Empowering SAS® Empowering SAS® Programmers: The Role Programmers: The Role

of the Managerof the Manager

Carey G. SmoakCarey G. Smoak

Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.

Pleasanton, CAPleasanton, CA

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

IntroductionIntroduction Empowering SAS ProgrammersEmpowering SAS Programmers The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager ConclusionConclusion

EMPOWERING:EMPOWERING:SAS ProgrammerSAS Programmer

Definition of Empowerment to give the confidence to do something

EMPOWERING:EMPOWERING:SAS ProgrammerSAS Programmer

Elements of Empowerment Skills Information and Resources Authority Motivation

SKILLS:SKILLS:SAS ProgrammerSAS Programmer

TechnicalTechnical SAS programmingSAS programming

Soft (People)Soft (People) Ability to work with peopleAbility to work with people

SuccessSuccess Technical skills alone are not enoughTechnical skills alone are not enough

INFORMATION & INFORMATION & RESOURCES:RESOURCES:

SAS Programmer SAS Programmer Study related materialsStudy related materials Direct knowledge about a clinical Direct knowledge about a clinical

trialtrial Attendance at clinical team meetingsAttendance at clinical team meetings

AUTHORITY:AUTHORITY:SAS ProgrammerSAS Programmer

Allowed to work-out problems Allowed to work-out problems whetherwhether Technical, orTechnical, or Inter-personalInter-personal

MOTIVATION:MOTIVATION:SAS ProgrammerSAS Programmer

More than willingnessMore than willingness Committed to getting the job doneCommitted to getting the job done

When difficulties occur during a clinical When difficulties occur during a clinical trialtrial

Persistence and resourcefulness Persistence and resourcefulness demonstrate motivationdemonstrate motivation

The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

Goal:Goal: Giving their programmers the best Giving their programmers the best

chance at being successfulchance at being successful

SKILLS:SKILLS:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

Assign them tasks appropriate to Assign them tasks appropriate to their skill leveltheir skill level

Give them opportunities to growGive them opportunities to grow

INFORMATION & INFORMATION & RESOURCES: The Role of RESOURCES: The Role of

the Managerthe Manager Encourage the programmer to take Encourage the programmer to take

initiative in working out the initiative in working out the programming specs (with the study programming specs (with the study Biostatistician)Biostatistician)

Intervene (assist) in this process Intervene (assist) in this process when neededwhen needed

AUTHORITY:AUTHORITY:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

Avoid micromanaging programmersAvoid micromanaging programmers Encourage them to solve problemsEncourage them to solve problems

Coach them how to solve problemsCoach them how to solve problems

MOTIVATION:MOTIVATION:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

PersonalityPersonality Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) INTJ – suited to careers in statistics and INTJ – suited to careers in statistics and

programmingprogramming IntrovertedIntroverted iNtuitioniNtuition ThinkingThinking JudgingJudging

MOTIVATION:MOTIVATION:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager INTJs tend to be hard-working and INTJs tend to be hard-working and

driven to solve problemsdriven to solve problems This can be goodThis can be good However, when timelines need to be met, However, when timelines need to be met,

the manager may need to intervene and the manager may need to intervene and keep the programmer on-trackkeep the programmer on-track

Empowering SAS Programmers

Mo

tiv

ati

on

Low

High

Skill

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

An empowered SAS programmer is:An empowered SAS programmer is: Highly motivatedHighly motivated Highly skilledHighly skilled Properly uses authority and information/ Properly uses authority and information/

resourcesresources Not micromanagedNot micromanaged

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

Programmers who are neither highly Programmers who are neither highly skilled nor highly motivated need to skilled nor highly motivated need to be coached by their managerbe coached by their manager The manager will need to evaluate what The manager will need to evaluate what

level of authority is appropriate for this level of authority is appropriate for this type of programmertype of programmer

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:The Role of the ManagerThe Role of the Manager

Understanding your style of Understanding your style of managingmanaging INTJs may make good statisticians or INTJs may make good statisticians or

programmers, but not necessarily good programmers, but not necessarily good managersmanagers

INTJs as managers tend to have INTJs as managers tend to have communication problems, such ascommunication problems, such as

Hiding the reasons behind their decisionsHiding the reasons behind their decisions

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Giving programmers the best chance Giving programmers the best chance at being successful means that the at being successful means that the programmer is empowered.programmer is empowered.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

A manager can help a programmer A manager can help a programmer to be empowered by encouraging to be empowered by encouraging them to:them to: Use their skillsUse their skills Have adequate resources and Have adequate resources and

informationinformation Have appropriate authorityHave appropriate authority Be properly motivatedBe properly motivated

CONTACT INFORMATIONCONTACT INFORMATION

Carey G. SmoakCarey G. Smoak

Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.

carey.smoak@roche.comcarey.smoak@roche.com