Yannick Keugue Lekam, Transition CIO

"You have to be a useful manager: have empathy for your teams and know how to train all your colleagues."

Yannick Keugue Lekam, Interim Manager, shares his experience after having accompanied a group as Director of Research and created a research department for them. He looks back at what he learned, what stood out, what he gained from the training, and what it will change in his practice.

Who would you recommend this course to?

I would recommend this course to all information systems professionals, especially those who occupy - or are going to occupy - managerial or executive positions (CIO, head of research, etc.).
It is also very useful for those with a technical profile but who need to extend their skills towards management, strategic positioning or leadership.

What do you think are the strong points?

• Strategic vision & positioning: understand the role of the CIO (or CTO) in the organization, particularly in relation to governance bodies (Comex or equivalent), and how to shape this positioning to deliver value.
• IS architecture: this is a fundamental element. Having worked on many projects, I believe that architecture is an essential pillar in guaranteeing the coherence, stability and adaptability of information systems.
• Leadership & team management: ability to profile your colleagues, adapt your style to each individual, have empathy, coach teams - not just lead them.
• Comprehensive & practical training: not only strategic and technical content, but also tools, models and concrete feedback. The format allows for interaction with peers and exchanges on real-life issues.

Highlights

1. The CIO's position within the organization
   I'd like to stress the importance of clarifying the strategic role that the CIO (and more broadly the CIO) must play, as the link between corporate strategy and technical achievements.
2. Architecture and information systems
   These are subjects I've worked with a lot, but which I feel are sometimes underestimated. In my opinion, a well thought-out architecture helps structure the IS, making it more agile and robust.
3. Useful leadership
   For me, being a manager is not just about issuing directives, but about adapting to your teams, understanding their skills and potential, and supporting them - with empathy and the ability to coach them.
4. The usefulness of practical tools
   For example, a model/template for budget management and ISD financial structuring. These tools are useful for streamlining, automating and structuring financial activities, which makes a big difference on a day-to-day basis.

What this will change in your professional practice

• I believe I now have the keys to addressing virtually all the issues I face - be they technical, financial or human.
• Application will be facilitated by the wealth of concrete examples, and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other professionals who have already resolved similar situations.
• On an organizational level, I expect it to strengthen my ability to structure the budget, to make processes more coherent, and to have better visibility over all the activities of the IT/design department.