Industry Insiders: An Insightful Convo with Career Chameleon David Gemuenden

There is a scene in the Will Smith movie Hitch where Will’s character is asked what he does for a living. Will explains that he is a consultant and shares a little of what he does, leading the other characters to disclose that they still don’t understand what he actually does. Will’s character proceeds to joke: “Nobody does, that's why I get to charge so much.” A great example of classic comedic timing, with just a smidge of accuracy. David Gemuenden isn’t nearly as vague in his answer about his background, but he does fit the profile of a successful career chameleon which is essentially someone who has the skills and insight to support organizations and projects in a myriad of ways. David has an extensive background, having worked at a little known company called IBM early in his career when it was “all about the people.” He would go on to have an illustrious career in the tech industry working as a consultant, strategist, marketing expert, business leader, and more. David sat down with us to talk about his work and share some insights on building a successful career and leading in a genuine way, as well as his opinion on the current state of the working world today. 

“If you want to advance in your career, you have to look out and take care of people. I always keep that in mind in my career as a guiding principle.” -David Gemuenden

David has held a variety of leadership and management positions, so we asked him a series of questions around that culture, innovation, workplace trends, and more. Read the full interview below!

Adilstone (AG): It seems really trendy that everyone has an opinion, so how important is organizational culture?

David Gemuenden (DG): You have to focus on it, and that's number one, right? It can't just be a bumper sticker saying, "Yeah, we have a great culture." It's not about those companies that still go to the office and say, "Hey, we have bean bag chairs and a pool table, and every Friday, we've got beer," because that's not culture. It's mainly about your attitude. It's also about showing, as a leader, that we are a cliché but one big happy family, right? You should be able to come talk to me at any time, and that's something I insisted on.

I would schedule calls and meetings with everybody in my organization, not just my staff, but everybody. I would talk to them at least once a month. The pushback I got was, "Wait a minute, nobody can get on your schedule." Of course, I had like 150, 200 people in my organization. I said, "What's the problem with that? If I can't meet with these folks, then that's my purpose, right? That's what I should be doing."

AG: AI is everywhere and technology is changing - those are the headlines. How do you think that AI will impact business?

DG: That's a good question, and it's one I've heard before. Again, the technology has changed, but the situation remains the same. Years ago at IBM, we were migrating off the mainframe and moving into what was called Client-Server Computing. However, the mainframe is still around today and remains the most secure device, especially for banks.

Software as a Service and Cloud Computing, which are buzzwords today, still follow the same principles. It's just a different term for moving workloads from one technology to another. Cloud Computing was supposed to be the next big thing, and that was back in 2013. We're still discussing it. The reality is, you're never going to move everything from an on-premise data center to the cloud. There will always be a balance, with some applications and technologies kept in-house.

The challenge I see is that people often hear stories about technology taking over, but it's only as good as the people behind it. Ethics, norms, and behaviors matter. That's the key focus. While some roles may change or disappear, having a robust career development plan can help transition those individuals into more fulfilling positions.

So, in a nutshell, it's the same discussions I've been part of for years, just with different technology and terminology, but the core situation remains unchanged.

AG: Which of the current trends stand out to possibly be long term or short term?

DG: Another trend that I think really needs attention, and this isn't new - it started back when I was at IBM, is that today's executives are often too focused on short-term results because they are under pressure from shareholders and such. They prioritize quarterly numbers rather than taking a longer-term perspective. As long as the books balance and meet projections by the end of the year, they're satisfied. However, this leads to decisions being made on a quarter-by-quarter basis, and this approach may not always be the right one, especially when it comes to salary compensation and the impact we're seeing now with layoffs. It reminds me a lot of 2009, with so many layoffs and so many talented people losing their jobs despite their years of dedication.

This approach needs to change, and companies need to understand that taking good-paying jobs away from families will ultimately become a problem. So, those are the two significant trends that I see.

The third one I would like to add is a bigger focus on "walking the talk" when it comes to how employees are viewed. They should be seen as assets rather than simply a cost of doing business. What I often see now is a mindset like, "We need to hit this number. Danielle makes this much, but they could make this much elsewhere. Let's let them go." I've seen this happen in various companies. It doesn't matter how well someone like David has performed; they get replaced. Ultimately, this is bad for business and not good for employees.

Understanding that investing in your people is crucial; they are your most valuable resource. Unfortunately, this seems to be getting lost, but those companies that recognize its importance will be successful in the long run.

AG: What do you see in your experience as the best strategies for innovation and to encourage people to think creatively?

DG: I think that being forthright in communications is essential. One effective strategy I've used in organizational meetings is to kick it off, but instead of making it all about me, I present what's necessary. Then, I have each organizational head or staff member come up, and I encourage them. I tell them, "Do what I'm doing; don't present everything yourself. Let's involve someone from your team, is that right?" I want to know about accomplishments and challenges. Moreover, I want to hear how we can collectively help resolve those challenges.

One of the biggest problems I've observed in companies is their tendency to work in silence without cross-collaboration, unlike admired organizations. I purposefully present these issues to get their perspectives. If I wasn't getting the desired flow of conversation, I would ask, "Hey, what do you think about that?" Ignorance can be a barrier, but these problems can be solved. Those closest to the issues need to be engaged and confident that they can participate and will be heard. This is how innovation happens.

I also regularly challenge my staff. It's similar to what happened today. I used to dislike it, but I now understand why it's important. I encourage them to explore the latest technical trends and question why we're not adopting them. There may be valid reasons we weren't aware of, so we always try to inject new ideas into our approach and assess our innovation standpoint. More often than not, we find solutions. Some team members may conclude that a particular path isn't right for us, or we may already be pursuing it, but it's crucial to keep exploring. I believe that innovation is cultivated by involving your team, fostering active discussions, and breaking down barriers.

One of the significant challenges I routinely encounter is the divide between product groups and service groups, which is something that needs to be addressed.

AG: What would you challenge other leaders to be doing at this time? Especially leaders with similar experience to you, who have led successful organizations or initiatives.

DG: I think, to be honest with themselves, the biggest challenge that I see is the excessive focus on meeting quarterly numbers. My argument to them is that you will meet your numbers and goals if you take care of the people, which is a part of the equation that has been neglected. This is why you might not be meeting expectations. I've observed this in a couple of companies recently, though I won't name them. They've been overly fixated on meeting the numbers, and I understand it's because they're not meeting expectations, facing board challenges, and various other issues. However, at the end of the day, if your people are happy and productive, if they enjoy what they do, the numbers will take care of themselves. In fact, you'll probably surpass them.

That's what I believe should be the focus, and I've challenged my peers on this in the past, even at a couple of companies where I've worked. I've said, "You have to focus on the human aspect, on HR." I used to get into trouble for saying this, but I believe HR should be a tool for management rather than just a check on management. When I was growing up, HR was an advocate for the employees, championing their causes and providing a check on certain management practices. Nowadays, it often seems like HR simply follows directives without advocating for employees.

I would like to see a shift in this regard, but it will only happen when executives realize that people are their most valuable assets. Some do understand this, while others do not. I believe those who grasp the importance of this perspective will ultimately find success, whereas those who do not may see their companies acquired, experience business decline, or continue to remain mediocre.

AG: Any final thoughts to share?

DG: Other than what I already mentioned, I believe we should focus on getting the word out more. The emphasis needs to shift back to people. It can't be just about "you" and "I," right? But before we spread the word and help people understand this, whether through interviews like this or maybe another avenue, we need to figure out how to do it.

Your people are your most valuable asset. You can't simply see them as a cost of doing business. I think that's one of the biggest challenges companies face today. The sooner we figure this out, the better it is for the company and its employees. These changes can be made; we just need to make the effort.

We hope this interview with David Gemuenden has shed light on valuable insights and perspectives within the working world. He provided compelling thoughts on culture, innovation, workplace trends, and more, underscoring the importance of strong leadership and collaboration. If you’re interested in connecting with David, you can follow him on LinkedIn! He is always looking for new opportunities to support inspiring projects and organizations.