CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 24
I started pretty much at the bottom of the
corporate hierarchy - as the Assistant to the
Assistant of a District Manager. In the nearly 35
years since then, all of them spent at AT&T and
But my career hasn't been all about learning
" I have a vivid memory of
my boss leading me to a dark
stuffy room with microfiche
film strewn everywhere...I
remember thinking, 'If this is
what they need me to do, I'm
going to whip this room into
valuable lessons. I've also had a great time!
shape like nobody's business.' "
its predecessors, I've worked my way up to
a position of tremendous responsibility and
exciting opportunities.
Along the way, I've learned a few things: Don't be
afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands
dirty. Take some risks by volunteering for big and
uncertain challenges. If such challenges start to
feel overwhelming, take things one step at a time.
Where the Action Is
And why wouldn't I have a great time?!
My field is exciting and constantly changing - I
don't think any other part of our organization has
on IT this way. In short, there really is no more exciting
seen as much change during my tenure as information
place to work than technology.
technology - and it puts me and my team at the center
of the action.
Get Your Hands Dirty
At AT&T, almost everything we do depends on IT.
We're supporting some of the most crucial processes
Of course you have to like diving into the action and
the company relies on to do business and succeed.
confronting a task. Which actually is a pretty good
Our technology runs everything in retail stores from
approach in general, whether the context is state-of-the-
digital signage to point-of-sale systems on reps' tablets.
art technology - or musty file folders.
We're constantly working to improve the customer
As I said, I started out as the assistant to an assistant.
experience through new, innovative technology, such as
I have a vivid memory of my boss leading me to a dark
incorporating mobile self-service options that blur the
stuffy room with microfiche film strewn everywhere.
line between physical and digital. We're among the first
The files were hard to read and they tended to stick to
to know when a new product or service is in the pipeline
each other. Filing them was no easy task. But that's how
because we work hand in hand with marketing. We
we stored our customer records. I remember thinking,
work with the customer care function to empower the
as my boss opened that door, "If this is what they need
systems that help them not only answer questions faster
me to do, I'm going to whip this room into shape like
but predict why customers are calling, so we can address
nobody's business."
their issues proactively. We work with our analytics
That's how I've approached every task I've ever been
team to help them visualize what the data is telling us,
asked to do. The folks who succeed in IT aren't afraid to
so we can adjust our business strategies in real time.
get their hands dirty and leave things better than when
Plus we're working side by side with human resources,
they found them. It's how we learn and figure out how
finance, and supply chain... the list goes on.
to make things better for our business clients and our
It's hard to imagine any organization that doesn't rely
CIO Straight Talk | 24
customers. I rose through the ranks by not being afraid
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6
Contents
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - Cover1
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - Contents
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 3
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 4
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 5
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 6
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 7
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 8
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 9
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 10
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 11
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 12
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 13
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 14
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 15
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 16
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 17
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 18
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 19
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 20
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 21
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 22
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 23
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 24
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 25
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 26
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 27
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 28
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 29
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 30
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CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 37
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CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 40
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 41
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 42
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 43
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CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 46
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 47
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CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 49
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CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 66
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - InsertA
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 67
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - InsertB
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 68
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 69
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 70
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - 71
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CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - Cover3
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 6 - Cover4
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