Meet Chris Broderick, the CEO of GroupLogic. Broderick is responsible for leading the company’s strategic growth, and operational initiatives. As a software industry veteran, Broderick has over fifteen years of executive leadership in the areas of IT security, identity, storage, and infrastructure management.
“I cannot recall a time when the innovation cycle has been so fast paced and frenetic”-Broderick
WashingtonExec recently interviewed Broderick about the future of GroupLogic, mobility solutions and his opinions about how to achieve success in this tough economy.
WashingtonExec: What do you think will be the biggest challenge that GroupLogic will face within the next couple years?
Chris Broderick: The biggest challenge for GroupLogic over the next couple of years will be in managing rapid growth. When a company like ours experiences exponential growth, there is a tendency to become complacent and inward-looking as new employees join the firm. Scaling in a smart way while remaining focused on how you solve your customer’s business problems are the key ingredients to managing it effectively.
WashingtonExec: How do you think mobility solutions will change the IT industry in the future?
Chris Broderick: There has been a very interesting shift in who influences the usage and purchase of technology in the enterprise due to the increasing adoption of mobility solutions. Instead of IT being the one and only influencer, the end user is increasingly more empowered to determine what they want to use – from device to OS to application, and, IT is feeling the pressure to provide support.
It was not long ago that employees were issued the devices, applications, and peripherals by IT, and the idea that the end user would ever have a choice was virtually unheard of. But this is changing very rapidly; the end user wants to use the IT devices and mobility solutions that they are most comfortable with…and often times the end user is a senior executive. Analysts refer to this as the Consumerization of IT, or Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Whatever the phenomenon is called, I can only say that it is real and it is happening fast, creating tremendous pressure on IT management to adapt and support a highly heterogeneous environment.
WashingtonExec: What’s the key to staying competitive in today’s economy?
Chris Broderick: I cannot recall a time when the innovation cycle has been so fast paced and frenetic. As an example, IDC said that iPad sales grew by more than 300% year over year in the second quarter of 2011. New ways to improve business processes and personal communication are perpetually being introduced to the market place, and small, early-stage companies are commanding millions of dollars in venture investment for innovative business models. The only way to remain competitive is to move very, very quickly, and be adaptive. Assuming that your business will hum along in perpetuity without investing in innovation and reinvention is naïve in today’s economy. Move very, very quickly and deliberately.
WashingtonExec: What advice can you give to other technology companies that are struggling right now?
Chris Broderick: There are certain leadership behaviors I’ve noticed that cause some firms to get stuck. Some leaders in technology companies form an emotional bond with the technology that they invented or helped create. When this happens, there is a tendency to resist change despite indicators in the marketplace that suggest a change is needed. This can impede the ability of the company to employ objective judgment in matters important to the firm’s growth, or, in some cases, its very survival. I think it is important to be what I like to call a “constructive skeptic” and listen to feedback from all constituents that are willing to offer an opinion, both from inside and outside of the organization. Recruit and retain people that offset your own perspectives and foster a work environment where everyone is encouraged to express an opinion.
WashingtonExec: What’s the best advice you have ever received?
Chris Broderick: There is a tendency in technology firms to assume that a complex business or market problem must require a complex solution. The best advice that I have ever received is that complex problems do not require complex solutions; in fact, they can usually be boiled down to a simple set of solutions that can be rapidly implemented. Identify them, and then, implement—fast.