Stay Marketable and Step up to Effect Change with Claudio Perrone

Phil's guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Claudio Perrone. A well-known Lean & Agile management consultant, entrepreneur and start-up strategist.  He is a Fellow of the Lean Systems Society, the creative force behind A3 Thinker and the inventor of the PopcornFlow thinking model.   He has also been the driving force behind the design and development of several large scale solutions for global companies in the fields of e-learning, e-commerce, manufacturing and automation.     In this episode, Phil and Claudio discuss the PopcornFlow thinking way of working and how it drives faster change. He explains how to overcome the tendency to be zombie-like and always choose the default solution. They also speak about the importance of challenging yourself, so you stay marketable and discuss how this can be done.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (7.42) TOP CAREER TIP Grow claws like a tiger – stay sharp, always be learning and keep yourself marketable. Search out projects that keep you working on yourself. Never stand still.   In the podcast, Claudio shares how he learned this mindset and uses it to this very day.   (11.07) WORST CAREER MOMENT Many years ago, Claudio was part of a team that made a mistake that cost £3 million, a day, for 3 days. An error in the way they set up the servers and backups meant that they lost a ton of data. Fortunately, much of it was recovered, but, only because the sales team kept paper copies.   Claudio's other low point was when he had to wrap up his joint business venture. Making talented people redundant felt particularly bad. But, the experience taught him to stop trading on assumptions and to avoid being proud and opinionated.     (15.04) CAREER HIGHLIGHT Taking an idea and turning it into an award-winning business was one of Claudio's career highlights. His company provided breakthrough learning and performance solutions to numerous organizations. Being able to help people to recognise their potential and quickly unlock it was hugely rewarding.   (17.09) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T In terms of the technologies, Claudio sees everything becoming easier. As a result, we are able to be far more creative, ignite change and have a huge impact.    IT professionals have moved from being a necessary evil to a strategic force for change. The way we work is now more business-driven. It is an important change that is already making a positive difference.   (19.28) THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Unlike many others, Claudio did not drift into the world of IT. He began working as a technical writer, then self-taught himself Visual Basic, without going to college. What's the best career advice you received? – Go home. There is no need to work stupidly long hours. In fact, it is counter-productive. What's the worst career advice you received? – Pace yourself. This is wise advice for many people, just not for Claudio. What would you do if you started your career now? – Move companies more. If you stay in one company too long, you will stagnate. What are your current career objectives? – Claudio wants to bring PopcornFlow to the world. He is currently bootstrapping a company and helping more people to learn to experiment. What's your number one non-technical skill? Being able to successfully negotiate change. The right solution for the wrong problem is the wrong solution. How do you keep your own career energized? – Every 5 weeks, Claudio launches a new start-up. They are all in different fields. Rarely going over the same ground twice keeps things fresh for him. What do you do away from technology? – Recently, Claudio has returned to music and drawing cartoons.   (32.53) FINAL CAREER TIP Stop fighting problems. Usually, to truly solve problems, you need to fight battles. The underlying issues need addressing.    If a company's policies are no longer fit for purpose, they have to change. When the policies change, numerous problems automatically disappear. Impacting policies and driving change is something we are all capable of doing.   BEST MOMENTS (5.59) – Claudio - "Inertia is your enemy. Find ways to run little experiments. It is this that really changes the status quo." (8.03) – Claudio - "Keep yourself marketable. Stay hungry, stay sharp and never stop learning." (22.38) – Claudio - "It's not only about what you do. What you learn by doing it is what matters." (24.31) – Claudio - "Focus in on craftsmanship, learn your craft stay humble and be curious." (34.26) – Claudio - "When company policy is restricting what you can achieve, step up. Get that policy changed."   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organisations to design, develop and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:   Twitter: https://twitter.com/philtechcareer LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Facebook: https://facebook.com/philtechcareer Instagram: https://instagram.com/philtechcareer Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact   Phil is also reachable by email at [email protected] and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – Claudio Perrone Claudio Perrone is a well-known Lean & Agile management consultant, entrepreneur and start-up strategist.  He is a Fellow of the Lean Systems Society, the creative force behind A3 Thinker and the inventor of the PopcornFlow thinking model.   He has also been the driving force behind the design and development of several large scale solutions for global companies in the fields of e-learning, e-commerce, manufacturing and automation.   CONTACT THE GUEST – Claudio Perrone Claudio Perrone can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:   Twitter: https://twitter.com/agilesensei LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudioperrone/ Website: https://agilesensei.com/