Zang Jing Ge part 2: 13 leadership behaviours for architects
Figuring out what makes a good architect is hard: figuring out what makes a good architecture leader is even harder.
In HSBC Technology we expect all architects to lead the thinking of others. But we also expect some architects to formally occupy leadership roles: to build and lead architecture teams, and to occupy senior, strategic positions in the organisation. These are our architecture leaders, and we expect a lot of them.
In my last blog post, Zang Jing Ge: the Way of the Architect, I shared some thoughts about the three dimensions that make a good architect: technical excellence; leadership power; and communication mastery.
In my team, we’ve also tried to define the key behaviours of an architecture leader, and have come with a list of 13 things. This list is a lot messier than the three dimensions of Zang Jing Ge. Most architects like things to be organised: to have some kind of system and schema. But we couldn’t squeeze these ideas into a tidy conceptual structure (that’s why there’s 13 of them): they are just the things that we expect of each other, and others expect of us.
Confident, assertive technical leadership: architects often find themselves in the awkward position of knowing the right thing to do, while working with lots of people who don't agree with them. Architecture leaders confidently, firmly and respectfully (see below) assert their expertise, and get people to follow them.
Connection building: research shows that: a) big companies are made up of lots of internal networks; b) companies do better when these networks connect with each other; and c) the number of people who belong to multiple networks is remarkably small. Architects are often best placed to connect networks, and must do so to be successful in their roles.
Mentoring and coaching: most people get to be senior architecture leaders because they have expertise and experience worth sharing. Good architecture leaders seek opportunities to pass on their experience, and to consciously find and nurture talent.
Communication: it’s one of the three Zang Jing Ge dimensions, but it can’t be emphasised enough: good architects communicate and great architecture leaders communicate even more. Architecture leaders are always in teaching (and learning) mode, and look for opportunities to empower through communication.
Bias to action: Architects are often characterised as thinkers rather than doers. Architecture leaders must be both: they must have great ideas and be impatient to see those ideas put into action. Architecture leaders ask 'how?' and 'when?' as much as they ask 'what?' and 'why?'
Management accountability: architecture leaders often have the privilege of innovating, solving problems and setting strategy, without having the operational responsibility of running large teams. This doesn’t mean that they can disregard the operational and commercial dimensions of their business: architecture leaders take accountability for operational management just as much as the people running operations and engineering.
Reliable support: as the people who exemplify clear thinking and straight talking, architecture leaders become part of the support structure of the (typically C-suite) business and technology leaders they work with. Great architecture leaders are happy to be on call for all manner of problems which require clear and rapid thinking, whether they have anything to do with architecture or not.
Outcome oriented: architecture leaders do not just dream dreams, and they do not just initiate actions. They cultivate their completer-finisher instincts (even if they don’t naturally have these instincts) and make sure that the job doesn’t just get designed, and doesn’t just get started, but gets finished.
Curiosity and enthusiasm: architecture leaders became architects because they are curious about the world, excited by technology, and want to use one to make the other better. They are infectiously positive about the possibilities of technology, and inspire others to learn and explore.
Tolerance of ambiguity: great architecture leaders seek open ended problems, and are not put off by ambiguous situations. Moreover, they are able to translate ambiguity into confident, clear direction for others, even when they are certainly not feeling confident and clear themselves.
Influencing in the absence of authority: architecture leaders don’t need to be appointed to a position of hierarchical authority to get other people to follow them: they are able to reason, persuade and communicate their ideas to everybody. They actively engage and enlist support from across the organisation.
Expert: technical excellence is another of the three dimensions of Zang Jing Ge, and architecture leaders are expected to be expert in at least one area of technology. However, they are experts in lots of other things too: they are some of the people who understand best how their business operates.
Treat people with respect: this might seem like it goes without saying, but sometimes confident, assertive leaders with deep expertise and a bias to action can come across as brusquely or condescending. Great architecture leaders recognise that everyone deserves respect, and take the time to explain and, more importantly, listen.
It’s really hard to live up to all of these leadership behaviours. We have built these into our personal objectives, and hold each other to account when we don’t live up to them. But we also realise that we all fall short in one or more of these areas, and we try to consciously work on our development. But it is, and always will be, a work in progress for each of us.
