In September 2023, AVI Systems launched is first podcast endeavor, “Eyes on Impact: The Human Side of Tech.” Each episode of Eyes on Impact features host and CTO of AVI Systems Brad Sousa and his conversation with a technology leader. The crux of these conversations focuses not on the tech, but on how these leaders create human impact at the organization and in the world around them.
In Episode 1 of Eyes on Impact (sponsored by Logitech), Brad interviews David Hotchkiss. David is the Vice President and Chief Information Officer at the Medical College of Wisconsin and has two decades of IT leadership experience.
During their conversation, Brad and David discussed what it takes to make IT a business enabler, what it means to be a business leader in IT and more. But the heart of their conversation focuses on how David is a leader first (and a technologist second or third) and the art of people-first leadership.
David believes that while people choose to join an organization based on culture or mission, very quickly after that, they decide whether they want to work for their leader.
As such, it’s essential that leaders respect and treat people as people first. This means remembering that they are not tools. They are not pieces of a machine. They are people who have agreed to leverage their skills and attributes in service to your company.
If you’re not a people-first leader, people may choose to give their skills to another company.
You can hear Brad and David’s full conversation on the Eyes on Impact podcast, now available on your favorite listening platform (e.g., Apple, Spotify).
