“Think About Your Career Two Moves Ahead”: Kirk Law’s Successful Career Journey Has Had Many Stops Along the Way

Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, for most of my childhood I was the son of the only Black doctor and surgeon in town. My dad served as the head of surgery at the city’s hospital, which was segregated a the time. This stark racial contrast was evident to me throughout high school as I sat in advanced math classes as the only Black student. When I attended Purdue University to pursue my master’s degree, I again found myself as the only Black student in yet another math class. This theme didn’t subside until later in my career when I found more of the representation I was looking for. Seeing myself represented in my peers and leaders throughout my career made such a huge difference in how I perceived my opportunities for growth and approached leadership. 

Growing up, I thought I was going to be a doctor and so did everyone else. That was until I picked up an alto saxophone and electric bass. The beautiful sounds that emerged when I plugged the bass in intrigued me and called me to wonder exactly how that happens. That moment inspired my shift to music and digital media that would later launch me into a technology career. 

Upon graduating from Purdue, I spent four years in Princeton, New Jersey working for RCA Labs. I enjoyed the research and development environment and even secured a few patents in the digital TV and media areas. From there, I moved on to Silicon Graphics (SGI), a high-performance 3D graphics and computer manufacturer. 

In my interview, I met with one of the founders of SGI, Marc Hannah, who was a Black leader. Soon after joining the company, I met with the VP of Engineering who was Black as well. These leaders soon became role models for me, and opened up the question, “If they can do it, why not me? I can do that.” I found it helps to have examples in your constellation so you know which stars to follow. 

Following my time at SGI, I spent a few years with a start-up and later connected with a cloud data services company. In 2018, I joined Tableau to focus on interactive data visualizations. 

Salesforce’s acquisition of Tableau felt like a natural evolution to me. I have always lived by the idea that if things aren't changing, and you’re not a little uncomfortable, then you’re probably not growing.

Understandably, some long-term Tableau employees had reservations, but as a senior executive, I could “peer over the fence” and see that this move was not only going to be OK, but it was certainly going to be a positive move for us.

As a leader, I needed to share that perspective with the team and communicate the opportunity the acquisition presented. The doors would open for greater reach and growth. The potential was exciting and I wanted the team to feel that confidence moving forward.

Today, I can see the acquisition has created tremendous value for the company and my career. I’ve reached the level of Senior Vice President of Product Development for Tableau. Our product is helping society more than ever — for example, we’ve recently launched a COVID Data Hub and the Racial Data Equity Hub. It feels incredible to do excellent work and play a role in improving the world around us.

I am happy to share a few principles that I have discovered throughout my career journey that have helped me succeed.

1. Network when you don't need something.
When I joined SGI, I met Ken Coleman, who is still a mentor of mine today. He helped me appreciate the power of proactive networking which focuses on developing meaningful relationships when you don't need something. This builds a foundations of trust and long-term bonds.

2. Always have a relationship with your boss' boss.
Fostering a relationship with senior leaders in a company allows you to better understand the direction the company is headed in. As an added bonus, these leaders can become advocates for your career and development. When aligning these stars in the constellation you look up to, remember that the stars in your network look back at you.

3. Think about your career two moves ahead of where you are.
Where are you trying to go and what are the possible avenues to get there? Does the job opportunity in front of you align with your move after this one? Really consider how it plays into the bigger picture.

4. Don’t shy away from challenging discussions.
If your intentions are aligned with the company’s goals and mission, then speak up. Ask tough questions, even to the leaders in the room. Being a little controversial shows an authenticity that can build trust with others. You’ll develop a reputation of being influential and candid.

My fifth rule might surprise you — but I think it may be the most important of all.

5. Use your failure as a stepping stone to success.
Failure is painful, but it’s an opportunity for growth if you don’t wallow in it. I'm an optimist by nature, so I've had to challenge myself to find the “fault lines” in a situation. I often reflect on, “What happened last time?” and how did that work out? I use failure as fuel for success.

Remember to conduct root cause analysis on your successes too. Sometimes you're successful because of luck. You must be humble enough to realize, “I was at the right place at the right time.” If you're not humble, you think you can make lightning strike twice.

While I trust that these principles will set you up for success, I’d also add that being in the right environment is key.

Salesforce believes that the business of business is doing good. We do this through our products, our volunteer work, and our practices. One thing I’m especially proud of is the commitment and action we’re taking to increase representation within our company, and ultimately the industry. We’re telling the world, “This is important and we’re striving to make it happen.” I have seen Salesforce align Black leaders as stars in their constellation and give others something to look up to.

Ready to take the next step in your career journey? We’re hiring — browse careers at Salesforce and Tableau. Or, to hear more from Kirk, watch his on-demand webinar with Nextplay, the leading career development platform for Black and Latinx tech professionals.