CSC Leadership & Management

What practices do you employ to balance team goals with company goals?

I start with the premise that team goals must support the company’s goals. Around the world, our teams of experts help clients successfully navigate the complexities of business. We focus relentlessly on delivering excellent service and innovative solutions. We are the business behind business—treating our clients’ needs as if they were our own.

The process we generally follow starts when our executive technology leaders create organizational-level objectives mapped to the company’s goals. My team then maps our goals to technology, using a run, grow and transform professional development framework. I review road maps with the chief information security officer and technology and business executive stakeholders to gain feedback and ensure alignment. Individual team members, in coordination with their leader, draft success criteria mapped to team goals. This helps close the loop of company objectives linked to specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound individual outcomes.

We get wins for the team member, company and team with this model. For example, an Asia Pacific team member completes application-specific training to meet a business follow-the-sun outcome. The teammate wins by meeting one of their success criteria and enhancing their skill set. The new skill directly supports technology’s goal of service maturation and the business-specific goal for the product, all of which map back to CSC’s promise.

How do you cultivate a culture that motivates team members to accomplish goals for the team and CSC?

I work on fostering awareness and buy-in of the company, organizational and team objectives and a culture that delegates autonomy to team members to empower their and our success and growth. 

It starts with being clear on the company’s and technology’s goals and how the team’s goals support the overall mission. We benefit from executive-led town halls that promote the former and hold team all-hands meetings to review and discuss the latter. 

Our team promotes a bias for action that I believe enhances morale and motivation by asking “why” questions to avoid complacency and encourage initiative. Leaders work hard to create a culture where team members are empowered and comfortable to challenge the status quo by asking questions like, “I think there’s a better way — what if we try this approach?”

As leaders, we must listen, develop options, advocate and be prepared to adjust when needed. I focus on active listening and mentorship to guide each team member to find their “why” and capitalize on their strengths. 

Why is it important to balance team and company goals?

Ultimately, as a team, the work we do has to align with CSC’s purpose, values and promise, or we do a disservice to our clients and colleagues. How do we maintain the balance? 

One thing I enjoy about CSC is the cross-team and cross-organization collaboration and initiative. We want to be the best as a company and mutually support one another. It takes that willingness and coordination up, down and across the organization to scan the horizon and address upcoming opportunities or challenges so that our products continue to be client-driven, secure, and exceed our competition, all under the CSC Promise.