SAS Exec Suzanne Gordon Builds Success Around Persistence and 'Short Memory for Negative Things'

CARY — Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part Q&A with Suzanne Gordon of SAS.Suzanne Gordon is on a mission beyond driving improvements in the information technology group at SAS, which she runs.

Outside of work, Gordon is very focused on her family, church, and helping other people grow.

She also doesn't need to be reminded that she is one of the few women in IT overall. (In fact, Computerworld's select list of 100 IT execs included only 11.)

Farther down the road, Gordon may even enter politics.

How do you define success?

I define success with these questions: Are we helping the company be successful? Are folks motivated and challenged? And do we have good teamwork?

What is your secret to success?

My secret to success is persistence, openness, a short memory for negative things, and a willingness to listen and to change.

What has been your greatest success to date?

I appreciate hearing from people whom I hired as students who are now executives or have their own business and being given a little credit and thanks for getting them started on the right path. I love people, and I love to help them reach their full potential.

What is your greatest goal yet to be achieved?

There is still plenty to be accomplished here at SAS, but I am beginning to at least think about what I might like to do in five years. Maybe I'll go into politics. There are not a lot of technical folks in politics. Or maybe I'll do something with middle school-aged kids. It's such a critical stage and one where some great kids give up. Maybe I can even steer more girls towards careers in IT.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I enjoy my family, my husband and two kids, who are 12 and 16. I love playing tennis with them or simply having discussions with them. I stay involved with N.C. State. I'm on the Board of Trustees there. My church is important to me. I teach fifth grade Sunday school.

You are one of only 11 women on the list. Do you believe more women need to be encouraged to enter the IT field? If so, how would you recommend that be done?

Yes, I'd like to see more women in the field and on this list in the future. IT needs women. We bring a valuable perspective -- a different way of looking at things. On a personal note, I don't think women get as tied up in having to be right or the "most" knowledgeable, so we can help defuse battles of egos.

I am concerned about the decreasing numbers of women graduating from college in IT or even entering the field. It's something I am addressing with my own alma mater -- North Carolina State University. I have spoken at the Women in Computer Science group meetings at N.C. State. Also, my manager, who is head of R&D at SAS, and I have worked on some programs to encourage women at SAS to work toward the next level. Recently, SAS hosted a female VP from IBM along with a panel discussion of other "high-level" women in technology. This included a program for rising female stars, providing them with opportunities to network with female executives throughout the area. It was an informal but successful mentoring program.

Too often, women think they have to be geeks in order to be successful. I certainly try to have a good handle on technology at a high level, and occasionally, I install a new hard drive or network at home. I really don't get into that like many men I know. My finest skills include finding the right people to do the right job and communicating, communicating, communicating! Not being easily offended or hurt by criticism helps, too.

Longevity is often cited as being a strength at SAS, and you have been there more than 20 years yourself. How do you believe longevity and stability help SAS?

They help in that I know almost everyone and what they do -- their strengths and weaknesses. I also know the history of why things were done in a certain way. That has saved us from having to learn again the hard way -- several times! When I am the only woman in a meeting with 12 men, I'm very comfortable because I have probably known half of them since they were 25.

While longevity is certainly a strength, it has been beneficial to get some outside blood in here to remind us of how good we have it and to also bring in a different perspective. So even though there is a great deal of continuity here, we have new folks coming in all the time.

Do you see benefits being gained from turnover ("fresh blood"), or does SAS strive to keep people "fresh" with outside training, etc? What's the right mix?

It's a little of both and, a lot of the time, it depends on the new people coming in. I just hired a new MIS director from outside, and she has been fantastic -- just what we needed. On the other hand, we have hired other folks at that level who just could not get used to the SAS culture. Someone is not better or worse because they come from the outside. It's still critical to make sure you get the right people for the job.

As a people manager, what are the most pressing personnel (personal) issues/trends you face?

Folks like to be listened to and appreciated. You cannot praise people enough. I think people also like to be challenged. And they don't mind your being critical and demanding, but they want to feel your support. They need to know that it's okay to make a mistake, so it's good to have a very short memory, especially regarding problems and mistakes.

Part One: Speaking With Authority: Head of IT at SAS Sees Risks, Opportunities - localtechwire.com/article.cfm?u=3238&k=04&l=25