoken by the authors, Bill developed trusting relationships, fostered personal growth, infused courage in those around him. I reflect often what will people say about my impact; About my leadership. I have had the honor to mentor, coach and sponsor many people over the years and I could care less about titles – honestly some I have mentored are much more senior than me if we assess just on career terms. Senior titles mean nothing, they just give you access to make the well-being and success of others a reality. Use your positions wisely as the legacy you build is the message in the bottle you leave for others to uncover. As #2 on this year’s CIO Top 50 list, I will use that honor thoughtfully and wisely to create more moments that matter and lift others.

“I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever thanks.”
William Shakespeare

There are so many to thank that by listing them all personally, would be an article unto itself. A life well lived for a trifecta of purpose, time, and courage, does take a tribe and mine extends to my family, company, and education. So, to the tribe around me…

To my J&J family – thank you for giving me the gift of your trust to disrupt you with technology, to shape our legacy with leadership and to grow your future leaders so they may stand even higher then anyone of us do today. To the Australia & New Zealand team specifically, thank you for your unwavering support and trust in me to lead you with technology everyday not just through COVID. All your lovely comments and words of support have been kept by me to read over for years to come! #mycompany #WLI

To my J&J tech team – this award is ours to share. Be proud and own it! You are the most dedicated, resourceful, adaptable, compassionate, caring and supportive team. Through your individual strengths and the diversity that you bring to our team, you create debate, stability and innovation that support our company to grow, evolve and accelerate. #highperformanceteam #diversityandinclusion

To my CIO Top 50 peers – Congratulations! What an achievement and when I look at the list, so many of you have been in my technology career from the start. Thank you for what you do every day – without you Australia would not be advancing at the pace we are – rest and recharge as the momentum will continue. #CIOtop50 #CIOExecutiveCouncil

To the CIO team & Judges – what a tough job! This group of tech leaders are inspiring. Thank you for the many hours of interviews, reading, debating, and championing our profession through articles, events and awards like the CIO Top 50. #IDG

To my USQ team – thank you for allowing me to pursue to the highest level equality in my purpose to close the gender gap in Australia in senior technology leadership, through the position you afford me as a doctoral student and the sponsors who work right beside me. #USQ #equality

To my Husband, Children & Family– thank you for all your love and support. No words or hashtags could express how deeply you have shaped and continue to shape my journey. The time you give of yourself and the time you allow of me in exploration of my purpose, is the greatest gift. #family