Respect. That’s all I really want from the business guys who think that I’m an over-promoted tech. Think about it for a minute. If the lines-of-business want new capabilities and applications, who do they turn to? Me. If the legal eagles want to ensure that our systems can meet compliance with governmental regulations, who do they talk to? Me. And if the accounting trolls want to figure out how to budget for some of their largest capex requirements (which is of course, from the IT department), who do they have to consult? Yes, that’s right. Me.
Does any of the above even remotely sound like I’m merely in charge of help desk? I’m trying to transform the business here. So cut me some slack.
It’s probably why I’m picking some positive vibes from a recent Economist Intelligence Unit survey on IT Transformation. It turns out that a lot of organizations are starting to recognize the link between IT and the success of their business. For example, the study, sponsored by Cisco, showed more than half the respondents in the survey are pursuing (or have just recently completed) IT transformation initiatives to boost their organization’s effectiveness in the market. 57% of the IT folk surveyed said that improving IT’s responsiveness to business objectives was their most important priority. And almost half of those which had undergone IT change reported cost savings and smoother operations as a result.
If only the business guys here can take the lead from organizations in India. Apparently, EIU reports that respondents in India are by far the most likely to have goals associated with interacting with business counterparts. Those goals include implementing new projects based on corporate – not IT – objectives. Among them, they actually seek out opportunities to propose technology-based approaches to improving business practices and gaining more support from senior business managers for things like budgeting, change management and technology adoption.
Maybe I should apply some of the pretty good advice at the end of the report to get the IT transformation message across to the business. This includes:
- Addressing corporate cultural issues, by working hard to communicate goals, and build bridges up and down the chain of command throughout the business
- Encouraging my IT guys to communicate regularly with business partners
- Walking before I run, by properly assessing the length of time it will take to complete the effort, as well as the costs, risks and eventual benefit to the business.
- Tracking and publicizing my success, so that I can build momentum for future IT initiatives
Ok. Calmed down now. Back to work.
Anyway, check these out:
haha. trolls.
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