Why I work for EMC…..

I try to keep away from the corporate stuff as much as I can on this blog and keep it focused on the technical side of the house.   But – I have to say that my Joe’s open letter, and the response from colleagues inspired me a bit here.   Polly has been cataloging them as they pop up. 

http://www.pollypearson.com/main/2009/06/emc-folks-add-to-the-discussion-why-do-i-work-at-emc.html

There’s some stuff in there that is downright awesome.   The posts started to self-generate, and created a bit of a feedback loop.

While they are all great - this one is my favorite: http://natalie.corridan-gregg.com/?p=43

For me – it’s easy.  I talked about it in my very first post here. 

EMC is a place for me.   My love of technology, my passion for talking with customer, colleagues, partners – basically evangelism – they are a great fit here at EMC.

I literally feel like I’m a part of moving a large org – and one that is far, far more nimble than it has any right to be at it’s size, as the 800lb gorilla of our industry.   I think that nimbleness is a part of, and derives from the culture. 

I’m given what I need – and am held accountable.   That combination, coupled with rewards for success – well, it’s a big part of why I spring out of bed every morning.

But - the best story that nets it out for me isn’t actually my story – as fun and fascinating as it’s been It’s the story of one of the people I brought on board a little more than 1 year ago.

When Joe asked me to head up the VMware efforts here at EMC – making sure we were doing what we needed to be to be the “best choice in the VMware context for customers, for partners, and for VMware on our own merits”, he asked me what I would need.

The answer was short and sweet: “It starts with a simple idea.   Customer-facing technical folks are the tip of the spear.  They design the solutions, they are the ones customers listen to, and they act as the feedback loop into engineering.  We need to build and ‘elite delta death commando squad’ of those people.” (I actually said that to the Joe, then called him “dude” :-)   These people would be people that live and breathe VMware, develop deep expertise on all EMC’s stuff – and embrace and partner like mad with customers, VMware SEs, partners, everyone.      While there was a lot more (engineering, field sales, alliance structure, capital equipment, and much much more) – this was IMO the most important ingredient.

So – a few months later – we hired our first.   At the point where this next part happens - he’s been on board for 3 days, and is shadowing me in the field, and at corporate.  

I’ve got a meeting in the exec boardroom with the exec team as we’re looking at a potential acquisition, and the engineering teams and I will be batting around the upside/downside, technical value, and where/how we could integrate.   Joe started his career as an SE himself, and gets surprisingly engaged in these things, so is heading up the meeting.

As I walk up to the boardroom the new hire is with me, and asks “should I come in there??!?”   I shrug my shoulders and say “I guess so - I don’t think it will be a problem….?” 

Like all boardrooms, there’s a big long table, and it’s surrounded by chairs around the wall – there are about 6 of us grouped at one end of the table, and the new hire is against the wall in one of the “sycophant chairs”.

The meeting starts, and everyone’s doing quick intros, and you can tell everyone is thinking “who’s that guy in the corner?”.  I introduce him and everyone says a friendly hello in turn.   It gets to Joe – and I’ll never forget this – with a big smile on his face he says to the guy: “Welcome to EMC!   What are you doing in the cheap seats?!   Come on over!”  - and pulls up a chair right beside him.

ok, so remember – this is a guy, 3 days on the job, in a 6 person meeting with the CEO in the boardroom :-)

So, as we’re talking back and forth (and I was just amazed at the level of technical dialog at senior levels, including Joe on obscure topics) – eventually Joe turns to the new guy and says “what do you think?” 

I look at the guy, he looks at me – and I’m nodding - "go for it!”   He goes on to say why, in his opinion, we shouldn’t do the deal. 

Now – the input was great.  I don’t think that it was the only reason we didn’t do the deal, but I do think it was important input and was part of the decision.

If that sounds crazy – you don’t get it.   The feedback was bang on.   Beyond understanding the fellow’s history to give his comments context, where it came from didn’t really matter.   It was technically right.   The business rationale was right.

That story nets it out for me…

To me, EMC is a place where the top listens – including to someone who is 3 days on the job.

To me, EMC is a place where pragmatism rules the day – basing decisions on practical rationale.

To me, EMC is a place where everyone is empowered – including someone who is 3 days on the job.

To me, EMC is a place where hierarchy is there only as a “support structure”.

These make it possible for everyone to have the opportunity to do great things.

Is EMC perfect?  Goodness no!   But perfection is a mirage.  I’ve loved every year at EMC, and can’t wait to see what the mysteries and puzzles the future brings.

Comments

[Polly Pearson]

What a great story! I can see it happening clear as day.

I've often been one of the few women in the Boardroom or on business trips with Joe and other senior leaders. I've always felt that same type of inclusion you illustrate.

To add color to that word "always" ...

It happened my second week on the job, at age 25, when then CEO Dick Egan called me to his office and asked me to return some calls for him to investors. (Ah, hello, you're going to let a 25 year-old-woman-recent-hire talk to investors?!)

It happened at age 30 when my boss died suddenly and then CEO Mike Ruettgers said yes when I asked him if I could be the one to take over the top job in Investor Relations -- we had about a $6 billion market cap at the time. (Ah, hello! Really?!)

You get the pattern. At EMC, I've found it isn't about your age, your gender, your tenure or anything else -- it is about what you can bring to the table.

Polly Pearson

[Daniel]

How badly would I want to have been in that guys shoes at the boardroom, I say that now but i would probably have been sh$ting myself as much as he was! This is all part of the learning experience though, how on earth can organisations expect you to learn otherwise!

It sounds that EMC is a place where you can express your passions and views and is certainly fully embraced from high high up the food chain, something that pays dividends to the company as a whole as this ultimately filters down to everyone.

Great read

Dan

[Julien]

I wish you described the EMC I worked for 2 years ago. But believe me it is far, far far, soooooo far away of the company in Europe.
Even if I still have a lot of friends in Hopkinton, none of them would say that management at EMC is a support structure, what a joke !!

[Chad Sakac]

Julien - I'm sorry that you had a negative experience 2 years ago.

It's true that there really is no "corporate culture" per se, there's the culture of those that surround you, and oneself of course.

I was in Paris, Munich, and London several weeks ago, and what I saw I liked, but then again, I don't work out there on a regular basis.

My comment about management as a "support structure" was intentionally in quotes - the point I was trying to make was (and again, this is in my experience), it's very non-hierarchical, that it's more of a loose scaffolding.

That can be good, and it can be bad.

Any other readers from EMEA interested in commenting?

[Julien]

Chad, thank you for letting me express my feelings ;-)

I was working in Paris and then London, which is better, company wise. Believe me, I haven't met anybody at EMC london who liked what they've seen in EMC paris. I'm wondering what you liked in EMC paris except the fact that you're going to nice restaurants every day ;-)

[Chad Sakac]

Well (and again - everyone just sees their part of the elephant), here's what I saw, and what I liked.

I've got a strong team member in Paris - Philppe Roland (you can see him here:

http://virtuanews.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/tableau-blanc-video-le-pra-en-marche-arriere-made-in-emc/

http://www.viddler.com/explore/speedfire/videos/238/

http://www.viddler.com/explore/speedfire/videos/270/

we held a VMware Academy (2 day deep dive for VMware/Cisco/EMC personel - lots of good questions, and interactions. Philippe has also done a great job of setting up the lab there in the Paris office, they can demo everything live (and as a hands-on technical guy, that matters to me).

I guess the key takeaway is that once again, it all comes down to individuals.

I might be tainted by the fact that I **do** love Paris (and london too), and am fluent in french - and the restaurants are indeed excellent (as they are in London also). Still - factoring it all in - it all comes down to people.....