We are pleased to present a Profile in Leadership of our current ILTA President: Joy Heath Rush, the Enterprise End User Services Director at Sidley Austin LLP. To many ILTAns, Joy exemplifies the modern leader–a perfect combination of insight, vision, caring, and knowledge. Joy’s term as President ends at ILTA ’09, as does her service in ILTA’s Board of Directors; ILTA has been a very fortunate benefactor of Joy’s skills, knowledge, energy, zeal for public speaking, love of the organization, and, of course, leadership.
What excites you the most about ILTA ’09?
The “meshed” approach to content, with tracks and Peer Group sessions combining to create a content “blanket” in certain key areas such as Office 2007. The conference team has worked hard to make sure that the most important topics are covered as thoroughly as possible from a variety of perspectives.
Describe a highlight of one ILTA conference that made you a hero when you got back to your firm.
At ILTA ’08, the Microsoft Peer Group delivered a series of case studies on early adopters of Office 2007. The issues around file format and collaboration cited by the participating firms were eye-opening. I went back to the office, and we kicked off a deeper dive into these issues, resulting in a change in direction for our Office 2007 project.
Conference is a whirlwind of activity; can you share your strategy or any tips to making it through and getting the most out of it?
Don’t skip breakfast! Not only does skipping breakfast upset your mother, but you miss one of the day’s best opportunities for networking. Breakfast tends to be quieter and more “leisurely” than the other meals, and you can have substantive conversations with peers.
When trying to pick sessions to attend, think about which ones would work well recorded. You can always purchase session recordings for sessions you miss. However, some sessions – particularly those that our highly interactive and/or feature a speaker whose brain you would like to pick – are most valuable in person.
Make sure to pick at least one session that has absolutely nothing to do with your current position. Look at a leadership development session or a technical session in an unfamiliar discipline. This will help refresh you and broaden your horizons.
What volunteer roles have you held for ILTA?
- Microsoft SIG Chair (before Peer Groups)
- Board Secretary
- Board Liaison to the Peer Groups
- Chairman of the Nominating Committee
- President
What prompted you to get involved as a volunteer leader with ILTA? What led you in the direction of the Board of Directors?
I was so impressed with and grateful for what ILTA (then LawNet) was giving me, I felt a strong desire to give back! As to aspiring to the Board? I was very busy and content as MS SIG Chair and would happily have continued in that role for a few more years. However, a senior leader in the organization approached me and asked if I had considered Board service. After a long conversation with this person, I decided to throw my hat into the ring. It is definitely one of the best decisions I ever made!
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership means helping people and organizations get where they need to go. Sometimes, they can see the destination but not the route there. Sometimes they can see both, but don’t have the knowledge or resources to make the trip. Sometimes they lack the confidence to make the trip. A leader has to identify all of these barriers and help to overcome them.
What makes you a leader?
I care deeply, am extremely good at both seeing the big picture and reading the fine print, and am open to new ideas and a range of alternatives.
How has ILTA helped you become the leader you are today?
It’s like the old joke. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. The more opportunities you have to lead – and the more contexts in which to exercise your leadership skills – the more you learn and the better you become.
Do you have a blog? What’s your Twitter handle?
Nope. Maybe I should. My Twitter handle is joyfulrush. However, I confess I have not yet mastered the art of tweeting.
Filed under: 2009 Conference
