Life of a Microsoftie - Being an architect of the future

Hello, Ciao, Bonjour, Hej, Hola, I am Ben and this is my episode of "Life of a Microsoftie".

My career in tech and first touch points with Microsoft started in 1995, when I poured my hot chocolate over my father’s brand-new Windows NT 3.5 workstation. An amazing experience if you get 1 EUR (DM back then) pocket money per week ?? - believe me our neighborhood had the best catted grass in town, I could have been a gardener too...

Nevertheless, fast forward in 2020, after an apprenticeship as a specialist for IT system integration and about 10 years profession work experience in different industries, I started my career at Microsoft Ireland as a Cloud Solution Architect (CSA) for Apps and Infrastructure and one and a half years late I find myself in a manager role for exactly this team.

Fact, did you know Ireland is one of Europe's hot spots for surfing??? Defiantly a huge plus for Ireland, just bring your 5 mm wet-suit with you.

The role of CSA... and so much more

As a Cloud Solution Architect, I found myself surrounded by people with a passion for technology, diverse backgrounds, an unbelievable wealth of knowledge and superpowers to make a difference.

Our mission, to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more. BOLD - but what does this mean for a Cloud Solution Architect?

As CSA, we are one of the first technical muscles for our managed mid-market segment and account teams. We drive technical discussion, review deployments, demo and pitch new products or features and guide customers with best or common practices to build trust in- and deploy solutions on our Intelligent Cloud platform.

Intelligent Cloud, not Azure? - If you ask my team how often I do talk about Azure they will tell you: "Never!". Where do you think is the Exchange Online, Dynamics or SharePoint Online environment running and where does all the magic happen?

The cool thing of the role as a CSA is, you see the big picture and you can connect the dots between on-prem, multi-cloud deployments and all other cloud services we provide.

Side note, of course you are not responsible for all this, a CSA is focusing on Azure services!

What else? Tell me what success means to you! The role of a CSA comes with a lot of freedom, and you can shape like you want it and love it. You can be a Microsoft evangelist, influencer, a subject matter or advanced cloud expert for a product, a public event speaker, a coach, a mentor, a practice sharer, a genius in business reporting or you redefine the way we are sell – The question is #WhatIsYourMicrosoft?

Making a difference

As I joined Microsoft I would have never thought to make difference at this scale.?Within one year I built relationship and public reference cases with customers, helped them to envision and build their future IT landscape. I was recognized with the Microsoft Gold Award for outstanding achievers, after one and half with the Champion Award for winning large compete deals. This deals are recognizing individuals but truly are an echo of world class teamwork and collaboration. For me most important (even in covid, full remote environment) I was building deep professional relationship and met people I can today call friends!

A wise Jedi said once

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“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together!” - Obi Wan Kenobi

?…and so does the Microsoft culture! Microsoft’s culture fosters growth and learning from mistakes or others. It truly gives every employee his power and brings the best out of each and everyone.

There is nothing like a stupid question. You work side by side with the greatest leaders in the industry, the ones you normally just see on conferences or keynotes and they are all one teams message away - and always open to help??! You are immediately a part of a global tech community.

Why Microsoft?

So if you are deeply passionate about technology, learning, and empowering others to achieve more, this the role and company is for you.

Ready for your own story as a Microsoftie?

Explore career opportunities at Microsoft Ireland within our Digital Sales organization here : Microsoft Digital Sales Careers

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A personal note and learning - keep reading if you have applied ????

My friends and peers ask me quite often what is your secret to success and where do you get your energy from - so I take the chance to share some thoughts and learning from the last years.

1. Even with the best PACE, in the best team and on your peak performance - a Pitstop to pause and reflect is my key to success.
2. I personally measure my success in the well-being of my body, mind, friends, financially, work, intellectual- , spiritual- and ecology balance.

Fail fast and grow - or in the words of Toto Wolff "The days we lose, are the days gain the most!"

A lost deal, a bad pitch, a missed award or a missed career opportunity, a week without sport can be disheartening and frustrating. There were moments of self-doubt in the last years but fortunately, they didn’t last or carry on, as I kept pushing through and building resilience.

Looking back on the last year there have been some difficult days and moments I thought I disliked what I do. On the other hand, reflecting on these tough days have been the moments I learn and grown the most and highlight the passion for what I do.

I ask myself what are the areas I can improve? And what do I need to do right now? By answering these questions, I gain self-awareness, helping me to stay inspired and hungry. In hindsight, the difficult days made me more motivated and reminded me how strongly I appreciate this organisation and team. It’s so important not to disregard the losses when reflecting, as they help you change for the better and that’s what keeps the smile on my face.?

Celebrate every win with your team

Self-reflection isn’t only about focusing on the negatives; it also enables me to think about what I do well. Success doesn’t come around every day, so I believe it’s important to embrace and recognize every single achievement, no matter how small. There are so many variables that need to come together for a healthy team, a good pitch, a won deal so it’s important to make the most of the victory and take note of what went right and where I am strongest.

It's all about consistency

Every year, every day is the preparation for the next. Creating my personal philosophy and affirmations in combination with getting into the habit of self-reflection leads me to better performance. Like for many of us the last year has been the most challenging, but it’s certainly been one I’ve learnt the most.

Start every day with your affirmation and close it with a moment of reflection, it is a blessing not a curse!