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In a world of rapid technological advancement, identifying true leaders in the industry is crucial. Our Certified MVP series shines a spotlight on exceptional individuals. Prepare to be inspired, challenged, and maybe even a little in awe of the quiet heroes who keep our digital world working and secure. 

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Points of Discussion:

In this month’s feature, we’ll hear from Mark Povey, the EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries. Mark shares his insights and rich experiences as an IT leader. His journey and advice will highlight the specific challenges IT leaders often face – and more importantly, how to navigate them successfully. Get ready to learn about what you can do to be the MVP in your organisation.

Meet Mark Povey:

Mark Povey is a dedicated IT Professional. Starting out his IT career within a support role for a UK SMB, steadily expanding his expertise and knowledge over the next 15 years across various organisations of different scales. Currently, in the role of IT Regional Leader for MiTek Industries, where he leads the IT efforts for MiTek across the EMEA region, supporting 10+ countries and ensuring all IT needs are being met both locally and across the globe.

Mark likes to work by the philosophy of ‘Understand your customers’. For IT teams, our customers are often our own internal company users. Understand and anticipate their needs, challenges and expectations. Be proactive and offer actionable solutions. Mark believes that building strong relationships and having good communication with all elements of the business is key to being a successful business partner. If you are not listening to the business, you are not understanding the business.

Outside of work, Mark is a keen traveller. He enjoys visiting new places and experiencing different cultures. Closer to home, he enjoys spending quality time with family and friends.

About MiTek Industries:

MiTek® is a global company focused on providing integrated software, services, engineered products and automated solutions for the building industry worldwide. Innovating and expanding into aspects of global building, MiTek® empowers customers to improve the way they design, make and build.

“Mark plays a critical role at MiTek being responsible for IT in EMEA, without his efforts we would not be able to properly support MiTek employees or our customers in the region.” – Ron Lewis, Vice President, Global IT Infrastructure at MiTek.

From Pixels to Power: Mark’s Career Journey

Q: What was the defining moment that sparked your love for technology and set you on the path to becoming the tech leader you are today?

Mark Povey (MP): While I grew up with technology, my passion for it began with a computer I got for Christmas when I was about nine years old. I spent countless hours taking it apart, exploring its inner workings and experimenting with software. This fascination led me to become the family’s go-to IT expert, providing support and guidance to friends and relatives.

At 16, I entered the world of work as a games tester at a software development company. Infiltrating the tech industry at such a young age allowed me to learn and grow faster by exposing me to new technologies. After the company went under, I leveraged my acquired skills to secure a position at another software development business.

I stayed in the tech industry throughout my career and would reach what I call a ‘glass ceiling’ before deciding to move on. This is because I’m constantly looking for new opportunities to grow, which is done through continuous learning and being open to all possibilities.

This is what made me transition to an IT Support role at a UK-based SMB in the mid-2000s. Given that there were only two of us in the IT department, I leveraged my previous knowledge to maintain the legacy technology and deploy newer solutions.

“By throwing me in the deep end, that IT Support role really gave me the push I needed to learn as much as I could about the company and the industry.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

From laptops and Wi-Fi to server virtualisation, the rapid pace of technological advancements in that decade kept our small IT team busy. After a few years of supporting the company, I once again reached a ceiling and sought new opportunities – which happens a lot in SMBs. The limited growth potential within the company led me to join a larger IT team supporting operations across the UK, Middle East and Africa.

“I was focused on learning the way businesses operate and understanding the processes. I tried to step away from the day-to-day support tasks by learning what we – as the IT department – could do to improve business engagement as well. This is how I started to make the transition into becoming a business partner, and not just a support staff member.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

Moving into an IT Manager role at another UK-based company operating in Northern Europe in 2017 introduced me to a whole new way of working. As a member of a small leadership team, close communication and improving team efficiency through IT solutions for businesses were at the top of my list. I recognised the pattern of learning a company for the first year, performing the job for three, and seeking new opportunities thereafter.

“For me personally, I’ve had to move around because I believe that you’ve got to grow. You’re bound to outgrow your positions if you’re ambitious. You go where the opportunities are to grow.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

In 2021, I started my current role as the IT leader for the EMEA region at MiTek. This marked a significant transition from SMB to enterprise-level IT management. In addition to overseeing EMEA operations, I collaborate with the global IT team to streamline collaboration and facilitate strategic business partnerships.

Inspiring Vision: The Mark of a Great Leader

Q: Would you say that you always knew that you wanted to be in tech?

MP: Yeah, tech was always an interest, and I knew that I wanted to work in this industry. I took a nontraditional path by seeking employment instead of pursuing higher education. But if there was an apprenticeship opportunity, I probably would have gone that route instead.

I’ve worked for companies that have encouraged apprenticeship, which has given me a great appreciation for these programs and speaks to my desire to mentor young minds and be a part of their learning journey.

Q: Would you hire an apprentice that didn’t have any qualifications or a university degree, but had a passion to learn?

MP: Yes, definitely. If someone is eager to learn, wants to go somewhere and shows a willingness to be a part of something, then yeah, I think taking a chance to give them that opportunity could benefit everyone involved.

Q: How would one find a balance between continuous learning and ‘keeping the lights on’ in their organisation?

MP: I spoke a lot about needing the growth mindset in the Leading Beyond Tech panel discussion as one navigates their career. This is also where I unpacked the Run, Grow, Transform methodology that we use at MiTek to avoid getting stuck in operational tasks.

“Always be learning. Always be open and listening for both positives and negatives. Don’t be closed-minded when it comes to decision-making.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

I’m a big fan of lists. So, my advice would be to make a list, and then ask yourself the following questions for each task you have:

  • Do you need to do that?
  • How can you make that more efficient?
  • Does this need to be delegated to somebody else?
  • Is there automation we can do?
  • Will this problem be solved by asking the business for additional resources?

Then start factoring in time: I like to book in blocks of time to work on tasks and learn. Education should be a task on your list. If you want your staff members to grow, you must grow yourself as well. People will say ‘It’s your own development. Do it on your own time’. I don’t agree with that: if you’re asking someone to do extra work for the business, then you must give them the opportunity in their workday to learn.

Q: How have you created that time for your team to learn?

MP: I don’t think my job at this point is just to manage my team to say, ‘Do Task A and come back with Result B’. I like to sit down, challenge them, learn together, and provide resources.

However, some staff members need that extra push because they may be scared to go on a learning journey on their own. This is why the provision of support is crucial in leadership: always be available to help.

Internal growth is a key focus at MiTek: we provide accessible training materials and resources to equip our staff with the necessary knowledge and skills for career advancement. My own experiences with the ‘career glass ceiling’ have reinforced the importance of investing in our people.

We want you to stay. We want you to learn. The more they know, the better for everyone. They bring better ideas and perspectives. There’s real benefit in developing your teams.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

Q: Do you give everyone a chance to bring their thoughts and ideas to the table?

MP: Beyond meetings, our communication channels are always open and everyone is encouraged to voice their concerns and share their ideas.

Being part of a global IT team of 100 people providing business tech support to 5,000 employees, my role requires a balance of regional and global responsibilities. Effective communication is extremely important: I’m basically the business partner that ensures alignment between the teams. This of course means that I must understand every aspect of the business.

“Understanding the business is something that you have to do – regardless of your role – and is key to providing the best insights. It’s all about understanding people: whether it’s what the CEO is doing, or what’s happening on the manufacturing floor.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

Q: Apart from listening to the various pain points in the business, how can IT professionals effectively communicate the value of their department to non-technical stakeholders?

MP: You must sell the solution to people to translate the value. At the end of the day, you’re looking to improve people’s lives by optimising the way they work. Leading with solutions entails touching on the following points in the conversation:

  • This is how we improve
  • This is what the IT team can do to get there
  • This is what we’ve done
  • These are the results of this solution

Not everyone is technical or can immediately see the benefits of what you’re trying to implement. Sometimes even after explaining what a certain software, for example, does, they won’t pay attention to what you’re saying unless you speak to what it will do for them specifically. It’s all in the presentation of your idea.

“Trust is fundamental. The business, the leadership team, the staff have to trust that you know  your subject. You know what you’re talking about.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

Establishing your personal brand requires trust. While it’s hard to brag about successes in IT – because people tend to remember the small failures – it’s crucial to scream about the positive results, solutions and benefits you’ve brought to the organisation.

Unlocking Your Potential: A Guide to Growth

Q: What steps can someone take to enhance their personal brand within their organisation?

MP: You start to build trust when you show people that you understand their concerns. Listening is just a part of the equation: commitment and delivery are how you gain the trust to drive transformational change in your organisation.

“Making connections for building relationships is the most important part of anything. You have to listen and talk to people. You have to be asking the right questions – and learning what the right questions to ask are.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

Leading by example is another good one. For instance, I’ll come into the office on a work-from-home day so that my team knows I’m there if they need me and that we’re all in this together.

Another part of building your personal brand is owning your mistakes. Not only does this create a culture of accountability, but it allows you and everyone else to learn and look for other avenues of improvement.

Maintaining an open-door policy and actively seeking feedback from my team demonstrates my commitment to accessibility and transparency. While I may not always have the answers to their questions – as most leaders don’t – it’s essential to circle back with a solution at some point.

Whatever happens at the top affects the bottom, and whatever happens at the bottom affects the top. You have to concentrate on all areas of the business and help everyone – don’t just focus on the big names at the top.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

Q: Change has been described as “necessary violence” because there is an element of fearing the unknown – and this is what makes most organisations apprehensive. What strategies can be used to overcome that resistance to change within an IT department?

MP: IT is a great function to work in because change is inevitable. There are always new IT solutions for small businesses, different hardware and software and various platforms. This makes change management fundamental to the success of anything you’re implementing. At MiTek, we prioritise change management processes to mitigate resistance and ensure smooth transitions.

Because many people don’t like change, you are bound to face some resistance somewhere. IT leaders play a crucial role in addressing concerns and building confidence. By actively listening to the organisation and communicating solutions, we can help overcome resistance and drive successful transformations.

Change management gets people on board and ensures they get the right training. Without it, you are going to fail.” – Mark Povey, EMEA IT Director at MiTek Industries

People often forget to review the change after it has been introduced. You have to have a debrief on everything you implement to unpack further areas of improvement – understanding what worked and what didn’t work. We grow from feedback, especially where change is concerned: without gathering feedback, you will repeat the same mistakes.

Q: What are some of the things you look for when reviewing change?

MP: I like to look at what went wrong or didn’t go to plan. What was delayed? What caused the most negative feedback? But on the plus side, you also have to look at what went well so that you can repeat the good steps. You’ve got to continue doing the good and fix the bad.

Mark’s Advice: Curiosity is Your Compass

Q: Lastly, what is one piece of advice you would offer to anyone who’s considering going into a career in the tech industry?

MP: Always be curious, always be learning. I talk a lot about the growth mindset because if you’re curious, you’re going to learn; you’re going to advance; you’re going to look at things differently. You’re going to ask the right questions and just be open – who knows where things will lead? Having the right attitude goes a long way.

Beyond the Code: Leadership Lessons from an IT Leader

With an unwavering commitment to lifelong learning, effective communication, and fostering a supportive team environment, you too can lead with solutions.

Mark Povey’s journey from a curious kid tinkering with computers to a seasoned IT leader is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge. Be the MVP of your organisation by embracing the growth mindset, prioritising learning and cultivating strong relationships with your team and stakeholders. By embodying these qualities, you can unlock your full potential and make a lasting impact.

Be sure to check out our Leading Beyond Tech blog series to unlock even more MVP best practices and learn how to craft a compelling business case.

Lynn Murape

Marketing Content Creator at Babble