Frank Roe Of SmartBear On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Uncertain & Turbulent Times
The most critical role of a leader during challenging times is to provide clear, consistent direction and to instill confidence. A leader must communicate effectively, maintaining transparency with their team about the realities of the situation while also conveying a vision of how the organization can navigate through difficulties. Leadership during crises involves being a source of stability, guiding the team through uncertainty, and making well-informed decisions that safeguard the future of the organization.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Frank Roe.
Frank Roe joined SmartBear, a leading provider of software development and visibility tools, in 2018 as Chief Revenue Officer, following a successful career in senior leadership positions at Oracle, Progress Software, and other leading software organizations. He was promoted to CEO and board member in 2020 and has led SmartBear through rapid growth and expansion. With over 25 years of experience, Frank seeks a comprehensive understanding of business complexities, providing collaborative leadership, while creating sustained long-term company value. Frank is also a member of the board of directors at LastPass and a strategic board advisor at Appsurify.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
Yes, my career began in Andersen Consulting after graduating from UMass Amherst in 1992. I was fortunate to land a job there as the early 1990s saw the United States grappling with a recession, which had effects on job markets across the country, including Boston. There, I worked on many consulting assignments, mainly focused on assisting clients with strategic planning, process optimization, and organizational restructuring. My responsibilities often involved collaborating with clients from various industries, including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. Early on, I dedicated a significant portion of my time to financial strategy work, delving into areas such as mergers and acquisitions, capital budgeting, risk management, and financial modeling.
Along the way, my involvement in numerous software implementations sparked my interest in the software industry. In consulting, the focus is on individual relationships, where I oversaw two or three clients personally. Transitioning into the software industry, I encountered an entirely different landscape — one with the exhilarating prospect of scalability and mass impact. There was great appeal in creating something that could potentially reach thousands or millions of customers.
I loved software sales, working at Progress, Oracle, and others. In 2018, I joined SmartBear as Chief Revenue Officer and was promoted to CEO in March 2020. SmartBear is on a customer-focused journey as we provide software development teams with complete visibility across the entire software development lifecycle, ensuring each software release is better than the last.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I misspelled Andersen with Anderson — to an important partner. We all know to double check our work, but we can’t be reminded enough. Regarding mistakes, for me, some of the best advice I’ve received is “don’t be a hero,” meaning don’t try and take it all on yourself. Seek support of others and share the load, knowing that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. This is how we foster stronger relationships and create a more supportive community that allows us all to thrive.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
In the workforce, my first real mentor was Trish Gilligan. I speak about her often as someone who really helped shape the arc of my career. I learned some great lessons early in my career from her: Hard work puts you where good luck can find you. Learn from everyone. At times, it’s more important to let the conversation come to you. That one is hard for me, especially the more senior I’ve gotten in my career.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose-driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your organization started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
From the outset, SmartBear was built on a foundation of enhancing the quality of technology in our increasingly digital world. This fundamental commitment has been the cornerstone of everything we do, guiding our product development and corporate ethics. We’ve always aimed to provide software development teams with the tools necessary to advance their projects efficiently without sacrificing quality. Our dedication to ethical practices and integrity is woven into our operations, ensuring we contribute positively to every community we touch.
While quality has always been our primary focus, the evolving challenges faced by software teams — such as the need to deliver faster under budget constraints and amidst fierce competition and the emergence of disruptive technologies like AI, have demanded that we push even further. We are steadfast in our commitment to innovation, constantly seeking to address the immediate and future challenges development teams face. We’ve developed our offerings over the years with the industry’s most trusted, widely used, and rapidly evolving tools — recently integrated into three hubs — enhancing the capabilities of development teams everywhere.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
The fast pace of AI is revolutionizing organizations. SmartBear is at a pivotal time of transformation, innovation, and growth, driven by AI. We are in the midst of solving real-world software development challenges and helping our customers do the same by delivering impactful tools that are shaped by the needs and feedback of those we serve. Together, we’re pioneering and navigating AI in software development, embracing the transformative potential it holds for us all.
During my tenure, SmartBear has also navigated significant growth through mergers and acquisitions (10 in the last 5 years), each bringing unique uncertainties as well as navigating economic fluctuations and international conflicts.
Influential leadership has been pivotal. I believe that the best CEOs are those who act as influencers, gaining consensus from the team rather than merely convincing people of their opinions. It’s about understanding everyone’s perspective and fostering a level of collaboration among the team. This approach has reinforced SmartBear’s resilience and agility, helping us navigate through tumultuous times and emerge stronger.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
The short answer is no to giving up. I am very career-driven and family-driven. Both combine to give me the motivation to keep going through challenging times. Yes, I have been known to get frustrated at times by the lack of progress happening while watching other successful leaders from a distance, knowing I could do better in certain situations. But I know how lucky I’ve been, and that timing is as important as any other element in success. I’m quite happy with my path.
I’m an author and I believe that books have the power to change lives. Do you have a book in your life that impacted you and inspired you to be an effective leader? Can you share a story?
The most recent and longest lasting book for me is Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott. Learning how to both care for and challenge your team at the same time is the key to great leadership. Employees are dealing with health issues, family issues, and other personal stressors every day in their lives, while trying to get their job done. Recognizing that and leading with compassion is important. And you need both superstars and rockstars on your team. I firmly believe in building a team smarter than you are. Successful teams come in at least two forms: rockstars and superstars. I am fortunate to have an abundance of both on the SmartBear team.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
The most critical role of a leader during challenging times is to provide clear, consistent direction and to instill confidence. A leader must communicate effectively, maintaining transparency with their team about the realities of the situation while also conveying a vision of how the organization can navigate through difficulties. Leadership during crises involves being a source of stability, guiding the team through uncertainty, and making well-informed decisions that safeguard the future of the organization.
Core values are the principles and foundation that guide the actions of all within a company every day, so having these firmly in place particularly is important when challenging times arise. These values are most important for guiding your way during change. I keep SmartBear’s core values of Smart, Open, Driven, Accountable, and Curious at the forefront every day.
I hope I lead with these principles continuously, and particularly during my tenure at SmartBear when big challenges have hit — from the pandemic lockdown, to the stress and pains of growth, to many acquisitions — each bringing unique uncertainties, all while navigating economic fluctuations and international conflicts.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
To inspire and engage teams, leaders need to connect the team’s work to a greater purpose and ensure each member understands how their contributions make a difference. Encouraging innovation and allowing some autonomy in how work is done can also motivate and engage employees, as it fosters a sense of ownership and pride in their work.
At SmartBear, we talk about how we always meet customers where they are to help make our technology-driven world a better place. Our efforts in helping software development teams make better software contribute to making the world a better place through accessible and innovative technology solutions. I think this instills a sense of purpose and impact for our work. I hope this brings a deeper sense of fulfillment in all employees’ roles, no matter the contribution. We are all making a difference.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
The best approach to communicating difficult news is to be transparent, compassionate, and direct. It’s important to provide clear explanations and be honest about the impacts, while also outlining the steps being taken to manage the situation. For teams, providing a forum for questions and concerns can help address uncertainties and reassure employees. For customers, maintaining proactive and open lines of communication emphasizes reliability and commitment even in tough times.
I use various communication methods, but I find live all-company virtual meetings where I can address employees worldwide most effective. Talking directly to employees allows them to feel valued, reassured, and connected, fostering transparency, trust, and a sense of unity. Then, follow up with emails, Slack messages, and videos to reinforce your message. The same holds true for customers — I try to speak directly with as many of them as I can.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
Leaders should focus on creating a resilient business model that can adapt to changes quickly. This involves continuous monitoring of the environment and being ready to pivot strategies as needed. Stay close to both customers and employees to understand the challenges they are facing. A strong leader stays informed, anticipates changes, and prepares the organization to respond dynamically.
Ultimately, have your customers lead the way. Understanding the needs of our customers and their customers is at the heart of everything we do at SmartBear. We’re solving real-world software development challenges and helping our customers do the same by designing impactful tools that were shaped by the needs and feedback of those we collectively serve. It’s through this lens that we’re able to ensure our AI-powered solutions continue to add unparalleled value to our customers’ workflows. AI has been disruptive across so many industries, but our customers’ needs and requirements are guiding our advancements during these quickly evolving times.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
I have been guided by a forward-thinking approach that I believe illuminates a path forward: embracing boldness and strategic tech investments. This approach not only challenges the conventional wisdom of conservative spending during downturns but also positions companies to leapfrog competitors by harnessing the power of innovation. This is a pivotal shift in mindset — from risk aversion to value-driven, smart decision-making — arguing that economic constraints should catalyze, not curb, technological advancement and strategic growth. You can’t slow down during turbulent times; you have to keep going.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
Sure, there are a few things I would recommend doing. Evaluate which areas of the business generate value and customer satisfaction and protect spending in these areas to support sustained growth and recovery. Foster a culture of flexibility and adaptability and regularly review and adjust your business strategy based on current market conditions and feedback from customers and employees. Being responsive to change can help you pivot effectively when needed, turning potential threats into opportunities. And finally, balance risk management with innovation. Encourage a mindset that views innovation as essential to navigating through crises. By continuing to invest in R&D and innovation, even modestly, you can ensure that the business is well-placed to capitalize on opportunities when conditions improve.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
- Embrace Change with Agility: Agility in leadership is about recognizing and seizing opportunities for change. In the past five years, SmartBear has made 10 strategic acquisitions, each carefully chosen to enhance our value to customers. This is a testament to our agile approach in responding to market dynamics and customer feedback. Such agility enables us to integrate diverse technologies and talent, which is essential for delivering innovative solutions that our customers rely on. Our acquisitions were not just about expanding our portfolio but also about seamlessly integrating new cultures and technologies into SmartBear. This agility has enabled us to innovate and stay ahead in a competitive market.
- Cultivate Influence through Internal Collaboration: Influence within an organization stems from the ability to synthesize diverse perspectives into a cohesive strategy that reflects both the voice of our customers and the expertise of our team. In my role, influence is about fostering consensus and collaboration. It’s not about convincing others of my opinion; rather, it’s about understanding and valuing diverse perspectives.
- Prioritize Visibility-Driven Decision Making: As a leader, I rely on the clarity provided by visibility across all facets of our business — from sales to development to marketing — to make informed decisions. By remaining attuned to both customer feedback and the evolving market landscape, we make choices that not only respond to current challenges but also anticipate future demands.
- Empower Teams to Build Resilience: I believe in equipping our teams with the tools and autonomy they need to excel. By fostering a culture of curiosity and encouraging ownership of projects, we’ve built an environment where resilience is part of our DNA, enabling us to thrive through various market conditions. For example, we’re focused on making AI tools accessible at SmartBear, enabling our team to leverage advanced technologies. And our commitment to responsible AI involves integrating principles of accountability and transparency across our own technology stack.
- Lead with Empathy and Authenticity: Authentic leadership is key to creating a lasting influence. By promoting transparency and leading by example, I strive to create a culture where every team member feels valued and inspired. This genuine approach not only influences our internal dynamics but also shapes how we interact with our customers and community.
By integrating these leadership strategies with the core values of SmartBear, I aim to continuously influence and steer our company through both challenges and opportunities with conviction and integrity.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I love the quote, “It’s only by being bold that you get anywhere.” — Richard Branson.
My message to my team at SmartBear is continuously, “Be bold.” Taking bold risks is essential for making significant advancements in life and business. It is embracing boldness where we push boundaries, overcome obstacles, and unlock opportunities that lead to the unimaginable in success.
How can our readers further follow your work?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-roe-4406852/
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Frank Roe Of SmartBear On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Uncertain &… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.