What Traditional IT Development Programs are Missing, Part 1:
Business-first, Technology-Second
The difference between sparking a successful business transformation fueled by operational excellence, and igniting a bonfire of CapEx is a team of business-savvy IT professionals and leaders who understand that objectives are directed by the needs of business, not the capabilities of technology.
But, when traditional IT development programs prioritize organizational behaviors and tactical "next-steps" and hand-wave away fundamental business awareness, it should come as no surprise that 70% of CIOs* (and their teams) are perceived as not fully understanding the business, or its strategic objectives.
Nor is it coincidence that an equal percentage (70%**) of Digital Transformation strategies are failing, while roughly 60% of legacy operational stacks are underperforming.
Our partnerships focus on developing true professionals by building a solid foundation of business acumen while also providing the practical, real-time professional support they'll need to shift IT from legacy support commodity into a trusted partner of the business.
* Gartner
** McKinsey and Company
6X
ROI
Boost in Development Return
44%
Perception
Improvement in the Perception of IT
78%
Efficiency
Improved IT Operational Run Rate
80%
Collaboration
Improved Partner Engagement
81%
Experience
Improved Partner Satisfaction
32%
Cost Reduction
Reduction in Operational Expense
92%
Improved Overall Life Satisfaction
87%
Improved Stress Management Skills
94%
Improved Clarity and Purpose
93%
Improved Physical Well-Being
89%
Improved Financial Well-Being
78%
Improved Credit Score by 75+ points
What Traditional IT Development Programs are Missing, Part 2:
Connecting Personal Growth with Professional Ambitions
Boosting business awareness is only a part of the equation. Another is appreciating the realities of the human condition. A lack clarity in professional life is often a result of a lack clarity in personal life. Without the former, the latter simply won't come into view - making effective professional and leadership development nearly impossible.
And to assume your people will share the personal part of that journey with anyone who has influence over their career trajectory, or job security, is borderline naive.
Our partnerships were specifically designed outside of the org chart and around the reality that personal growth is the fuel for professional development. When your people can connect personal growth with professional ambitions, they will be motivated to do better for your business because it equates to doing better for themselves.
How we do it
Personalized 1:1 Coaching Sessions
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Personal Growth
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Financial Well-Being
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Fitness & Nutrition
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Professional Branding
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60 or 90 minutes sessions
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Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly
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Voice or Video
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60 minute ad-hoc sessions
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Anytime phone, text, email support
We help our partners improve intellectual, emotional, physical and financial well-being within an enlightening, entertaining and challenging 1:1 engagements. We provide the perspective, consistency and reinforcement that are the cornerstones for continuous growth and development.
These are the recurrences within the work calendar that your people can look forward to and depend on because they are free to be who they are and focus on becoming the comprehensively authentic authentic-self that they want to be.
Professional Collaboration
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Strategy and Planning
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Communication Drafting/Editing
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Policy, Process, Procedure Review
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Employee Development
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Project Management
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Presentation Coaching
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Conflict/Crisis Response
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Anytime phone, text, email support
Integrated into our 1:1's, or by ad-hoc request, we've got our partners' backs with a conduit into decades of business and technology experience with a simple call, email or text.
Our partners have the readily available support they'll need for unbiased insight, a fresh perspective, a proofreader, ghost writer or presentation coach - advice on strategy, policy, process and procedure - or during a crisis or emergency event.
Workshops and Team Sessions
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Half Day
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Full Day
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Mutli-Day Engagments
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Onsite/Virtual
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Unlimited Attendees
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Fully Customizable
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Quarterly/Annual Recurrence
Bring us onsite or on-screen for strategy development, training, interactive presentations, project management touch points, meeting facilitation, mediation - whatever the need, we've got something ready to go - or, we'll customize to the particular demand.
Gather the team, department or anyone else from the organization - our onsite or virtual sessions are only limited by the size of the room or the Zoom.
Dismantling the silos that have calcified around a frustratingly stubborn status-quo is imperative to creating the collaborative culture every business needs to get out of its own way.
Silos exist along fractured philosophical fault lines; people believing in different things. IE - the legacy Hatfield/McCoy rift between Infrastructure and Software Development over importance - or, that IT is simply a commodity.
The first step to dismantling these silos is appreciating what culture means: a group of people who share the same sets of beliefs.
Professional cultures require professional belief systems, based on doing what's best for the business - with the added twist of the business doing what's best for its people in return. The business must reward employee contributions with opportunities for professional growth.
Collaborative cultures share in the (non-negotiable) belief that respect is given (trust is earned). Regardless of background or position in the org chart, consistently demonstrating respect for teammates, leadership and partners throughout the business sets the stage for multi-directional growth and benefit.
Connecting Beliefs - Dismantling Silos
Setting the Foundation for a Collaborative Culture
74%
Reduction in Cultural Silos
78%
Improved Cross-Department Collaboration
81%
Improved Internal Collaboration
38%
Reduced Technical Debt/Shadow IT
45%
Improved Project/Solution Delivery Quality
67%
Increased Retention in Top Talent
"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." - Lewis Carroll.
In short: a lot of us aren't sure where we want to go in life, or our careers. Without a destination, effective professional and leaderships development is nearly impossible. Even if we knew, do we have the fierce sense of self-belief we need to get us there?
The personal growth element of our partnerships transcends basic life coaching. We replace the myth of BALANCE with the reality of priorities so people can focus on where they want to go, have what they need to get there and can contribute to others along the way.
We promote: emotional health by connecting behaviors with motivators; intellectual health by shifting and challenging perspectives and assumptions (even when we agree with them); financial health through a deep dive into how money works and how it can work for them, and physical health by providing a certified fitness and nutrition coach from LEGEND FITNESS to support a healthy mind with a healthy body.
Better People
Comprehensive Personal Growth Coaching
Connect Behaviors with Motivations
Develop a Fierce Sense of Self-Belief
Intellectual, Emotional, Physical Health
Master Personal Finance, Debt and Credit
Improve Personal Relationships
The biggest fault of traditional professional development programs - especially (but not exclusively) in IT - is in how they completely hand-wave away business acumen.
So it's no surprise when our IT people may not be effective professionals, or that some are unprepared to be business leaders.
We take our partners out of the technical-tactical mindset into strategic business awareness by demonstrating how simple business can be - demonstrating the historic links between technology and business - so they can effectively integrate technology with the business.
We take them even further by mentoring how to leverage MARKETING techniques to recognize and even anticipate demand, and influence better business decisions. And even how to leverage SALES techniques to become more effective communicators, influencers and leaders.
Integrate Business with Technology
Leverage Marketing & Sales Techniques For IT
Effective Business Communications
Seek and Destroy Technical Debt & Shadow IT
Cross-Platform Collaboration/BRM
Better Professionals: Business
Collaborative Business Mentoring and Support
95%
Improved Customer Awareness
90%
Improved Operational Awareness
88%
Improved Strategic Perspective
86%
Improved Business Financial Acumen
87%
Improved Business Communication Skills
85%
Improved Time and Stress Management
92%
Improved Visibility and Reputation
90%
Improved Presentation Skills
83%
Promoted into Leadership
87%
Improved Leadership Awareness
85%
Broadened Internal Opportunities
99%
Received Qualified Offers
Combine Personal and Professional Ambition
Determine Professional Next
Build a Valuable Professional Network
Polish Up the Resume and Socials
Boost Earning Potential
Our brands promote our potential - not just our accomplishments - and are vital to professional growth. They are - for example - the difference between people asking if you should be promoted (or hired), and asking the better question: why haven't we promoted (or hired) you, already?
As we work with our partners to connect personal growth with business acumen, their brands will naturally improve - but, we take our partners much further than that by connecting to the expert resources at Quirk, Professional Branding and Career Consulting to navigate a career path that takes them where they want to go by defining, refining and promoting a consistent professional brand that accurately and adaptively reflects not just who they were and what they've done but what they can truly do.
Better Professionals: Career
Professional Branding and Career Coaching
Leadership is not defined by title or tenure, nor should a leader's potential be restrained within an org chart box. Anyone can lead from anywhere when they have the continuous drive to get others to better - prospective leaders, new leaders or people already in the C-Suite.
We guide our partners through the leadership progression, from effective, innovative, influential, into inspirational by providing them with a trusted executive-level resource - with over a decade of experience in partnering with business and technology executives from start ups to SMB and into the Fortune 500.
Inspirational Leadership Skills
See, Set and Achieve Strategic Business Goals
Develop a Team of Business Professionals
Promote Financial Business Discipline
Influence the Organizational Culture
Better Business Leaders
Executive-Level Leadership Partner
(C) 2023 mercury 6, llc
90%
Improved Leadership Capabilities
91%
Improved Leadership/Executive Presence
86%
Improved Organizational Performance
72%
Improved Crisis Management Skills
75%
Improved Budgetary Discipline
80%
Promoted into Senior/Executive Leadership
Meet Your Team
Trusted Partners
A certified master business coach with over 25 years experience in Information Technology and well over 10 years partnering with technology executives and their teams.
Leveraging his unique and practical perspective, Pete founded mercury6 to help individuals, teams, and organizations see through the clutter of legacy perspectives and mindsets and connect all of the dots between life, business and technology to spark the growth of better people and develop careers of better professionals who are eager and able to be better leaders.
Pete Leiser
mercury6
A certified Medical Exercise Coach and Nutrition Specialist with a passion for helping others achieve their wellness and fitness goals. She founded Legend Fitness with the vision of supporting people in living their best lives.
In addition to her expertise in health and fitness, Shelby is also a seasoned financial investigator and compliance officer. With her diverse background and skillset, Shelby is well-equipped to help you reach your health and wellness goals and live an amazing life.
Shelby Koss
Legend Fitness
A trusted business partner for years, Kate has an impressive track record of helping C-Level executives identify business pain points and implement smart technology solutions. With prior roles at Gartner and The Hackett Group, Kate has the experience needed to drive real results.
In addition to her technical prowess, Kate is also a skilled writer with over 20 years of experience. She will craft a compelling career narrative that will expedite job searches and advance your career - in your current role, or something new.
Kate Pozeznik
Quirk, Professional Branding and Career Consulting
Growth and Development for the People of Technology
Technology isn't going to transform your business all by itself
We offer executive-level coaching and mentoring partnerships that will take your people beyond the limitations of traditional professional and leadership development programs to transform IT into the trusted partner your organization has always wanted, and the future vitality of your business demands.
Our unique methodology centers on the comprehensive growth of better people, who develop into better professionals through an adaptive blending of personal and career ambitions, business acumen and a C-Suite perspective, establishing a team of leaders, just as savvy in life and business and they are in technology.
With us in support, our partners are delivering real results:
Bringing growth and development into a familiar and comfortable environment simply works better than in someone else's office, on an app, or in a crowded offsite location; especially with an experienced partner that can be trusted and when the conversations are relevant to individual goals and ambitions.
That's why our 1:1 partnerships exist within the normal routine - from a desk, a quiet conference room, home or where ever our partners may be - to ensure that new perspectives, concepts and skills are immediately practical and applied in real time.
And since our engagements are set outside of the organizational structure, they provide a trust-based relationship supported by an unbending commitment to confidentiality so that our partners are assured the freedom to be who they really are, share what's really on their mind and truly focus on a better future.