Inspiring Leaders, Inspiring Leadership
Welcome to the Inaugural Issue of the IEEE TEMS Leadership BRIEFS. TEMS is excited to launch this new publication to its members that brings valuable and actionable insights to current and future leaders of technology-driven organizations. I am very proud to be the founding Editor-in-Chief and hope that the community will contribute to the success of the publication by sharing their leadership experiences and learnings.
Following TEMS’ Mission “to advance, enhance, and improve essential management and leadership knowledge and skills of IEEE members,” the Leadership BRIEFS connect the latest in knowledge on leadership and technology management with applicable insights and implementable tips for leadership practice. Each BRIEF is concise, focused on a single topic, and written in a clear and comprehensible style. The TEMS Leadership BRIEFS are a free membership benefit for all TEMS members.
Many people have contributed to the creation and launch of the IEEE TEMS Leadership BRIEFS. Gerard (Gus) Gaynor, TEMS VP of Publications, devised the idea, convinced IEEE leadership of the concept, and guided the development with the support of the TEMS publication committee. I am grateful to Gus Gaynor, Tariq Samad, and Mark Wehde for their incredible help and continuous encouragement. I would like to thank the contributors for their interest, support, and submissions. Without all of you, this inaugural issue would not have come to fruition.
This first issue consists of five very interesting contributions on a variety of important topics. Leslie Martinich focuses on a very common challenge for technical leaders, that of managing difficult star performers. In his contribution Tarun Soni examines the tensions within competing demands inherent in R&D portfolios and provides guidance on how to manage these priorities. Dileep Rao shares nine secrets for tech experts to help them finance, grow and control high-growth ventures. Jeff Perry does away with the notion that conflict is bad and shows that the right kind of conflict can actually build trust and increase performance in teams. Finally, Stephanie Slocum investigates why despite the fact that degrees awarded to women in engineering and computer science increased considerably in the past decade this has not translated into an increase in women managers and leaders. Her BRIEF also suggests how organizations can prevent the ongoing exodus of top leadership talent to competitors and to other industries.
It is my sincere hope that you not only enjoy reading the inaugural issue of the IEEE TEMS Leadership BRIEFS, but that they inspire you to put your newly gained leadership knowledge immediately into practice.
I would love to hear from you, my fellow TEMS members, about your impressions of this new publication and your suggestions for topics we can feature in future issues. I can be reached at sabine.baumann@jade-hs.de.
Sabine Baumann, Editor-in-Chief
Leslie Martinich – Leading and Managing Difficult Star Performers
To be great leaders, engineers need to develop communication, negotiation, execution, budgeting, scheduling, human resources, and team building skills. This BRIEF focuses on a very important aspect of the skills a leader needs to learn, that of managing difficult star performers.
Tarun Soni– Balancing Priorities across the R&D Portfolio
Research and Development portfolios in most companies have to manage many competing demands and priorities. This BRIEF examines the tensions within those competing demands and provides guidance on how to manage these priorities.
Dileep Rao – 9 Financing Secrets for Tech Entrepreneurs to Create Wealth and Control it
Are you a tech expert who wants to start or build a high-growth venture? This BRIEF shares nine secrets to help you finance, grow, and control your venture to keep more of the wealth you create.
Jeff Perry – Is Conflict Always Bad? The Answer May Surprise You
Most of us, when we think about conflict, consider it a bad thing we should avoid. This BRIEF shows that the right kind of conflict can actually build trust and increase performance in teams.
Stephanie Slocum – Building A Bridge to Women and Non-binary Individuals in Leadership
Degrees awarded to women in engineering and computer science increased considerably in the past decade, but that has not translated into an increase in women managers and leaders. This BRIEF examines the reasons and how organizations can prevent the ongoing exodus of top leadership talent to other industries.
