Illuminating Achievements for Sun Microsystems

Distinctive Opportunity

Founded in 1982, and now a leader in the Diversified Computer Systems Industry, Sun Microsystems specializes in engineering network computing products and services that are utilized by technical, scientific, business, and engineering based industries In 1997, under the leadership of its CEO, Scott McNealy, over 70 companies joined together underneath the Sun Microsystems family. This large scale venture created tension and conflict between all employees of the combined organizations, from individual contributors to top management. Sun Microsystems understood the imperative need for its leaders to get along and collaborate in order to align objectives and effectively lead the organization to prosperity.

Creative Talent Strategy

Sun Microsystems worked with Creative Metrics to measure the people management skills of all of its managers – over 5000 managers in 38 countries. Creative Metrics developed a Collaborative Metric, which consisted of a concise, targeted assessment that could be completed by employees in less than ten minutes. An initial rating process confirmed that each behavior tested on the assessment was clear, observable, and relevant to performance. The leadership evaluation asked employees to rate their manager on 24 items pertaining to four aspects of people management: attracting and selecting top talent; setting expectations and driving results; motivating employees to excel; and developing employee capacity. Employees also provided open-ended feedback on their managers.

Ratings were collected using an automated, web-based system built by Creative Metrics and installed on Sun’s internal network. Managers received an overall “dashboard” display of their results, along with supplemental details and access to development resources. Ratings were gathered and easy to interpret reports were generated and distributed, all within a two-week time period. Creative Metrics augmented the process with follow-up procedures and mentoring opportunities.

Dynamic Business Result

Of the 14 strategic initiatives that Sun Microsystems was currently implementing, the upward feedback process created by Creative Metrics was rated by HR staff as #2 in value and #1 in user friendliness.

This system increased ingenuity, creativity and speed to market for Sun Microsystems’s products. Leaders came together and successfully led Sun Microsystems as an engine of the dotcom boom. More than 100,000 Sun employees have provided invaluable feedback by engaging in this innovative program. After four consecutive years of utilizing Creative Metric’s organizational effectiveness programs, Sun’s revenues grew by over 110% and its stock split, 2 for 1, three times.