NextGen Leaders Trailblazing their Way Forward in Tech

As the technology industry continues to evolve rapidly, there is a growing opportunity for new leaders to emerge and help shape these companies as they prepare to navigate changing work environments, new approaches to employee engagement, and the industry challenges of tomorrow. Rackspace Technology is known for its vibrant culture, and as a couple of young professionals starting their careers in tech, we found an opportunity to add to it.

We started our careers at Rackspace Technology on the same day as interns working remotely. As we both navigated through the beginnings of our careers, we sought connectivity and support during our workday. We shared the same motivation to seek opportunities and professional development.

Together as ‘work besties,’ we began to foster the idea of creating a community for like-minded individuals in entry-level positions, those who are new to tech, or those who are advocates for the next generation. We recognized that there might be an opportunity to form a new employee resource group, which collectively supported our company’s diversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. Our group would focus on professional development, mentorship and philanthropy. And with the assistance of an executive leader and mentor, we rose to the occasion and trailblazed a space for the next generation to thrive.

Today, NextGen is the newest employee resource group at Rackspace Technology. We provide a sense of community, resources and opportunities for emerging leaders with executive support from Casey Shilling, Chief Marketing Officer at Rackspace Technology.

To raise awareness of our employee resource group while helping anyone interested in building their career, NextGen presented the NextGen Trailblazers program over the month of April. NextGen Trailblazers included four interactive sessions and a Cloud Talk Live livestream highlighting NextGen members.

Watch the replay of Cloud Talk Live featuring NextGen Leaders Trailblazing their Way Forward in Tech.

The NextGen Trailblazers sessions allowed NextGen members to learn from leaders across Rackspace and gain valuable guidance for their professional or personal growth. Over these four sessions, we covered:

• Personal branding with Casey Shilling, Executive Sponsor of NextGen, Chief Marketing Officer, Rackspace Technology
• Career architecture & salary negotiations with Diane Dowdell, Executive Education and Development, Rackspace Technology
• Mentorship & collaboration with Jeff DeVerter, Chief Technology Evangelist, Rackspace Technology
• Empowering young people to find the strength they need to move forward with handwritten letters of support and encouragement with the Thriving Forward Project non-profit

If you’ve already been working in the tech industry for a while, you have the power to support, encourage and mentor the next generation of new leaders in our multi-generational workforce. Here are some simple ways to help others around you grow while enriching your workplace:

• Provide opportunities: When you provide opportunities for new leaders, you empower them to build their skills and confidence and give them a chance to demonstrate their potential. Opportunities may include sharing details about your day-to-day tasks, suggesting training material, or facilitating introductions.

• Share your experience: As a seasoned professional, you’ve likely faced many challenges and obstacles that new leaders will encounter. Share your experiences and insights with your next-gen co-workers to help them navigate these challenges more effectively. Talk about the mistakes you've made and the lessons you've learned, and offer guidance on how to avoid common pitfalls. Sharing your experience can be a powerful way to inspire and mentor new leaders.

• Encourage creativity: Innovation and creativity are essential in the tech industry, and new leaders can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the table. Encourage new leaders to think outside the box, take risks and experiment with new problem-solving approaches. When you foster a culture of creativity and innovation, you help new leaders thrive and succeed.

NextGen at Rackspace Technology looks forward to the future and continues to strive for innovation with the help of our advocates. The next generation is motivated and eager to prosper in the ever-changing tech industry.