You've Been Heard

You've Been Heard

Having a seat at the table. Nice. Being heard? Nicer. For decades, IT leaders have been the backbone of defensible business growth, solving problems that could cripple a business often before anyone noticed. We know this world. The late nights. The firefights. The impossible deadlines that somehow got met. IT Professionals don’t just fix. They fortify. They’re the frontline heroes fighting an improbable battle thriving where others break, armed with a resilience the strongest military leaders consider simply another day safeguarding the world. When things get rough, you’re indispensable. When everything’s humming like a well-oiled Tesla, you’re the hidden engine of progress, often asked to do the extraordinary. And one of the toughest parts? Being hunted by short-term sales reps chasing quotas, pushing shiny solutions they “know” you need… but you know you don’t. What if you could work with those who have sat in your seat, been precisely where you are? You can. That’s right: We’ve been there. Negotiating partnerships, being pitched by vendors across the table, and standing on the frontlines of IT. That’s why we built a platform where IT leaders are amplified, not sidelined. Not just “another platform.” In fact, three in one. A triple-threat to the industry norm. Doing to IT what the iPhone did to the Blackberry redefining the game (and expectations) forever. And to be clear, we refuse to be part of the “Hype Cycle” and inflated expectations. Which is why we’ve perfected a proven model that elevates you, the IT leader. Just ask our clients. The first piece? A podcast, not just a show. A platform where IT pros share hard-earned truths, not corporate scripts. The second piece? A community where peers (real ones) have sophisticated conversations—without vendors lurking in the corner. The final component? An advisory with only one agenda: your performance and sanity, so you make smarter vetted choices without the sales circus. Think of us as your backstage pass to whoever you need to meet to eliminate headaches and accelerate resolutions. The kind of exclusive pass that gains you access to our ecosystem with $1.2 billion in buying power. When we knock, the door’s already unlocked. And here’s the kicker: We make vendors fund your success. What about vendor-neutrality? If we were any more neutral, we’d be beige. Our triple-threat model doesn’t just transform how we do business. It transforms the impact you have on a day-to-day basis and on a year-over-year basis. It’s how you balance innovation with stability. Where you not only have a seat at the table, but get invited to speak. And be listened to. And there’s one final point that makes everything work: We don’t disappear when you need us. Ever. We stay. We escalate. We stand with you. We are anti-spin. Anti-transactional. Pro-IT leader. Your resilience is our resilience. Because when IT leaders rise… so does everything else. Welcome to the platform. Welcome to the movement. Join the next wave of IT leadership. Welcome to You’ve Been Heard. *****DISCLAIMER***** All views, opinions, and statements made by guests on this show do not represent the beliefs of the host Phil Howard, or any entity whatsoever with which the show has been, is now, or will be affiliated. Any statements, views, random thoughts, or opinions expressed by the hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the personal beliefs (could easily be misconstrued) and are not the official policy/position of our company, agency, podcast, and affiliated partners. Finally, because human beings are characteristically prone to flaws and mistakes, we warn all listeners to think critically for yourself and seek true knowledge before taking action upon anything.

  1. 388- Business Leaders Who Get Tech Are Dangerous w/Tim Elhefnawy

    JAN 13

    388- Business Leaders Who Get Tech Are Dangerous w/Tim Elhefnawy

    Tim Elhefnawy came from operations before technology leadership. That combination gives him a perspective most IT leaders don't have. He's watched tech leaders disconnect from the room in real time. Leading with technical objections when business needed risk discussion. Explaining integration test cycles that meant nothing to anyone while ignoring deal commitments. The pattern? IT leaders who practice the art of no. Who wait to be brought in instead of inserting themselves into strategy from day one. Who think delivering the tech piece is their job while someone else handles the business piece. That's not leadership. That's being a highly paid order taker. Tim's three-step playbook for real business outcomes: 1. Understand the actual problem. Not the soundbite. Tim was told there was a physical delivery issue. He went to gemba. Talked to drivers. Talked to customers. What he was sold wasn't the problem—it was half truth. Skip this step and the project fails. 2. Solution with the right people before giving timelines. Don't cave to "how fast?" Get the right folks together. Walk through it. Give feedback timely—don't boil the ocean trying to achieve perfection. 3. Read back your understanding. The step everyone skips. Confirm you understood. Talk through solution ideas. Tim sees people have light conversations, say "yep we got it," then build the wrong thing. We also get into knowing when to apply rigor versus when to just do it. Adding a CRM field that affects no workflows takes 30 seconds. But Tim sees analysts spend hours on regression testing and full CAB process—for a field. The waste is massive when you can't navigate what should go left versus right. Tim's advice to every emerging IT leader? "Don't allow yourself to be siloed into just technology. Learning business is just as important. You're going to be an incomplete leader without it." Because how dangerous is a business leader who understands the market, the customer, and the technology?

    42 min
4.9
out of 5
51 Ratings

About

Having a seat at the table. Nice. Being heard? Nicer. For decades, IT leaders have been the backbone of defensible business growth, solving problems that could cripple a business often before anyone noticed. We know this world. The late nights. The firefights. The impossible deadlines that somehow got met. IT Professionals don’t just fix. They fortify. They’re the frontline heroes fighting an improbable battle thriving where others break, armed with a resilience the strongest military leaders consider simply another day safeguarding the world. When things get rough, you’re indispensable. When everything’s humming like a well-oiled Tesla, you’re the hidden engine of progress, often asked to do the extraordinary. And one of the toughest parts? Being hunted by short-term sales reps chasing quotas, pushing shiny solutions they “know” you need… but you know you don’t. What if you could work with those who have sat in your seat, been precisely where you are? You can. That’s right: We’ve been there. Negotiating partnerships, being pitched by vendors across the table, and standing on the frontlines of IT. That’s why we built a platform where IT leaders are amplified, not sidelined. Not just “another platform.” In fact, three in one. A triple-threat to the industry norm. Doing to IT what the iPhone did to the Blackberry redefining the game (and expectations) forever. And to be clear, we refuse to be part of the “Hype Cycle” and inflated expectations. Which is why we’ve perfected a proven model that elevates you, the IT leader. Just ask our clients. The first piece? A podcast, not just a show. A platform where IT pros share hard-earned truths, not corporate scripts. The second piece? A community where peers (real ones) have sophisticated conversations—without vendors lurking in the corner. The final component? An advisory with only one agenda: your performance and sanity, so you make smarter vetted choices without the sales circus. Think of us as your backstage pass to whoever you need to meet to eliminate headaches and accelerate resolutions. The kind of exclusive pass that gains you access to our ecosystem with $1.2 billion in buying power. When we knock, the door’s already unlocked. And here’s the kicker: We make vendors fund your success. What about vendor-neutrality? If we were any more neutral, we’d be beige. Our triple-threat model doesn’t just transform how we do business. It transforms the impact you have on a day-to-day basis and on a year-over-year basis. It’s how you balance innovation with stability. Where you not only have a seat at the table, but get invited to speak. And be listened to. And there’s one final point that makes everything work: We don’t disappear when you need us. Ever. We stay. We escalate. We stand with you. We are anti-spin. Anti-transactional. Pro-IT leader. Your resilience is our resilience. Because when IT leaders rise… so does everything else. Welcome to the platform. Welcome to the movement. Join the next wave of IT leadership. Welcome to You’ve Been Heard. *****DISCLAIMER***** All views, opinions, and statements made by guests on this show do not represent the beliefs of the host Phil Howard, or any entity whatsoever with which the show has been, is now, or will be affiliated. Any statements, views, random thoughts, or opinions expressed by the hosts and guests do not necessarily reflect the personal beliefs (could easily be misconstrued) and are not the official policy/position of our company, agency, podcast, and affiliated partners. Finally, because human beings are characteristically prone to flaws and mistakes, we warn all listeners to think critically for yourself and seek true knowledge before taking action upon anything.