Driving Digital Transformation w/ Ken Somogyi

Ken Somogyi, a 2024 St. Louis ORBIE CIO of the Year winner and VP of IT at Spinrite, joins the Something Extra podcast to share his journey as a transformative IT leader. With over two decades of experience spanning retail, insurance, manufacturing, and non-profits, Ken has a track record of aligning technology with organizational goals to drive results. From implementing metrics-based service models to leading agile transformations and saving $1M in IT costs, Ken’s leadership style focuses on empowering teams and leveraging innovation for measurable impact. Tune in as he shares insights on using technology to enable growth.

Guest Links:

• Ken’s LinkedIn
• Spinrite

Credits: 
Host: Lisa Nichols
Executive Producer: Jenny Heal
Marketing Support: Landon Burke and Joe Szynkowski
Podcast Engineer: Portside Media

Transcript

Lisa Nichols  00:03
Chromosomes, little strands of nucleic acids and proteins are the fundamental genetic instructions that tell us who we are. At birth, most people are born with 46 chromosomes, but each year in the United States, about 6000 people are born with an extra chromosome, making them a person with Down syndrome. If you've ever encountered someone with Down syndrome, you know that they are some of the kindest, most joyful people you will ever meet. They truly have something extra. 

My name is Lisa Nichols, and I have spent the last 24 years as both the CEO of Technology Partners and as the mother to Ally. Ally has something extra in every sense of the word. I have been blessed to be by her side as she impacts everyone she meets. Through these two important roles as CEO and mother to Ally, I have witnessed countless life lessons that have fundamentally changed the way I look at the world. While you may not have an extra chromosome, every leader has something extra that defines who you are. 

Join me as I explore the something extra in leaders from all walks of life and discover how that difference in each of them has made a difference in their companies, their families, their communities and in themselves. If you liked this episode today, please go to Apple Podcast or wherever you listen and leave us a five-star rating. 

I'm excited to have Ken Somogyi on the show today. Ken is the Vice President of Information Technology at Spinrite. Well, Ken, welcome to the Something Extra Podcast. I am so delighted to have you on the show today. I know that you're a busy guy, traveling to Toronto, doing this and that, and you're making time for the show, and I'm just very grateful for that.

Ken Somogyi  01:58
Oh, thanks for the invite, Lisa. This is great. I'm excited to be here.

Lisa Nichols  02:01
We're gonna have fun. We're gonna have fun. Well, you've been in IT basically your whole entire career. You've been in lots of different capacities, different roles within IT, and I wanna dig into all that. You've been with some really notable brands. I know that our listeners are gonna recognize, and I wanna dig into all that, but what I'd love for you to do is take me back to your childhood. Because I know that it wasn't completely a cake walk, Ken. It wasn't all easy, right? But I am sure that there are things that you learned in your childhood that's really shaped who you are today and the kind of leader that you are.

Ken Somogyi  02:01
Sure. No, that's a great question. I did learn a lot from childhood, and just, you know, really quick I'll just, I'll be right out there with it. You know, I'm adopted, and so I learned about change. You know, as a child, and a lot that comes with that, to be honest. And so, you know, without getting into all the details, you know, I can carry forward a lot of resiliency, a lot of tenacity. And so, you know when, when you go through something like that, and it does really shape your life, it shapes your childhood, your adulthood. And you know you have these thoughts, you know that you have to just understand better and keep pushing yourself to get to whatever you know goal is, is out there, or maybe whatever roadblock is, is in the way. So, tenacity is probably the biggest thing that that I can say I've learned from it all.

Lisa Nichols  03:31
And you need to be a little tenacious when you're in IT, don't you?

Ken Somogyi  03:36
You do. You do. The word no comes quickly in IT, you know, and that's, that's a reality that we do face. And so, without that, you know, just kind of perseverance, you know, it's, it's easy to just stop what you're doing and not push forward, which doesn't really get you what you need.

Lisa Nichols  03:57
Absolutely. And it just, there's a lot of experimentation that happens, it doesn't always work, so just continuing to push forward and being tenacious to get to that goal is really important. So, thank you so much for being vulnerable and being willing to share that. So, I know that you went to Truman. Yay, Truman Kirksville. 

Ken Somogyi  04:23
That’s right. Yep.

Lisa Nichols  04:24
You got a business administration degree there, and then you went on to the Governors State University in Illinois for a BS in computer science. And I know I kind of looked at that Ken, it's not the easiest to get into. You have to have really good grades to get in there. I think only about 50% of the applicants get accepted.

Ken Somogyi  04:46
That is true. You know, it's funny. So, if you look at my college degree on paper, it looks it looks really cool, and there's a reality behind it. I really took a long time to get through college, and I changed my major multiple times. And so, you know, the one thing that, that I'm super, actually looking back on and just happy about, is the fact that it did take that long, because computer science was the last choice I made in my, you know, multiple choices of degree. And so, yes, it's hard to get into. I feel lucky in so many different ways. Because, you know, when I look back at things like I probably didn't belong, you know, in my mind, in some of these places, and I find myself there and I'm just like, wow, I gotta figure out how to make the best of it. And I didn't always. But there's lessons in that, you know, also as well. So, the you know, kind of going back to the tenacity and all that is like, failing fast, you know, learning from the most important part. And I've failed fast a lot of times and in my life and in my in my career. And so, Governor State, great, great opportunity, Truman, great opportunity. I look back at both those and, you know, I'm like, I made it. I smile, and it was a great experience. 

Lisa Nichols  06:00
I love you talked about failing fast, because we do that a lot in IT, right? Fail fast. That's what we talk about. Get a minimum viable product out there, right? And fail fast so that you can pivot when you need to. And so, was there someone, a person or something, that inspired you a professor or someone, Ken, to say it is where you need to be. Because, I mean, obviously, aren't you so glad that you chose that profession? I mean, technology is so important. It's in every company, right?

Ken Somogyi  06:35
I'm so glad. I love what I do in technology. And yes, there are two people you know, that I would say, really I could give the credit to. And you know, first would be my mom, who I grew up with. She pushed me to always learn. She pushed me into a computer science class when I was a kid, where I, you know, started just learning how to software develop like program they called it back then, right? And getting magazines out of the library, copying code and all that. So, that kind of sparked an interest that went away for a little while, until I became a young adult, and then my now ex father-in-law, he encouraged me. He was, he was like an IT kind of hobbyist, and so he encouraged me, like, Ken, why don't you get back into it? Here's a bunch of extra computer parts and stuff like, I dare you to fix this computer. And so, I found myself, you know, getting into it that way again. And then I thought, well, you know, I'm really struggling to find where I want to go in my career. And it just all came together. And it all became like that magic of I just needed that one extra little push to say, you know, encourage, like, go try it out. See what happens. If you fail, you fail, don't we'll see where it goes. So, those are the two for sure.

Lisa Nichols  07:50
And that's such a great leadership lesson, too, Ken that we're speaking that in other people and into the next generation, right? Because sometimes it is always say a word, our words matter. Our words matter. In fact, our words can change the trajectory of someone's life. So, then your father in law going, Hey, here's all these parts. Go do some I mean, speaking that into you. I mean, really, truly changed your career.

Ken Somogyi  08:17
It really did. It really did. And you're right, words are super important, and I do believe in passing it on, you know, the, the idea of giving back and so on, you know? And I've been a mentee for multiple different people, and I didn't realize at the time that I was a mentee, but when I look back on I'm like, I couldn't be where I am today without this experience or that experience, and so I try to provide the same, you know, since I've been in leadership, whether it was, you know, informal leadership or leadership, leadership, I always look to see, what can I do to help somebody grow that has either, we'll say, a talent or an aspiration or just an interest, whatever in in, you know, something I can help them get into. So, giving back is a great way to really, kind of relive those moments too. 
Lisa Nichols  09:08
I cannot agree more, and it's, it's rewarding. There's a old saying that says it's more blessed to give than to receive. And I tell you, when you can speak something into someone else and have a small hand in their career or their trajectory. There's just nothing more rewarding than that, truly. So that's just a great leadership lesson. Well, you started your career at Talx, navigation programmer, you've consulted for goodness gracious. Delta, Dental, Madison Mutual, Royal Canin, MERS Goodwill, Build-A-Bear. I mean, you've, you've taken on a lot of different roles, but your recent role that you took on is the VP of IT for Spinrite, which is actually headquartered. In Toronto. Do you want to tell our listeners just a little bit about Spinrite? Now, this is really funny to me, Ken, because when my assistant Jenny found out you were at Spinrite, she told me exactly, she goes, Oh, they had the best yarn. She's like naming all of the different yarns and everything. But our listeners may not know much about Spinrite. You want to tell them a little bit about the company?

Ken Somogyi  10:21
For sure. And to be fair, I had never heard of Spinrite, either, so for Jenny to know it, she's obviously an avid crocheter, knitter or something in the craft. And so, kind of alluding to it, yeah, that's, that's what Spinrite, is known for. They manufacture, they produce, they distribute yarn. And so, if you go to a lot of the we'll say the big box stores, you know, and into their crafting aisle, if you look at the yarn that's there, there's a lot of different brands, and a lot of those brands are actually owned by Spinrite. And so, you know, when I was looking at this role, I was talking to my daughter about the role, and I was at a Michaels or something. And I sent her a picture, and I said, Abby, hey, this is what the product looks like. And she, she said, Dad, does this mean I get yarn, you know, for free for the rest of my life? I'm like, you've been getting yarn for your entire life for free. You've never paid for any of this, so I guess it does. And so anyway, I'm just excited to be a part of an organization that there's like an identity with, for sure, like on a personal level.

Lisa Nichols  11:25
That is so cool. Well, I want to talk more about what you've been brought in to do, but let's talk a little bit about this so you moved from individual contributor into leadership roles. What were you know, I mean, you've been a CIO, a multi-time CIO. I mean, what are those core values as a leader? Because that's different, right? You need different competencies as a leader than you do as an individual contributor. But what were some of those core values that you've lived out as a leader, Ken?

Ken Somogyi  11:57
Some of the, I mean, so it's, a different there's, there's a few different ways to look at so I think there's values, but there's also a way of presence. And so, I'm gonna, I'm gonna key on a little bit of both. But, you know, the value of just integrity is hugely important. And so, you know, for me, if I have a person or a team or a peer or whatever, and we're kind of expecting something out of each other. You know it the integrity part comes into play, of like, you're going to do what it is that you've agreed to do, and I'm going to do what it is, and so you find this, like collaboration being designed around that concept. And so, there's a trust factor that grows. So, trust is definitely a huge value that I, I believe in when it's there, I love it when it's not there, it can be really frustrating, you know, and those are hard conversations to have. 

Ken Somogyi  12:48
The other parts though, along with it, you just quality, you know, let's talk about quality. Let's talk and that can be in a lot of different ways. It could be the quality of the work that you're either producing, or the quality of, like, showing up every day, you know, and being ready to talk about those, those big objectives or projects or whatever maybe challenges are out there, you know. And a lot of it comes down to really just communication and just keeping things open, keeping the flow going, asking questions, is a huge thing that comes with that, you know, for me, at least, you know. And so going back to like, the concept of values or presence, for me, I really feel that one of the things that I can provide, and has been helpful for me, is calmness. And so, when I walk into a situation, whether it's into the boardroom or the War Room, either one, you know, there's, there's the idea of the duck on the on the water, you know, and they just look so calm, you know, they're just kind of floating around. But, you know, the currents underneath that water, they're paddling their feet through that they're working hard, going against the current or the direction they want to go, and that, that's a huge thing that I try to produce, but also to instill in my team members. We get a lot more done when we're calmer, you know, than not.

Lisa Nichols  14:10
Oh, that is so good. I really, it's so true. Because if you're frenetically, you know, because there's so much uncertainty, sometimes, like I said before, things we need to learn to fail fast, because it doesn't always work well. But, you know, having that calmness and saying, Listen, it's okay, we'll get through this. We'll, we'll get through it together, I think, is so important for the leader, because if the leader is all frenetic, then everyone else is going to be that way too, right? And stressed out and anxious and so, that's really good. Well, so tell me this. How have you because you have been a multi-time CIO, how have you approached building high performing teams, Ken?

Ken Somogyi  14:57
Well, I mean really understanding, first of all, the skills, you know, and I tend, I try to look at personality styles. So, understanding, are you an introvert? Are you an extrovert? How do you communicate? On top of that, you know, going back to the communication now, I know how to communicate better with you. That's a starting point. Another part, though, is understanding where they are in a skill or a task, you know, if, if they have a higher skill, I don't have to, I don't have to over manage. I don't have to micromanage and, like, we're already now, like, we're talking about, like, let's have the touch points that are the most valuable. Like, when we're talking in these terms, we're not just spending time, like, recycling the same thoughts, you know, if they need more help, I'm there to provide more help, or there to provide an avenue for them to get help or education or whatever the case may be. 

Ken Somogyi  15:50
So, if I understand the people, and I understand their skill sets, you know, now we're talking about, let's set our objectives, and let's make sure that they're matching, you know, to all of the objectives of the corporation or the department, or whatever the level is that we're really looking at here. That's how we do it. And then just constant communication, you know, really checking in. If there's a metric, are we meeting the metric? It's feedback, or it's a narrative. Let's make sure we understand what the feedback of the narrative is and, and just staying really, really close. That's, that's been my approach to high performing. There's a lot of like, formats and structures and things frameworks that you can go into within, with designing this on paper or whatever. But at the end of the day, I really do think it comes down to it, just a lot of that understanding. 

Lisa Nichols  16:37
I cannot agree more. And just the open lines of communication is so important, so important, and to make sure everyone's aligned. Well, you know, and this kind of dovetails right into that, right? So, I always say that there is a culture in an organization, but there's also a culture in the IT organization, within the organization.

Ken Somogyi  17:01
That's true. That's very true.

Lisa Nichols  17:05
So how do you think about that? What have you seen, because you've worked like I said, you've worked for so many iconic brands, what have you seen that's really worked well? Because, and I always say too, can the culture, you've got to pay attention to that, because you want to be able to retain people. You want to be able to track people and then retrain them. And there is a certain culture that is going to be attractive, and one that's not so. What have you seen that's effective? 

Ken Somogyi  17:32
I think that, you know, depending on how we want to look at this, if I look at an IT team, one of the first things that I'm going to make sure I emphasize is that we are a, a service first organization, so we're very customer centric. We're not like the old it you'd say, where you know everybody, it was okay to sit behind a screen and just type away, because you've got your notes that you're following and all that like that's not IT anymore. We have to be in front of our end users and our stakeholders, because there's not a lot of there's not a lot of fluff in our teams, like we were lean, you know? And so, we're not only the ones understanding the problem. We're solving the problem and, and really making sure that we're doing it in a satisfactory way. So, if we're not thinking about ourselves as customer service. We should be because at the end of the day, all of the work that we're doing, well, there's an end result. And hopefully, whether it's our personalities and our way of working and the quality and all of that comes together, we're going to meet the expectations and hopefully exceed the expectations. 

Ken Somogyi  18:39
That's a culture that doesn't come naturally to IT people, though, as we know, like going back to personality, and you know, a lot of us are introverts. A lot of us really don't want to be in front of people or caught off guard or any of those things. And so, I have to manage basically those, those personalities and make sure that they become comfortable. We all become comfortable being, you know, in front of each other, and being vulnerable to feedback and failing and all of those things hugely important. That culture, I really think it comes with, Tell me what's on your mind. You know, my IT team, whatever it is, like this stays, we're a family. Let's keep it to ourselves. Let's be respectful, but keep it to ourselves, and let's just get things out there if they're in the way or bothering us or whatever, and, and we'll work through it. I really try to stress, like, talk to me, like, let's keep talking. Don't stop talking, because then I get worried.

Lisa Nichols  19:33
Right. You get worried when they don't talk. That is so good. Well, let me talk to you about this, because this is really, this is an important topic, right? Because technology, and it's so funny, because I remember when Greg and I first started our careers, it was more about IT was kind of in the cubicle and sitting with their laptop. And that's not it at all now. It's not just keeping the lights on. I mean, technology is truly driving businesses, driving companies. In fact, to the point where some companies say we're not such and such company, we're a technology company now. But let's talk about innovation, because that's really important. So, you know how, you know I love to talk about this. So, you know, innovating, how do you balance innovating while keeping everything else going and keeping it on budget and on time? And because that, it can be hard, and sometimes you're, you're tasked with innovating with a very limited budget, right? 

Ken Somogyi  20:46
So, there's a lot to the innovation aspect. And I'll say that, like most of the experience I've had, the innovation aspect isn't always, I would say, encouraged, you know. And because there is so much to keeping the lights on, and so it's really a matter of carving out just some time, not a ton of time, because, you know, sometimes innovation happens, either off hours or off the radar or whatever. And if you take a small piece and you can try to understand, like, what do I want to solve in this very small use case, and you solve it, that's innovation. Like, that's the very begin, the seed of innovation right there. And then you can start to make it bigger and or better or faster, or whatever those things can be done alongside keeping the lights on and so on. 

Ken Somogyi  21:36
And so, like, I look at innovation, and, you know, we know all of the big innovation like buzzwords are today with. You know, AI, and all of the, you know, generative AI, all of these things that that people get excited about, and some companies want to innovate just for the sake of it, because they feel they're missing out, right? And they're feeling they're missing. Oh, well, the fun part here is like, if we're not keeping the lights on, if we're not making sure, like, go to go with AI, the data quality is there to begin with. Like, all of those innovations there, it's like, it's like, expecting to not fall when you got three legs on a chair, and it's not a stool, right? So, you want, you want to have all of your legs in place so that you can innovate. The balance is struck at different levels, depending on, you know, where you are in, the journey of data quality and the journey of whatever it is that your industry is really wanting to innovate, or maybe could innovate on. So, it's it is striking that balance, if you can provide a little bit of value, you just provided some innovation, and then you can have a better conversation.

Lisa Nichols  22:41
That's such a great point. That is such a great point. I love that innovating while you're keeping the lights on so even small, incremental improvements is innovation, right? Well, we've got, I've got a lot more questions here for you, Ken, but we do need to take a quick break, and we'll be right back on the Something Extra Podcast with Ken Somogyi.

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Lisa Nichols  23:30
Well, welcome back, everyone to the Something Extra Podcast with my friend Ken Somogyi. So, Ken, we've already talked about AI, Gen AI, everybody, that's the buzz, right? But are there other trends that you are seeing for technology, for the future. And really, what I'd love for you to think about, and maybe talk on, what should an IT executive be thinking about right now, as they are thinking about setting their organization up for the future?

Ken Somogyi  23:49
I mean outside of AI and all that, I'd say some of the trends, you know, really it some of just, it's kind of simple. It relates to, like, where do you want to host your data? Like that changes all the time. Or do you want to host your applications and so on. And, you know, I think for me, when I look at how fast technology is changing right now, my biggest concern would be skills and making sure that, you know, we have the right skills being trained and people being educated to keep up at the pace that we're doing. So, you know, when, when we were talking earlier about, like, you know, how are you balancing innovation with keeping the lights on well it and also skilling up your employees, and being worried about all the way into like college. You know, are we teaching the right classes? Are we teaching the right mindsets? I think that that's where we should be really focusing our time on. I know there's a lot of concern around AI and replacing people and like, there's, there's no way, there's absolutely no way, because we can create all of these monsters of technology, but without the guard rails and the rules being put together and the people that can help make it all work, it's, it's not going to work. It just won't and so that I go back to people, whether it's education, it's skill sets, you know, mindset, whatever, that's where we should really be focusing our time on and our concerns. 

Lisa Nichols  25:31
That's so good. I totally agree with you. You know, when you talk about AI, Ken, I was thinking about this the other day, because I use it every day. I'm sure you do too. But I was thinking about the other day, I'm like, it's not going to replace people. It's not going, to your point, it's not going to replace people. But I feel like one of the things that it is going to do, it's going to give us our most valuable commodity back, which is time.

Ken Somogyi  26:01
Agreed. 

Lisa Nichols  26:03
It's going to help us do what we do in a much more efficient way, so that we can do other things or do more, right? Than what we were able to do before it's time. 

Ken Somogyi  26:16
And guess what I do. I agree with that 100% I think it if we go back about 30 years ago, 40 years ago, maybe when, like the PCs became more common at home and all that, and in the workplace, we had the same concerns. People were worried about losing jobs, people worried about all these things. But if you look at it now, we still have these conversations like these efficiencies, because whether it's workflow driven, or it's digital, not paper anymore, or whatever, it all saves us time. And we're still working in the same world and ecosystems, and now we're adding more value, though, faster and so you know, not only is it time, but the efficiency of the organization, it just becomes tremendous. We don't have to necessarily displace people. We just move them to a more valuable role, perhaps. And that's, I think that's the beautiful thing about technology and, and something that we should look forward to and embrace.

Lisa Nichols  27:12
Oh, I like that. Look forward to and embrace it and get excited about it. One of our taglines that we've always said is we're harnessing the power of technology to improve the world. And truly, technology gives so many and all stories of where technology truly is improving the world. And so that is something to get excited about. And if you're a young person that is listening and trying to figure out what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life. Technology is a great place to start. And Ken and I'll hire you when you get your degree.

Ken Somogyi  27:48
Gladly. Bring it. Give me the resumes.

Lisa Nichols  27:51
Bring it on. Bring it on. Well, let's talk about this a little bit. We've talked about AI, but let's talk about data. And Ken, I mean, I don't even know how many gigabytes we have of data now, it's a lot, though we've never had as much data ever in the world as what we have now. So, how important is it for an organization to have a data strategy, just because data, just for data sake is of no value, right? We've got to make sure we're pulling the right data, and we've got a data strategy. 

Ken Somogyi  28:29
I think it's one of the most important aspects right now of technology. And so, when I look at, I'm starting up my new job, and I'm, you know, kind of looking under the covers and digging around a lot of the times, I'm finding just in the last few weeks here that most of the conversations are about data. You know, whether the quality isn't there or there's a misunderstanding of the process of creating the data, managing the data, whatever. It is, probably outside of security, the most important thing we should be talking about. Security obviously, keeps the data where it needs to be, and so on. But let's get past that. But the data piece, if we want to make advancement in whether it's, you know, our systems or artificial intelligence, or whatever, our data needs to be managed so we need to have a team of people that are governing their data, that can consider themselves. I am an expert in my field of my data. Here we work as a group, you know, to make sure that we'll say sales data, marketing data, whatever, like, they all make sense, and they're being managed properly. Going back in time again. If you think about how many times a data set could have changed over the course of time, you know, and so you're adding new data fields, and you're using data fields differently last year versus this year. And if no one's keeping an eye on those things, the bias of artificial intelligence alone can skew. You know, the data, the lack of data integrity can skew the results. And that's, that's the worst-case scenario in that kind of situation, for sure. So, data absolutely important. Got to get it out of control. 
Lisa Nichols  30:13
Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, let's talk a little bit more about Spinrite. You know, what, Ken, I mean, obviously, you're there as the CIO, the VP of IT. What did they bring you in to do? What's your charter as you have come into Spinrite? What is it that they are trying to accomplish in the initiatives that you're focused on right now?

Ken Somogyi  30:35
That is such. It's actually a funny question in a way, because it's there's a double-edged sword here. So, I'll explain. So, the charter, so we're owned by, you know, an equity firm. And so, the charter is, you know, to get across the finish line when the timing is right. And so that a lot comes with that. Obviously, it's less about investing in new it's more about kind of, like you were talking about earlier is like, finding efficiencies, you know, like, let's make sure that we know we have a team this size we can, we can get as much done with the team and be efficient. And I'm not talking about it, I'm talking about organization wide, you know, get the most done that we can with, with the least amount of people. Don't forget about quality and all that. And so, I've been brought into to really kind of right side, their, their, I'll say, data strategy and right side, and prepare for eventually, new ERP systems, you know, down the road. And so, you know, on top of it, they need leadership. And you know, as we talk about, you know, with technology and people around technology, leadership is absolutely important. It's, it is sometimes, well, herding the cats, you know, whether we're talking stakeholders, team members, whatever, that's something, that's the beauty of this kind of role. And so those are the big, I'd say, pieces to what I was, what I was really brought in to do. 

Lisa Nichols  32:00
Very good. Very good. Well, I want to go back a little bit and talk more a little bit about your leadership. You've been recognized two times now as an ORBIE finalist which is a very prestigious award in the CIO world. So, for our listeners who do not know, this is very prestigious its people are nominated, and then they are voted on by their peers. Other CIOs, which is really incredible, but two times now you've been nominated. What, you know, what impact do you hope to make, Ken, with your work as a CIO?

Ken Somogyi  32:39
First, I am really, like, the ORBIE thing, the fight, like, I'm so humble, like, that's not something that was even I wasn't aware of, you know, honestly. And then so, now to be a part of it is just like an extreme honor, you know, and so I take that as an indicator that, well, maybe we are doing something right in some parts of the ecosystem. And, you know, I, so what do I, what do I want to achieve as a CIO? I mean, it's, it's actually fairly it's simple. I think it's probably two things. It's, it's really helping an organization understand how to achieve its goals. And alongside that is, you know, once, depending on the organization you're in, and what kind of capacity you're serving, helping drive what objectives you want to set, you know, at a certain level, those, those are the big things for me. So, whether we're problem solving or looking for new opportunities, or whatever, the conversation around strategy and then trying to drive a plan around that. That's what I like to achieve, and that's what I want to achieve in my career. And so, I can be proud of those moments. Those are wins for everybody. Those are wins for the company, me, my team, and so on. 

Ken Somogyi  34:00
I'd say just equally as important, though, is really just helping, helping the others in technology, you know, helping them grow, helping them learn either from my successes or failures, and talking through that. That is, as I've gotten further into my career, I'd say that's become more of a primary focus for me, and so I would never admit this, maybe to some people, like my CEO or so on. But like, if I'm not bringing my people along, I feel like I'm letting them down, you know. And I want them to be a part of the future, whether it's here at this organization or somewhere else. Like there's a personal component to all of this. And you know, as human beings and as you know, just as peers, whether we're you know, where we are in the hierarchy, sometimes it doesn't matter. Sometimes it's helping you know other people out. And I'll be honest, like going back to the concept of, you know, this InspireCIO thing we talked about, um. That has been an eye-opening experience for me. And so, we're, we're constantly, CIOs, we're giving back to each other, you know, we're, we're not in competition, you know, we're here to help. And we've both. All of us have been through a lot of career experiences. We all have a lot that we could offer and, and I haven't run into anybody that's too proud, you know, to help, or too proud to take a stop, a pause, and say, let's let me hear what you have going on. Let me see what I can do to suggest help or whatever that's tremendous. And so, like you think about the boats and the harbor and all of that, and that water is lifting, those boats are all going to go. And so like, when I look at like the St. Louis market alone, this group of peers, we're all helping all of the organizations in St. Louis do better than they would otherwise. You know, without that collaboration and help, I went way off on that one, but that's a passion for me.

Lisa Nichols  35:54
It's so true. If we're not, I'm trying to think, I'm pulling it out of my memory bank here, but I'm a huge adage and quote person, you know, and I can't remember who it was, Nelson Mandela, somebody talking about you know, it's really what you do for others that lasts, right? And so, to your point, Ken, if you're not taking your people along. I'll never forget Jim Swanson was a global CIO for Monsanto, and then became that for Bayer. He's now at Johnson & Johnson now, but I'll never forget him saying, he wanted his people, he said, I want to, to inspire and influence and train our people so that they can go work anywhere in the world. I mean, he wants them to do well that way. He said, Now, here's the thing. He goes, I want to treat them such that they'll never want to leave, but you want the best for your people and bringing them along. So, I just, I love that. Well, let me ask you this, there's one thing about technology, whatever it is today, it's going to change tomorrow. It's always evolving and changing. So, I have to ask you, how do you personally stay fresh and on top of all of the changes? Do you read certain magazines? Do you listen to podcasts? Do you read books? I mean, how do you personally do this? Do you go to conferences? What do you do and tell our listeners so that they can possibly do the same thing.

Ken Somogyi  37:32
For sure, I'll say this. I used to read the books and the magazines, and I love books, don't get me wrong. And even the conferences, I think it's great, you know, and it helps, for me, it helps to see something in action. I'm a visual learner, and so for me to understand how things are going to work, or will it work, a conference is a great place, you know. In any conference or not just showing you the technology they're showing you how it applies to either your industry or your need or whatever the case is, but I will say that having the conversations with my peers has become the number one way, because I'm not being sold, you know, and I'm learning. I'm learning from either an experience that somebody's already had or been through or just knows more about than I do that has become my primary, my primary way. So, I try to keep that network strong, so I can keep, you know, learning from it. And personally, I mean, I try to get, like, the latest phones and, you know, I play around with the gadgets and all of that stuff, and that's all that's all fun, that keeps me, like, personally, kind of sharp in terms of, like, household technology, but, but the other stuff with, you know more you know, business level technology, that's my approach.

Lisa Nichols  38:48
That's so good, that is so good. And that's, you know, why things like the technology leadership experience that we do or InspireCIO, that's why these things are so important. And oftentimes, you know, I think sometimes they think, you know, that people may think, Oh, the networking. I don't have time for that. Listen, we all need a network. We cannot do this by ourselves, Ken.

Ken Somogyi  39:12
I agree. I agree. And I'll encourage you know anybody that you know, with the fact that most go back to, I think there's a third time I've said this now, but most technology people, they tend to be quieter, you know, they tend to be more introverted. And that's honestly, who, who I am. I'm a pretty, you know, reserved person for the most part. And so, push yourself to go out there and do that, and get into those networks and start asking questions and, you know, it's you're going to be surprised. I've been surprised at how much I can learn quickly in the connections making those connections, it helps in ways that you'll, you'll never imagine, till you need that help, and it's there waiting for you. And so, it that has been a huge life lesson for me. And it does go back to what you said, Lisa, like you can't do this on your own, like, collaboration, you know, let's talk about, like, somewhere the word is team, I don't know, maybe, maybe not, but it should be.

Lisa Nichols  40:09
I agree. It is. It's golden. And to your point, when you've got that network and you're going through something, or looking to go through something, being able to pick up the phone and have a trusted person, you know, in that network that you can say, hey, I've got this. How did you get through it? Or what tools did you guys use? I mean, it's, it's just gold. It really is. So, I would encourage any leaders out there at any level. Honestly, you need, you need a network. Well, let me ask you, do you have certain habits, like, do you have a morning routine or anything like that that helps you kind of stay grounded, Ken?

Ken Somogyi  40:52
I do. Well, I mean, I'll say my kids keep me grounded for sure, and that helps, and they're part of my routine. But, you know, I try to hit the gym first thing in the morning, and it helps me kind of collect my priorities and build my day in my mind. As we all know, we sit in, you know, a lot of meetings from so sometimes it's like finding that small gap of time where, if you know what's on your list, you can hit it really quick and get things going, you know, so on. And so it is that, and that's probably as far as routines are concerned, that's, that's my biggest routine. That's the workout. It mentally, physically, everything about it sets me up for a great day, you know, as far as, like, towards the end of the day. I mean, the thing that I really love, one of the things I love the most, is, is just sitting down at dinner with the kids. And so, you know, whatever that dinner looks like, whether it's great, it's carried out, it's made at home, doesn't matter. It's that time, you know, sitting at the table and guess what? Like technology, that's the one time it shouldn't be around, in my opinion. And so those are routines for me, that kind of, it's like the book ends, you know, of a work day at least, that those are important parts for me.

Lisa Nichols  42:06
That's so good. That's so good. There's no substitution for time with your kiddos. No substitute. And I love that you're a technologist, but you say no technology at the dinner table.

Ken Somogyi  42:19
I try to tell them like, Come on, guys, let's put it down.

Lisa Nichols  42:21
That's good. That's a good dad. That's a good dad well. And I suspect, when I asked this question, I suspect I know what the answer is going to be, and it may be what you just told me. But you know, stress, I believe anxiety and stress are at all time highs right now, Ken, amongst people, and IT can really be sometimes very stressful. It can be, but you know, how do you what do you do when you feel like stressed? And I love I'm going to go back to what you said in the beginning, that you feel like one of the things that you do is you can bring calm into a situation. But how do you get there? I mean, when isn't it? Tell our listeners.

Ken Somogyi  43:08
It can be harder on some days, for sure. You're right. So, the workout is definitely part of that. I'm a huge music fan, and so when I think about, you know, an outlet for whatever it is, whether it's anxiety or maybe I'm upset about something, or maybe I'm happy, whatever music can either enhance it or change it, you know. And so, that is an outlet that has been around for my entire life, and I always go to it. So, if I want to feel calm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna listen to calm music, you know, and me, personally, I'll make a pitch for reggae music, because I talk about reggae music all the time. It's one of the most calming sounds out there, because it sounds like the ocean. And so those are things that help, you know, with that anxiety. And so, if I know I'm going to walk into a board meeting, or the boardroom, whatever, and I know it's going to be a tense meeting, because it can be, I'd better listen to some music at some point before I get in there, just to kind of get myself kind of centered and ready for it. 

Lisa Nichols  44:10
Very good. Great tip. I love that. Well, okay, so what advice would you give to the next generation of leaders?

Ken Somogyi  44:19
I'd say the next generation of leaders be tenacious. You know, honestly, like, keep pushing yourself, keep pushing whoever you're working around. And have the right people with you, when you go to whatever the table, the boardroom, whatever it is, have the right people that have the skills that we all believe in, like the same objective that's important. I do firmly believe education is important, whether it's hands on education or formal education, they're both very valuable. And just try to try to keep up with us. We're trying to keep a good legacy for you to pick up, you know, and keep rolling it. So, if those generational gaps can stay close to each other with through mentorship or whatever, I highly recommend signing up for something like that, if it's an opportunity for you.

Lisa Nichols  45:09
Oh, that's good. That's good. Well, I'm gonna land the plane here. What do you believe Ken Somogyi is a something extra that every leader needs?

Ken Somogyi  45:21
A smile. I honestly do think that it's a smile, you know, so like, getting into a session or something difficult or just excited about, like, the physical appearance can make such a difference, you know. We can make assumptions that we all know what we're talking about, right? We're here because we're meant to be here. We have a purpose, whatever, but if we go into it with positive intent and a smile like everything becomes easier, everything becomes better. And so, I do think that is the something extra that I try to bring you know every time I have a chance to.

Lisa Nichols  46:00
I've never, in 310 episodes, I've never had anyone say that. But that, that is Ken's Somogyi. Every time I see you, you are smiling. And that is, that is, you just naturally feel more hopeful, right?

Ken Somogyi  46:17
I think so, yes. And you as well. By the way, you've got your smile shows, and it's great. It's very it helps everybody for sure.

Lisa Nichols  46:28
Well, Ken, thank you again, so much. This has been so much fun. I appreciate you, my friend. Yes, and I can't wait for listeners to learn from you.

Ken Somogyi  46:38
Thanks, Lisa. I appreciate it. 

Announcer  46:41
Thank you for listening to today's show Something Extra with Lisa Nichols as a Technology Partners Production Copyright Technology Partners Inc. 2019. For show notes, or to reach Lisa, visit tpi.co/podcast. Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen.

*Please note, the preceding transcription has been automatically generated and should be used for informational purposes only.