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The Rise of Fractional Leadership: Insights from a CIO/CTO Professional with Brian Dedischew
"Surround yourself with what you want to be. So, if you want to make millions of dollars, you should be surrounding yourself with people who make millions of dollars. If you want to be the best leader possible in your space, make sure you're surrounding yourself with those same types of leaders."
In an era of rapid business evolution, a new role in executive leadership is emerging: fractional leadership. This model, particularly prevalent in startups, is reshaping how companies access high-level expertise. To gain deeper insights into this trend, we conducted an in-depth interview with Brian Dedischew, a fractional strategic leader specializing in CIO and CTO roles.
Understanding Fractional Leadership
Fractional leadership occupies a unique position in the corporate hierarchy, bridging the gap between full-time executives and consultants. Brian Dedischew explains this concept: “Fractional lays in the middle. It is not typically full time. It’s usually part-time work, and it’s generally where an individual has enough experience that they can come in as a part-time agent who has authority within the company.”
This model allows companies, particularly small to medium-sized enterprises and startups, to access C-suite level talent without the financial burden of a full-time executive. Brian provides a concrete example from his experience: “For one of my companies, they’re a metal fabrication shop and they are at about $4M to $5M a year. They cannot necessarily afford to have a full-time CTO or CIO. But they need the experience of someone at that level to help with putting practices into place for security, infrastructure, business process and change.”
This model, he explains, gives that company the flexibility of having that expertise while they are continuing to grow at a more budget-friendly cost. Then, once the company has reached the level that allows them a full time executive, they can then begin to pursue that resource.
To learn more about Fractional Leadership and the differences between fractional and consultant roles you can read “The Complete Guide: Fractional Executives vs Consultants vs Advisors” from FractionalOffice.com
The Startup Environment and Fractional Leadership
The startup environment presents a fertile ground for the fractional leadership model. Brian, currently engaged with two startups, offers a candid perspective on the challenges inherent in this environment. He notes, “There’s a stat out there that says 90% of small businesses fail within the first one to two years. I think folks underestimate truly the amount of work that it takes.”
Despite these challenges, Brian finds the startup world exhilarating. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision, a “North Star” – a direction that unifies the team and provides a clear goal to work towards.
Leadership in a Startup Context
Leading in a startup environment isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re asking people to put in long hours with no guarantee of a big payoff. So how do you keep your team motivated?
Brian’s approach is all about tapping into what really drives people. “Motivation doesn’t always come in the form of payment,” he points out. “It’s about understanding as an individual: What are your goals? What are you looking to do? What gets you up in the morning?
For Brian himself, it’s not about just the paycheck – it’s about the chance to solve interesting problems and take on new challenges. When you can connect with that kind of intrinsic motivation in your team members, you’ve struck gold.
Essential Skills for Fractional Leaders
Brian outlines several key competencies for success in fractional leadership roles:
- Extensive relevant experience
- Ability to articulate and implement a clear vision
- A growth-oriented mindset
- Strong personal and professional integrity
- Consistency in approach and delivery
- Advanced critical thinking skills
- Resilience and perserverance
He emphasizes that mastery of these skills is crucial for effectiveness in fractional leadership positions.
Effective Time Management Strategies
Juggling multiple companies and responsibilities isn’t easy. So how does Brian stay on top of it all? He shares two primary strategies that he uses to continue to be productive throughout the week.
Nightly planning: Allocating 50% of the following day’s schedule each evening. By only planning out 50% of his day, he allows for flexibility and the unexpected meeting or task that inevitably will pop into his schedule.
The 15-minute rule: Brian thinks and plans in 15-minute increments. “If you can’t communicate and really get to a decision point in 15 minutes, then either you don’t understand the subject enough, or it requires a larger conversation,” he explains. The 15-minute rule helps to guide conversations and stay on task.
These techniques allow for maintaining organization amidst the complexities of multiple engagements.
The Importance of Professional Networking
If there’s one piece of advice Brian wants to share with the audience, it’s this: Don’t neglect your network!
“I completely neglected my network for over 20 years,” he confesses. Now, he makes a point to connect with 2-3 people from his network every week, plus one new person.
“You need to nurture your network,” Brian insists. “I can’t stress enough the importance of having those conversations and getting comfortable with introducing yourself to someone new.” He’s found that some of his best opportunities have come from connections several steps removed from his initial network. You never know where a conversation might lead!
Innovative Problem-Solving: A Case Study
Leaders often talk about “thinking outside the box,” but get bogged down with coming up with a solution under the scale of the problem. Brian emphasizes the importance of creative problem solving and using frugal innovation by looking at the problem with different filters. Evaluating the pros and cons against traditional methods.
To illustrate the importance of creative thinking in leadership, Brian shared an anecdote from his house-flipping experience. He was faced with a significant structural issue that conventional methods would have cost $30,000-$50,000 to rectify. Without the funds, he was forced to use frugal creative thinking and found a way to lift the structure manually, replacing traditional methods with a few purchases on Amazon and a few friends. The challenge of not having money sometimes allows for solutions that get overlooked. If you’re allowed to think outside the box and, more importantly, manage the risk, it can pay off in both opportunity and savings, in this case, $3k total cost.
This example underscores the value of unconventional thinking in both business and leadership contexts.
The moral of the story? “To the great leaders out there, I encourage you to help people figure out, be creative, be that kindergartener that has no restrictions on what they want to suggest or the comments they want to make, or the options they want to put forward,” Brian says. By cultivating a culture where all perspectives are valued and no suggestion is too outlandish, you create fertile ground for innovation. This approach can unveil solutions that might otherwise remain hidden, transforming challenges into opportunities for groundbreaking progress.
Future Trends in Fractional Leadership
So what’s next for Brian? He’s about to take on another startup in the financial health space as their CTO. It’s a chance to help a company secure major funding and build out their tech infrastructure. His openness to new opportunities exemplifies the dynamic nature of fractional leadership careers.
At the same time, he’s got his eye on his “retirement plan” – a window manufacturing company he has a stake in. The goal? To have it running smoothly by the time his kids finish college in about seven years.
But in true fractional spirit, Brian’s always open to new opportunities. “I’m always on the lookout for next fractional role,” he says.
The growing popularity of fractional roles across various C-suite positions (CFO, CMO, CRO) suggests a broader trend towards flexible, high-level expertise in the business world.
Key Leadership Insights
Throughout the interview, several overarching leadership principles emerged:
- 1. Create an environment conducive to open communication and idea-sharing.
- 2. Focus on facilitating collaboration rather than top-down directive leadership.
- 3. Empower team members through trust and clear direction.
- 4. Cultivate a network of peers and mentors in your desired field.List Item
- 5. Embrace creative problem-solving and encourage it in others.
The rise of fractional leadership represents a significant shift in how businesses, particularly startups and subject matter experts access high-level expertise. This model offers benefits to both companies and leaders: organizations gain access to experienced executives on a flexible basis, while leaders enjoy diverse challenges and the opportunity to impact multiple businesses.
As the business landscape continues to evolve, the fractional leadership model is likely to play an increasingly important role. It offers a solution to the need for agile, experienced leadership in a world where full-time C-suite commitments may not always be feasible or necessary.
The insights provided by Brian Dedischew offer valuable perspectives for current and aspiring leaders, as well as for organizations considering the fractional leadership model. As we move forward, it will be crucial to continue monitoring this trend and its impact on business structures, leadership development, and organizational success.
About Brian Dedischew
Brian Dedischew, a dynamic business strategy executive with over 20 years of experience, excels in leading large-scale security transformation programs and managing multimillion-dollar budgets to drive innovative solutions and strategic growth. His expertise in translating complex security challenges into global solutions, coupled with his passion for supporting small and medium-sized businesses, makes him a versatile leader in fostering innovation across various industries. When not spearheading organizational transformations or optimizing operational excellence, Mr. Dedischew cherishes time with his wife of 25 years and their three children, enjoying outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, and tackling home renovation projects.
To learn more about Brian, you can connect with him on LinkedIn here
Watch some of Brian’s interview
From Startup to Success: The Tipping Point
Six Essential Skills for Fractional Leaders
Motivating Employees Beyond Pay
Resources discussed during interview:
Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life – August 21, 2021
By Bob Proctor
Find on Amazon
Sebastian Enges Video
We Always Do What We Value Most
Find on YouTube
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