My journey since leaving the corporate world has been about experimentation and exploration. I’ve been rediscovering my passions, honing my strengths, and forging a new path that puts me firmly in the driver’s seat.
There’s a palpable energy in venturing into uncharted territories – immersing oneself in novel experiences, braving the unknown. Sure, there’s risk involved. You might stumble, falter, or find yourself out of your comfort zone. But therein lies the beauty.
It’s invigorating. Energizing. Exciting. And yes, sometimes, a little nerve-wracking. But it’s also immensely rewarding.
Recently I’ve thrown myself into a variety of new experiences with abandon. Hot yoga? Sure, I’ll try it. Strength training? Okay, I’ll give it a whirl. Advising, speaking, coaching, consulting…why not?
Teaching, in particular, has been a profound experiment for me – and one that I’ve enjoyed immensely. My perspective embarking on teaching has been this: What knowledge would have served me well earlier in my career? So much of leadership is learned through trial and error, figuring it out on the fly, and resilience. But does it have to be that way?
I’ve crafted courses aimed at equipping future leaders with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of the tech world. Since January, I’ve been teaching a “Crisis Management in Tech” class at Cornell Tech as a visiting lecturer.
Cornell Tech’s graduate programs are designed to foster critical thinking and practical skills. In 2008, Cornell won a competition by then-mayor Michael Bloomberg, who sought to attract tech talent to New York City. Cornell Tech began operations in 2012 and moved to its modern Roosevelt Island campus in 2017. From my classroom, I have a gorgeous view of the East River and the Queensboro Bridge.
In preparing to teach the class, I’ve thought about what would make the topics relatable to students. I’ve focused on breaking down the process of preparing for, managing through, and learning from crises in a logical and meaningful way. We discuss enterprise risk management and how to identify, prioritize, and mitigate risks. We study best practices like pre-mortems and cyber drills, strategies for crisis communication, the importance of ensuring psychological safety, and techniques of root cause analysis. And we delve into business continuity and crisis response planning, ways of designing for reliability and resilience, and legal and ethical considerations.
Each session also explores case studies of real-world crises in tech – like the Equifax data breach, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall, the WannaCry ransomware attack, the Boeing 737 MAX failures, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, and more (there are, unfortunately, many to choose from!) – to extract lessons and learnings.
Teaching has helped clarify my thinking and strengthened my understanding. I’ve enjoyed engaging with the students, who are smart and motivated. And I’ve found it rewarding that the class content is valuable to the students. “This process has not only enhanced our project’s resilience but also encouraged a more open, adaptive, and collaborative team culture,” wrote one student. “The activity not only challenged the way I think about risk,” reflected another, “but also what systems we can and should put in place now to prevent certain risks from occurring.”
I’ve developed several other course proposals – all along the lines of “what I wish I knew” and with the intent to inspire future scientists, engineers, and business leaders. I’m looking forward to opportunities to build out these courses, teach them, and engage students.
Yet, teaching is just one facet of my post-corporate journey. I’ve embraced the concept of a portfolio career – a mosaic of roles that allows me to explore my diverse interests and make a meaningful impact.
Did you know that it’s possible to hold a multitude of jobs – consultant, advisor, teacher, founder, investor, writer, coach – as a career? In all honesty, I didn’t. It’s a departure from the traditional career trajectory I’ve known in which you sign on with one company and do what’s asked of you for 40 or 60 or 80 hours per week. I did that for 24 years at IBM, and I don’t regret it, as I was able to play so many different roles during my long tenure there – technical contributor, development manager, product management executive, strategy and transformation leader, COO, and CIO. I gained valuable experience, honed skills, engaged brilliant colleagues, and gained first-hand insights into technology, innovation, leadership, and business that I could not have gotten from a class or textbook.
BUT…I didn’t really understand that there was another way.
Sure, I knew about lone entrepreneurs – the adrenaline junkies, the (mostly) white males of Silicon Valley who appeared to teem with unearned self-confidence and a willingness to do whatever it takes to strike it rich. That wasn’t me…and I couldn’t even relate.
But I had never heard of a portfolio career – where independent workers act as freelancers and craft their own paths. A little of this, a lot of that. It might be a way to dabble in a variety of things, to diversify your work. You might choose a portfolio career to gain autonomy, flexibility, or control over your time and attention. As Dorie Clark says, it’s also a way to “future proof” your career – to be less beholden to a single company or industry or leader. And this seems even more attractive in the aftermath of recent tech layoffs that have impacted the livelihood of so many dedicated and capable workers.
I’ve been talking to lots and lots of people – fascinating individuals who have charted an alternative course. The HR executive who ventured out on her own to become an executive coach. The startup founder who teaches entrepreneurship to MBA students and serves as an advisor to fledgling companies. The former corporate CIO who launched his own company to create better software. The journalist who founded an organization focused on the future of work. The long-time IT executive who consults with Fortune 500 companies. The consultant who writes successful business and self-help books. The former public servant who teaches, leads a non-profit, and serves on corporate boards.
I’ve been challenging my own notions about what a career is and what constitutes success. (The compelling video “Assume That I Can” published in honor of Down Syndrome Day 2024 reminds us not to let assumptions become self-fulfilling prophecies.) I have had to remind myself – over and over again – that I don’t necessarily need to get a “real job” – whatever that is! But, instead, I focus on: Am I contributing to the world in a meaningful way? Am I able to support my family? Am I making a difference? Am I fulfilled? If I can answer yes to these, then I must be doing something right.
I certainly haven’t figured it all out yet. But I’m relishing the learning, the exploration, the experimentation, the creativity, and the autonomy that comes from the portfolio career that I am carving out. And I’m immensely glad to have embarked on this journey.
