This episode of the “Sunny’s Silver Linings” podcast focused on “MSP talent needs and challenges”. Sunny talked to Jen Zaroski, Chief People Officer at VC3 and Todd Billiar, Director – Strategic Partnerships at IT By Design—two distinguished channel leaders. Sunny, Jen, and Todd engaged in a dialogue aimed at uncovering strategies for building high-performing teams and fostering a thriving company culture.
Here’s what you will learn from the episode:
- Embrace continuous learning and growth mindset in leadership roles.
- Seek mentorship to accelerate personal and professional development.
- Lead with purpose, fostering psychological safety, trust and accountability.
- Align organizational values with actions to create a culture of belonging.
- Clarify expectations and provide regular feedback to team members.
- And much more.
Time to delve a little more into the conversation:
Getting to Know the Experts
Meet Jen: With nearly two decades of experience in human resources, Jen brings a wealth of knowledge from the tech industry, where she has spent over eight years. As a mother of two and a resident of Canada, Jen offers a unique perspective on leadership and work-life balance.
Meet Todd: As the Director of Strategic Partnerships at ITBD, Todd boasts over two decades of expertise in the IT channel, with a keen focus on talent management. His insights into attracting and retaining top talent are invaluable for leaders navigating the competitive landscape.
Meet Sunny: Among the most known faces in the channel, Sunny has gone from building an MSP from scratch to founding the channel’s premier talent solutions provider—ITBD—in over two decades of his entrepreneurial journey.
Advice for Emerging Leaders
Embrace Continuous Learning: Jen emphasized the importance of entering leadership roles with a growth mindset, acknowledging that no one has all the answers from the outset. She encouraged aspiring leaders to be open to making mistakes and learning from them.
Seek Mentorship: Todd advocated for finding mentors who can offer guidance and support along the leadership journey. He believes that learning from others’ experiences accelerates personal and professional growth.
Cultivating a Positive Company Culture
Lead with Purpose: Jen talked about the role of visible leadership in driving the organizational purpose and energy. She highlighted the need for leaders to prioritize their people, foster psychological safety and lead by example.
Align Values and Actions: Both Jen and Todd stressed the importance of living out organizational values and ensuring they are more than just words on a website. They advocated for creating a culture of belonging, trust and accountability.
Engaging and Retaining Top Talent
Clarify Expectations: Jen emphasized the value of clarity in communication and setting clear expectations for team members. She believes that regular feedback and open dialogue contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
Invest in Career Development: Todd suggested providing employees with career development opportunities and actively listening to their aspirations. He advised leaders to take a proactive approach to talent management, including the implementation of programs like the “Golden Ticket” to facilitate smooth transitions for returning employees.
Performance Management Best Practices
Practice Transparency: Jen and Todd agreed on the importance of transparency and regular performance reviews. They advised leaders to address performance issues promptly and provide constructive feedback to help team members grow.
Document Goals and Progress: Todd recommended using documented scorecards and conducting weekly one-on-one meetings to track progress and provide ongoing support to team members.
Overall, Sunny, Jen and Todd highlighted the critical role of purposeful leadership in building high-performing teams and nurturing a positive company culture. By embracing continuous learning, fostering psychological safety and investing in talent development, leaders can create environments where employees thrive and organizations flourish.
About Sunny’s Silver Linings Podcast
“Sunny’s Silver Linings” is a top MSP channel podcast hosted by the CEO of IT By Design, Sunny Kaila. Sunny and his guests cover a wide range of MSP- and talent-based topics, including leadership, corporate culture, MSP services, cybersecurity, customer service, talent growth and retention, and strategies to achieve success in the channel. Listen now to take your business to the next level!
You can check out all our episodes here. You can also listen to “Sunny’s Silver Linings” podcast episodes on all the top streaming platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, etc.
About IT By Design
With more than two decades of experience as a technology services provider—first as an MSP, and then for MSPs—IT By Design (ITBD) helps clients navigate the volatile technical landscape. As the authority on MSP-trained technical talent, it understands the challenges its customers face when recruiting team members. ITBD addresses those issues through many solutions: dedicated staffing, 24x7x365 NOC services, helpdesk solutions, RMM virtual admin, vCIO consulting, security, employee and client engagement software, and professional services. ITBD is headquartered in New Jersey and has facilities in India and the Philippines.
Previous Episode of Sunny’s Silver Linings: Building a Thriving MSP: A Winning Formula by William Flannery
