Career Profile: Mark Slaga, Dimension Data CTO

Did you set out to work in IT or some other job?
I studied marketing in college so my intent upon graduation was to find a position in that field; however, a summer job with the Air Force changed all that.

What drew you to a technology career?
Following college graduation, I secured a summer job working in the telecommunications group for the Air Force (7th Communications Group) at the Pentagon where I gathered requirements for phone system upgrades. The officers and civilians in the group helped to cultivate my interest in technology and were always available to answer questions. That experience ultimately changed my career focus.

What's been your best job and why?
My best job was my most rewarding thus far: building the voice practice for Dimension Data. The marketing, engineering, and business management skills I had acquired throughout my career came into play in this one role. This position required me to work with my team to develop the infrastructure for a national organization including establishing clear lines of communication, a mechanism to compile and implement best practices, a balanced scorecard for measuring performance, and incentive programs to align performance with goals. The infrastructure made it easier for the team to succeed--what began as a start-up entity within the company grew to become Cisco's Voice Partner of the Year for both 2004 and 2005 and Cisco's second largest voice partner in the U.S.

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What do you attribute to your advancement in IT

1. Consistently moving out of my comfort zone to take on a variety of different career roles (from marketing to CCIE engineer to manager to practice lead within my domain of expertise to practice lead outside of my domain of expertise to CIO/CTO)
2. Maintaining a balance of reactive and proactive activities in every job I do.
3. Having fun at work. Find and focus on the good things. People notice, and it will often impact others in a positive way.
4. Listening. This isn't a skill that comes natural to me; it takes constant attention.

I have also worked with some solid mentors over the years. Whether they came from sales/marketing or operational management, I have incorporated many of their recommendations and best practices into my career. Their coaching and guidance have been instrumental. Last, but certainly not least, the support of my family has definitely assisted my career growth.

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