Brian Poppe (00:12)
Welcome to Tech Talk, a podcast where we talk about all things technology. Sponsored by Mutual of Omaha. I'm Brian Poppe. I am one of the business unit leaders here at Mutual of Omaha.
Former chief data officer and former head of technology modernization. So I do have a little bit of tech connection in my background. I'm joined today by my co-host, Courtney Courtney Van Heusen. How are you? I'm doing well, Brian, it's good to see you again.
Courtney Van Hoosen (00:36)
I'm Courtney Van Hoosen. I am on our IT talent team here at Mutual of Omaha, and I'm excited for our next episode of Tech Talk today.Brian. How are you doing?
Brian Poppe (00:48)
Yeah, doing. Doing great. So I was just thinking about all of this over the weekend of like, man, we've got some interns around Mutual of Omaha and and one of the things that I think about is like, what type of advice would I give my younger self? So I'm going to ask that question to you, Courtney. Like what type of advice would you give your younger self?
Courtney Van Hoosen (01:05)
Yes. Okay. So I think this is such a great question. Recently had my birthday. So interns, birthdays, all the things. Perfect reflection time. I would say advice that I would give to my younger self would be to not be afraid to change your mind and to try out something new.
In my career, I studied something very different from what I'm doing now. I thought I was going to be a teacher. I've taught overseas in Japan. I've worked in higher education, I've worked in sales. And now here I am on our IT team here at Mutual of Omaha. And it was always really nerve wracking to decide, you know, should I apply for this different position or I'm getting the itch to want to try something new, but I don't have the degree or maybe all that experience in in there.
And so I was always nervous to be afraid of changing my mind and trying something new. But it's worked out every time that I've done it. And I would say that not being afraid to change your mind, but then taking those skills that you have with you, even if it's a completely different profession, they're going to be valuable.
And finding those transferable skills into what you're doing in that current role. So even though I don't have experience, you know, writing code, I did a little bit of frontend development, but there's a lot that I've been able to take. And changing my mind, trying something new and diving into it and bringing those skills along. What about you, Brian?
Brian Poppe (02:29)
Oh, boy. I might take something easy and just say, like, be a more authentic leader. And that's probably a conversation for another day. Joined today by Christopher McKenzie. Chris, thanks for joining us today. First question for you. Tell us about yourself and your path to Mutual of Omaha.
Chris McKenzie (02:50)
Yeah. Well, I, I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing, but I did grow up in Council Bluffs.
I'm a graduate of Iowa State University. I have a degree in management information systems, and upon my graduation, I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity here at Mutual of Omaha, as an application developer and have been with Mutual now for 11 years. Thinking back to when I first started with Mutual. I will admit it was, a moment where I was treading water trying to stay afloat.
And thank goodness for the patience and mentorship I was afforded. I was I was able to get up to speed and contribute effectively. Well, you know, at least I hope I did. But throughout my time here, though, I've had an opportunity to work on different and challenging projects and assignments within multiple business segments. I mean, with the support around me at Mutual of Omaha being able to grow from an application developer to an engineer to a lead developer. And now where I'm at as a manager in information technology.
Courtney Van Hoosen (03:40)
Awesome. I love to hear your story, Chris. Just kind of what you've been involved in at Mutual of Omaha and your journey from, you know, application developer to now being a manager. So my next question for you is put it in perspective for us. What character, TV show or movie, would you say is most like your management style, since you're currently in that information Services manager role?
Chris McKenzie (04:07)
Well, hopefully it's not Bill Lumberg from Office Space. But as I think about it, you know, I would have to say Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. And no, it's not because he's angry, hardheaded, demeanor, but rather, I do appreciate how he is transparent. Says a lot with, saying little, which is something I'm still working on. And gets to, you know, really gets you to think differently about a problem you're trying to solve. Challenges you as genuine. And he does want to do what's best. For what? You know, what he believes is right.
Brian Poppe (04:28)
Yeah, that's a good one. So one of my one of my favorite characters, I think about the there's one scene where, like, he's manning the front desk and somebody shows up and he just, like, keeps turning around in a circle and never actually answers the person.
Brian Poppe (04:50)
What a classic move. I assume you're probably doing a little bit better than that, Chris. Can you can you share a pivotal moment or story in your career that helped to shape your path to leadership?
Chris McKenzie (05:18)
I don't think there's one pivotal moment. You know, I've been surrounded by a number of different individuals here at Mutual Omaha that have inspired me, and have traits that I would say are memorable and influential.
And that's been critical, really, in my general learning and growth. Along with, you know, just getting into management. Something I'm extremely grateful for. Seeing how these individuals challenge others and get them to think differently through curiosity about situations is something I hope to emulate myself. I appreciate how they're empathetic and genuine. Kind of like Ron Swanson.
Other traits I would hope to also emulate. There are some reflective thoughts that they've given me throughout my career that really have made me think and kind of shaped who I or my style. But, you know, someone as, for instance, you know, what are you putting in your book bag? And are you packing it with the right things?
Because you only have so much room, right? And so making sure that you're using that wisely. And then something external to Mutual of Omaha. I, I always heard that I fall back on is, you know, actions speak louder than words, but reaction speak louder than both. And that's something I heard from a gentleman, I believe, called Andy Stanley.
Courtney Van Hoosen (06:14)
Yeah. That I have not heard that second half of that quote before, but I love that. Chris, you talked about, you know, curiosity being one of those things about your leadership journey. You've reflected on your journey with us already, but I'm curious for as of right now, what would you say your favorite aspect of your job is here at Mutual?
Chris McKenzie (06:36)
I enjoy learning about others and seeing them grow in their career. The best part is seeing others reflect on their journey and recognize the amount of growth they've had throughout. Believe we struggle, all of us, really, to see the growth that we have. But when we reflect beyond the three months, a year, multiple years, you can definitely see the progression.
And that's something that I find impactful and enlightening. Also, I you know, I love the tech aspect of my job. You know, as I enjoy solving problems or solving puzzles and so listening in to how others would solve a problem or trying to provide a suggestion myself, is something that I usually gravitate towards or enjoy.
Brian Poppe (07:18)
Yeah, I guess that probably leads me to the next question of like observing that growth. How is Mutual of Omaha helped you grow in in your career?
Chris McKenzie (07:24)
Yeah, outside of the continual encouragement to take on different courses, attend conferences and meetups, and leverage learning platforms available within the organization. Again, I would say the greatest support I've had is, is really through the culture around me.
And with the mentorship offered and the helpful, inclusive environment, where peers and others are readily willing to assist, but also at the same time willing to challenge each other when the time is right. I also, I've had the opportunity to partake in internal programs that I've been offered here. They help me grow my career not only from a technical perspective, but also from my interpersonal and soft skills and how best to approach a given situation or think about it differently.
And finally, I would say I've been lucky enough, to work in different areas of the company getting exposure to different skills, systems, processes. That's really been a large, contributor to my growth as well. All right. So, Chris, I have the pleasure of the last question to wrap us up today. You heard at the beginning we were talking about advice that we would give to our younger self.
Courtney Van Hoosen (08:28)
So I'll maybe pose this question back to you, Chris. What advice do you have for someone? Whether they're like your younger self or not, but someone who is applying to Mutual of Omaha or maybe interested in getting into a tech career?
Chris McKenzie (08:48)
Yeah, I would say it's applying a mutual, prepared for joining a culture that is welcoming and supportive so focus not only on the technical aptitude, but also your soft skills, relationship building. But that's really true for any job you apply for. And having those strong communication skills, getting into a tech career, would say build out your foundations. It's important to understand how things work, why they do what they do, or do something a certain way.
Tech moves quickly, so knowing the foundations or reasoning behind why something does something a certain way, will set you up for success as the tech changes. Also, with it moving quickly, it's important to have an appetite for learning and critical thinking and not only challenging your own solutions or other solutions, but your own ideas as well. And finally, I would just say I put a high value on accountability, remaining curious and really having an excitement for what you do.
Brian Poppe (09:44)
All good advice. So Chris, thanks for joining us today. And, Courtney, I'm sure we will see you again soon. Yeah. See you next time on Tech Talk. Thanks, everybody. Thanks, everyone.