Power of Communication - Tana Rucker

Arsineh

We recently chatted with @Tana Rucker, Senior Director of Spectrum Mobile Product Delivery.

Tana leads a team of project management professionals to delvers cutting-edge mobile solutions to consumers. She embraces new technologies to enable and scale the business with fit-for-purpose solutions, incorporation Smartsheet Control center, Bridge, and other features to surface the right data and enable data-driven decisions. Since 2016, Tana has grown the user base at Spectrum from three employees to thousands. She is a mom of two children and when not working or adventuring, she's pushing her limits on her Peloton.

Here's what she had to say about how she utilizes her Power of Communication and Smartsheet in her current role.

How do you use Smartsheet at work?

I use Smartsheet for nearly every facet of my work. Originally, our Smartsheet use centered around PMO efforts and enabled project provisioning for project management. Eventually our use of the tool morphed into nearly anything that could be improved, expedited, gold plated with Smartsheet. My team continues to deliver our products and projects, and we also now serve as a center of excellence for portfolio management and process optimization where we continue to re-think and re-tool the way we work together.

Describe a time when you utilized your power and Smartsheet to succeed at work?

My most impactful example of success at work is when we launched a new line of business within a simple, collaborative and innovative tool called Smartsheet. Nearly every facet of our line of business launch (98 projects, 23 programs) was included, captured, tracked and improved upon in Smartsheet.

Is your power something you intuited or something you learned?

I've always had a natural interest and desire to find better ways to work and communicate. But it is because of Smartsheet, that I've found much easier ways of accomplishing my goals in this area. I have yet to find the limits of my imagination or the limits of Smartsheet, which enables me to continue thinking big and re-defining the way we collaborate.

Has there ever been a time when you needed to flex your power to accomplish something? ​

Without a doubt! This has happened with my own team, and with the teams I support. I've consistently found that I can't look away when I'm presented with a broken process, a roadblock, or a something that could be made better by my team. We dive in and provide unbiased support in helping our team and others define and realize their vision, all while enabling greater efficiency and broader, more effective communication.

Fill in the blank: I feel most in my power when I _______.

Have free reign to weave together unwieldy yarn into an ordered, woven tapestry. I enjoy helping others see their vision and learn that they too can stretch the limits of their imagination by designing and building solutions that enables them to reach new heights.  

What does your power mean to you?

My power truly helps me be the glue, the weaver, the welder, the bridge, the path. I bring things together through the power of collaboration and communication.