MicroTech president and CEO Tony Jimenez founded his company in 2004. Today, the IT solution provider is focused on Technology Services, unified communication and collaboration, cloud computing, product solutions, network systems integration, cyber security, mobility and social media solutions. The $343 million company employs more than 450 professionals supporting more than 100 prime contracts. Earlier this year, Jimenez was named the "Small Business Person of the Year" by the Small Business Council of America. Here, he discusses the importance of true leadership. (MicroTech is #72 on the 2012 CRN Fast Growth list.)— Jennifer Bosavage, editor
One day, Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. “Which road do I take?” she asked. “Where do you want to go?” was his response. “I don’t know.’ Alice answered. “Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.” --Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll’s famous quote offers a bit of wisdom that is both timely and relevant for those of us trying to make sense of the current business operating environment and achieve sustained growth. To say that the present environment is one characterized by VUCA -- Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity -- understates the sense of angst both business leaders and their employees are feeling, and with good reason.
Several factors contribute to a sense of anxiety and worry in the market. The coming presidential election typically creates uncertainty and a slowing down of federal procurement actions as agencies wait out possible changes in their leadership teams; the possibility of sequestration and the attendant confusion it is anticipated to create remains on the horizon; smaller federal budgets regardless of the election outcome are seemingly a certainty for the foreseeable future. So then, what’s a CEO and business to do?
It strikes me that first and foremost, those of us in leadership positions need to put on our sense-making hats and help our people and organizations, as best we can, to understand all this unpredictability and turbulence in the market place. While none of us are clairvoyant, I know I need to provide my people increased clarity regarding our organizational purpose and meaning, helping them ascribe new meaning for what are rapidly becoming new realities for us.
My main message is that within all this chaos lurks opportunity for any business willing to rethink how it goes about providing outstanding solutions and service to its customers. While the immediate road ahead will be challenging, and no doubt fraught with more than a few potholes and detours (and most assuredly there will be corporate casualties), the prevailing business environment also affords those willing to change to somewhat reinvent themselves.
As opposed to minefields, I see opportunities for MicroTech to serve as a thought leader in areas of the market place still evolving and defining themselves, such as cloud, mobility, data center optimization, big data and social media. While there may be less federal spending across the board in the near term, I am confident that those private sector entities that show demonstrated value in the market place will still find their fair share of opportunities. At MicroTech, we plan on taking the “opportunity” road to help us continue to grow our business.
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