Favorite Parts Of Being A Global ISV Operations Supervisor At ServiceNow
Allison's favorite aspect of being a Global ISV Operations Supervisor at ServiceNow is "being a people manager," finding fulfillment in helping their team members grow their careers and learn, drawing on both positive and negative past management experiences to improve their own leadership style and fostering a supportive environment where "emotional intelligence" is key to navigating the fast-paced tech industry.
Leadership, Team Management, Career Development, Emotional Intelligence, Mentorship
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Allison Kulp
Global ISV Operations Supervisor
ServiceNow, Inc.
Loyola University Maryland , 2009
University of California Los Angeles -Executive MBA anticipated 2024
Business Management & Admin
Technology
Operations and Project Management
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Being a people manager and helping team members grow their careers is the most fulfilling aspect of the role.
2. The fast-paced nature of the tech industry necessitates adaptability and emotional intelligence in managing a team and deadlines.
3. The role provides ample opportunities for career growth and skill development, both for the supervisor and their team members, with potential to learn from both positive and negative management examples.
Transcript
Alison, what do you enjoy most about being an Operations Supervisor?
One of the main ways I've grown my career is by moving up the leadership track and really being a leader. You can advance in your career without necessarily being a formal leader.
You don't have to be a manager to make a name for yourself. For example, you can lead a product without having a team or being the subject matter expert. There are always different avenues to grow your career. For me, it's a little bit of both, but being a people manager has been important.
This reflects how our business at ServiceNow has grown, and also my own career path, as I've switched different roles. It's the nice part of my day, even when I'm stressed with deadlines. Having a team meeting where we're working on a solution or learning how to manage a team is the best part of my role.
You learn from managers you've had who were amazing. You might think, "I want to be like how they handled one-on-ones or stress." Conversely, we've all had bad managers or coaches, and you realize, "I would never do that," or "I would handle that differently."
There's a lot of reflection and mentoring you can get from others for career building. It's a way to learn. When you step into a management or lead role, you have to learn to use different muscles. For me, it's doing that effectively and getting positive feedback.
As a manager, I feel people can always come to me to talk. Maybe they're burnt out or have too much on their plate, and I can help them restructure or just be reasonable. This is especially true in tech, which is in every industry now. Tech is in healthcare, finance, and real estate.
It will always be fast-paced because it's constantly adapting. I think it's important to notice when someone hasn't taken time off. You can tell them, "You need to take three days off," even if they're not going to travel. It's about having emotional intelligence and really reading the situation.
Even in remote settings, like on Zoom calls, I can ask how someone's day is going. Of course, we have deadlines and roles, but it's about emotional intelligence. Asking, "How are you doing?" is important.
Another big part is growing their careers. I've had people on my team who want to become managers, so I help them develop more skills. Others may not want to be people managers but want to manage projects. We figure out how to help them develop those skills.
Being a people manager and helping people grow their careers, learn, and feel fulfilled in their roles is the nice part of the job. It's also a really good learning experience for my future.