Developing Confidence with Icertis’ Deanna Lanier
In the latest episode of In Her Ellement, Deanna Lanier shares her unique journey from her initial role in sales at IBM to her current position as Chief Strategy Officer at iCertis. Throughout the episode, Lanier recounts the critical steps and strategic career choices that propelled her into the ranks of tech leadership. Key to her ascent were lateral moves, the pursuit of further education, and an emphasis on leading initiatives rather than just people. Now a leader in AI and Contract Lifecycle Management, Lanier discusses how she infuses her work with a blend of technical expertise and strategic vision to drive innovation in the industry.
Aside from her personal climb, Lanier, alongside Suchi Srinivasan, delves into the broader challenge of increasing female representation in tech leadership roles. Taking responsibility as a mentor and advocate for women in tech, she illuminates the importance of diversity, confidence building, and the integration of AI in professional growth. The episode also highlights the delicate art of balancing work with family life, showing that career progression and motherhood are not mutually exclusive but rather a dynamic equilibrium that requires constant adaptation. Lanier's candid experiences offer both inspiration and practical advice for professionals navigating their own paths in the realm of technology and beyond.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Jan 8, 2024 episode of the In Her Ellement
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1-Page Summary
Deanna's non-traditional path into tech leadership
Deanna Lanier offers a narrative that spans an impressive climb from sales roles at IBM to becoming the Chief Strategy Officer at iCertis. Starting in sales, she developed a foundational knowledge of the tech industry, which served as a stepping stone towards greater aspirations in technology leadership. Recognizing the necessity for diverse experience and leadership skills, Lanier pursued strategic roles, often taking lateral moves, and worked in systems integration and management consulting. Her commitment to learning saw her obtain an advanced degree, enhancing her leadership competency. It was by managing teams and leading initiatives, rather than just people, at Microsoft that she solidified her leadership philosophy, focusing on impact and influence. Now, as iCertis's Chief Strategy Officer, Lanier pushes the frontiers of AI in Contract Lifecycle Management, bringing her unique expertise and perspective to leverage AI-driven innovations.
Bringing more women into tech leadership
Deanna Lanier, currently a Chief Strategy Officer, recognizes her responsibility to nurture the next generation of female tech leaders. With only 22% of AI professionals being female, she highlights the urgent need for parity in tech. Lanier puts great emphasis on mentorship, advancement of women, and bringing diverse perspectives to the decision-making table. She stresses the importance of women voicing their opinions and seizing challenges in the workplace. Lanier points to opportunities for women to integrate AI into their current roles to stay relevant and progress in the tech industry. Moreover, she calls on women to tackle ethical AI and gender bias, which will help in bridging the gender gap and shaping a more equitable future in tech leadership.
Confidence is acquired and tested over a career journey
Deanna Lanier reflects on the ebb and flow of confidence throughout her career, sharing that the attribute must be developed over time like a muscle. Confidence comes from a combination of mentorship, learning from failures, and robust support networks. Life events can rock this confidence, with each new experience either nurturing or challenging it. Lanier advises professionals to maintain confidence while also being humble, seeking diverse opinions to enrich decision-making. This balanced approach fosters openness and inclusivity, vital traits for effective leadership.
Continuous dance of juggling work, family, life events
Juggling work and family is a continuous and adaptive process, as Deanna Lanier candidly describes. Moves across the country for career opportunities brought guilt and questions about their impact on her children's lives. Despite the struggles, Lanier chooses to pursue both her professional ambitions and her role as a mother. This dynamic balance fluctuates like a dance, constantly shifting to accommodate the needs of her family and her career. Deanna, alongside commentator Suchi Srinivasan, recognizes that the challenge of balancing family and career evolves, reflecting the shifting responsibilities from physical to mental as children grow. Lanier consciously commits to contributing positively to both her professional and personal roles, embracing the complex dance of life's multiple facets.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Icertis is an American software company founded in 2009, specializing in contract management software for enterprise businesses. They offer a cloud-based platform, Icertis Contract Intelligence, which helps companies manage and analyze their contracts efficiently. The company is privately owned and has offices in North America, India, and Europe. Icertis is known for using artificial intelligence technology to enhance contract lifecycle management processes.
- AI-driven innovations involve the use of artificial intelligence technologies to create new products, services, or solutions that leverage machine learning, data analysis, and automation to improve processes, decision-making, and outcomes in various industries. These innovations often focus on enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and scalability by utilizing algorithms that can learn from data and adapt to changing circumstances. AI-driven innovations are transforming sectors like healthcare, finance, and manufacturing by enabling predictive analytics, personalized recommendations, and autonomous systems that can perform tasks traditionally requiring human intervention. The integration of AI technologies continues to drive advancements and unlock new possibilities for businesses and society as a whole.
- Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) involves the systematic management of contracts from creation to execution, ensuring compliance and efficiency throughout the contract's lifespan. It includes stages like requests, authoring, and negotiations, essential for creating and finalizing contracts. CLM aims to streamline processes, reduce risks, and enhance legal compliance within organizations. Automated CLM software can help organizations effectively manage contracts, minimize liabilities, and optimize contract-related processes.
- Ethical AI involves ensuring that artificial intelligence systems are developed and used in a responsible and fair manner, considering the potential impacts on society, individuals, and the environment. This includes addressing issues like bias, transparency, accountability, and the ethical implications of AI technologies. Practicing ethical AI involves making decisions that prioritize human well-being, equity, and ethical standards in the design, development, and deployment of AI systems. It also involves promoting diversity, inclusion, and ethical considerations in AI research and applications.
- Gender bias is the unequal treatment or representation of individuals based on their gender. It can manifest in various forms, such as stereotypes, discrimination, or unequal opportunities, favoring one gender over another. Addressing gender bias involves promoting fairness, equal rights, and opportunities for all genders. Gender bias can impact various aspects of society, including education, employment, and leadership opportunities.
Counterarguments
- While Lanier's path is impressive, it may not be replicable for everyone, as individual circumstances vary greatly.
- The foundational knowledge gained in sales roles may not always translate directly to strategic leadership skills required in tech.
- Obtaining an advanced degree is beneficial but not the only way to enhance leadership competency; practical experience can be equally valuable.
- Focusing on impact and influence is important, but leaders must also ensure they are approachable and connected to their teams.
- Pushing AI innovations is crucial, but it should be balanced with considerations of privacy, security, and the potential displacement of jobs.
- The statistic of 22% of AI professionals being female highlights a disparity, but it doesn't address the root causes or the quality of opportunities available to women.
- Mentorship is important, but it should be complemented with systemic changes in organizations to ensure equal opportunities for advancement.
- Voicing opinions and tackling ethical AI are important, but structural barriers may still impede women's progress in tech.
- Confidence is indeed developed over time, but some individuals may naturally possess or lack confidence due to personality traits or past experiences.
- Balancing work and family is a personal challenge and what works for one individual may not work for another; there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
- The idea of a continuous and adaptive process in balancing work and family life is valid, but it may not acknowledge the full extent of sacrifices or the support systems required to make it feasible.
- Committing to contributing positively to both professional and personal roles is admirable, but it may not fully capture the trade-offs and compromises that are often necessary in such a balance.
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Deanna's non-traditional path into tech leadership
Deanna Lanier recounts her atypical journey into tech leadership, beginning with sales roles and moving through a series of strategic career choices, eventually leading her to her current position as Chief Strategy Officer at iCertis.
Started in sales roles at IBM and a tech publishing company
Lanier's career started at IBM, where she took up an inside sales leader position based on a recommendation from a friend. Subsequently, she transitioned to an outside sales role at a computer book publishing company. These roles in sales served as the foundation for her understanding of the tech industry.
Took lateral moves and got an advanced degree to build leadership skills
Understanding the need to build upon her leadership skills, Lanier pursued a breadth of experiences outside her comfort zone, which sometimes meant taking lateral moves rather than vertical ones. This path wasn't always rapid, but it was deliberate, as she sought to reinvent her career trajectory when necessary. She went on to work in systems integration, joined management consulting, and obtained an advanced degree to further develop her competencies.
Assumed roles managing people and leading initiatives over time
Learned leadership is about leading initiatives, not just people
Moving to Microsoft, Lanier came to realize that effective leadership was not merely about managing people but also about leading initiatives. She understood that leadership was multifaceted, focusing on making a significant impact and exerting influence.
Focused on impact, influence, being a lifelong learner
With a focus on continued professional growth ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Deanna's non-traditional path into tech leadership
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) involves the systematic management of contracts from creation to execution, compliance, and renewal. It aims to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and ensure adherence to legal requirements. CLM software automates these processes, reducing organizational risks and improving overall contract management effectiveness.
- Orchestrating actions on contracts involves using a systematic approach to automate and manage various tasks and processes related to contracts. This can include activities such as tracking contract milestones, triggering notifications for renewals or reviews, and integrating contract data with other systems for seamless operations. By orchestrating actions on contracts, organizations can streamline their contract management processes, improve efficiency, and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
- Innovative uses of AI in Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) involve leveraging artificial intelligence technologies to automate and optimize various stages of the contract management process. This can include tasks li ...
Counterarguments
- While Lanier's path is commendable, it may not be replicable for everyone, as individual circumstances and opportunities can vary greatly.
- The emphasis on lateral moves as a strategy for career development might not align with everyone's career goals or financial needs, where vertical moves and promotions are often necessary.
- The narrative that leadership is about leading initiatives rather than just managing people could be seen as an oversimplification, as effective people management is a critical component of leadership.
- The focus on continuous learning, while important, may not account for the practical limitations some individuals face, such as time con ...
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Bringing more women into tech leadership
Suchi Srinivasan highlights the belief of Deanna Lanier, a woman serving as a Chief Security Officer (CSO), on the significant responsibility that women in tech leadership have to nurture and support the advancement of other women in their industry.
As a woman CSO, Deanna has a responsibility to advance other women
Deanna Lanier emphasizes the importance of fostering collaboration at all business levels, infusing diversity of thought, and increasing the number of women in tech leadership roles. She shares that part of her role as a leader involves mentoring women by sharing her experiences to help them navigate their careers. Referencing her start in the tech field, Deanna discusses the isolation she felt when she was frequently the only woman in the room. She explains the necessity of bringing one’s own voice to the table, and the critical nature of inviting knowledgeable women into decision-making processes.
Tech has only 22% female AI professionals - much work still needed
Highlighting statistics from MIT, Lanier points out that a mere 22% of AI professionals are female, which underscores a significant gender gap and emphasizes the urgent need for further progress in the sector.
Give women voice and opportunity to take on challenges
Deanna believes that organizations need to give women more opportunities to be heard and trusts that they have the skills required to succeed. Recognizing that women might approach risk differently than men, she suggests that organizations need to take this into account and encourage women to take bold leaps in their careers.
Opportunities for women in AI/tech beyond en ...
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Bringing more women into tech leadership
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- A Chief Security Officer (CSO) is a top executive responsible for developing and overseeing security strategies to protect an organization's people, assets, and reputation. They lead efforts to assess and mitigate risks, manage crises, and ensure compliance with regulations. CSOs also implement security processes, technologies, and policies to safeguard against various threats and maintain operational continuity.
- AI professionals are individuals who specialize in the field of Artificial Intelligence, which involves creating systems or machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These professionals work on developing AI technologies like machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. In the context of the text, AI professionals specifically refer to individuals working in roles related to AI development, research, or implementation within the tech industry. The term encompasses a wide range of roles, from AI engineers and data scientists to AI ethicists and researchers focused on advancing AI technologies.
- Gender bias issues in AI involve the unequal treatment or representation of individuals based on their gender within artificial intelligence systems, leading to disparities in outcomes or opportunities. This bias can manifest in various ways, such as skewed datasets, algorithmic decision-making processes, or the design of AI technologies, impacting areas like hiring practices, healthcare, and criminal justice. Addressing gender bias in AI requires awareness, proactive measures, and ethical consideratio ...
Counterarguments
- While mentoring is valuable, it should not be the sole responsibility of women leaders to advance other women; organizations as a whole should be accountable for creating inclusive environments.
- Diversity of thought is crucial, but it should not overshadow the need for structural changes that address systemic biases in hiring, promotion, and retention practices.
- The focus on increasing the number of women in tech leadership roles is important, but it should also be accompanied by efforts to improve the workplace culture to be more inclusive for all underrepresented groups.
- Encouraging women to take bold leaps in their careers is positive, but it must be recognized that women often face different professional and personal challenges that can affect their career trajectories.
- The recommendation for women to bring AI skills into their current r ...
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Confidence is acquired and tested over a career journey
Deanna opens up about the journey of confidence, emphasizing its crucial role for younger women leaders, particularly when overcoming the fear of speaking up in business meetings. She shares that her own confidence has solidified over the years she spent in the business world.
Takes courage built via mentors, failing, support networks
She points out that confidence is an attribute gained gradually, rather than a constant presence. Moreover, Deanna stresses that the path to confidence often involves embracing uncomfortable situations and vocalizing one's thoughts. According to her, this process is akin to building a muscle—requiring regular exercise and the ability to push through discomfort. She suggests that confidence is bolstered through support networks, mentorship, and the experiences derived from facing and surmounting failures.
Life events impact confidence up and down
Deanna underscores that life events can significantly influence one's confidence, with certain experiences nurturing it and others testing it. Professionals, she elaborates, will notice their confid ...
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Confidence is acquired and tested over a career journey
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Confidence being acquired and tested over a career journey means that individuals develop and strengthen their self-assurance through experiences and challenges they face in their professional lives. This process involves learning from successes and failures, seeking support from mentors and networks, and navigating various situations that shape one's belief in their abilities. As individuals progress in their careers, they encounter different circumstances that impact their confidence levels, requiring them to continuously adapt and grow in their self-assurance. This journey of confidence is ongoing and dynamic, influenced by both internal factors like mindset and external factors such as work environments and life events.
- The analogy of confidence being like building a muscle suggests that confidence, like a muscle, can be strengthened through consistent effort and practice. Just as muscles grow stronger with regular exercise, confidence can increase by facing challenges and pushing through discomfort. This comparison highlights the idea that confidence is not static but can be developed over time with deliberate actions and experiences. The analogy emphasizes the importance of persistence and resilience in cultivating confidence.
- Balancing confidence with humility means being self-assured in your abilities and decisions while also recognizing the value of others' perspectives and remaining open to feedback and learning. It involves maintaining a sense of confidence in your skills without becoming arrogant or dismissive of others' viewpoints. This balance allows a leader to be assertive when needed but also humble enough to acknowledge their limit ...
Counterarguments
- Confidence can sometimes be innate, with certain individuals displaying high levels of confidence naturally, without the need for gradual acquisition.
- Some argue that overemphasis on mentorship and support networks may lead to dependency, and that self-reliance is also a critical component of confidence.
- The muscle analogy for confidence might oversimplify the psychological complexities involved in developing and maintaining confidence.
- There is a perspective that suggests learning from successes, rather than failures, can be a more positive and effective way to build confidence.
- The impact of life events on confidence is not uniform; some individuals may experience little fluctuation in confidence regardless of external circumstances.
- While humility is important, too much emphasis on seeking others' perspectives could potentially ...
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Continuous dance of juggling work, family, life events
Deanna Lanier elaborates on the ongoing challenge of balancing career and family, likening it to an ever-shifting dance between various responsibilities.
Family moves and guilt over impact on children
Deanna shares her experience of making several cross-country moves to pursue her career aspirations, which meant uprooting her family each time. Though these moves were made with the intention of providing the best opportunities for her family, they sometimes came with feelings of guilt, especially considering the impact on her children during their formative years.
Questions remain as a working mom - best for family?
While embracing her professional ambitions, Deanna continually grapples with whether her choices are in the best interest of her family. This question is a constant source of stress for her, as she strives to provide the best opportunities for her loved ones.
Foxtrot one day, cha-cha the next - but choose both career and family
Deanna Lanier chooses to navigate the complex dynamics of maintaining both a career and family life. She describes this balance as a dance that varies daily — a foxtrot one day and a cha-cha the next, signifying the need for adaptation and considering multiple stakeholders' ...
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Continuous dance of juggling work, family, life events
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- The metaphor of balancing career and family as a dance is used to illustrate the dynamic and ever-changing nature of managing these two important aspects of life. Just like in a dance, where different steps and rhythms are involved, balancing career and family requires flexibility, adaptation, and coordination. The comparison highlights the need to navigate between various responsibilities and roles, adjusting to different demands and priorities as they shift over time. This metaphor emphasizes the continuous movement and adjustment required to maintain harmony and fulfillment in both career and family life.
- When a family makes cross-country moves for career reasons, it can disrupt the stability and routines of family life. Children may face challenges in adjusting to new environments, schools, and social circles, impacting their emotional well-being. Parents may experience feelings of guilt over the potential negative effects these moves could have on their children's development and sense of security. The dynamics within the family unit can be strained as members navigate the changes and uncertainties that come with relocation.
- The evolving responsibilities and workload of a working mother encompass a shift from primarily physical tasks to more mental and strategic duties over time. This transition reflects the changing demands and challenges faced by mothers as they progress in their careers and manage family responsibilities simultaneously. Working mothers often find themselves juggling a complex mix of professional obligations, household duties, and childcare responsibilities, requiring them to adapt and prioritize tasks based on the needs of both their work and family life. As children grow older and become more independent, the nature of a working mother's responsibilities may evolve, influencing her decision-making and time management strategies. ...
Counterarguments
- While Deanna Lanier views balancing career and family as a dance that varies daily, some might argue that this metaphor oversimplifies the complexities and challenges involved in such a balance.
- The feelings of guilt associated with moving children for career opportunities could be countered by the perspective that such moves can also provide children with diverse experiences and growth opportunities.
- The question of whether Deanna's choices as a working mom are best for her family might be met with the argument that there is no one-size-fits-all answer, and what is best varies greatly from one family to another.
- The idea that the responsibilities and workload of a working mother evolve over time could be complemented by the notion that societal structures and support systems also need to evolve to better support working parents.
- The concept that life events require a rebalancing of ener ...
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