Episode 9 - Modern Tech Orgs Overview: From Cost Center to Strategic Partner with Tricia Hembling and Therese Pocrnick

In this episode, the first in our Modern Tech Org mini-series, we sit down with Tricia Hembling and Therese Pocrnick to explore what it really takes to build a modern tech organization. This conversation lays the foundational principles that the rest of the series will build on.We dig into how to move beyond traditional IT as a cost center and instead position technology as an integrated, value-driven partner to the business. We talk about the core traits of modern tech orgs—customer-centricity, agility, predictable delivery, and true ownership—and how to design smaller, autonomous, cross-functional teams that can make decisions quickly and deliver value fast. Tricia and Therese share how trust, shared outcomes, and strong relationships between IT and the business replace old “throw-it-over-the-wall” ways of working.We also look at the leadership and funding shifts required to make this real, including moving from project-based to product and value-based models, and creating an environment where experimentation and systems thinking can thrive. Along the way, we draw on fun examples like sneaker and brand collaborations to highlight how co-creation and partnership fuel innovation.If you’re working on transforming your tech organization’s structure, culture, or leadership approach, this episode sets the groundwork for what’s to come in the series—including future sessions on data architecture, adaptive organizations, and advanced modern tech leadership.