Responses to: Effective I.T. Alignment

This post is an e-mail exchange in response to a previous post "Effective I.T. Alignment." Chip is my friend that gave me permission to post his words here.


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Chip:

It has always struck me that, in general, IT wants to be invited to the table by the business rather than earning and then taking a seat at the table. And unless there is the rare, pre-arranged commitment from the business to incorporate IT into the business strategy, IT is very hesitant to take action out of trust and faith. So it becomes difficult to motivate a group based on hope and faith, encouraging them to take risks in a risk-adverse environment.

In my opinion, a responsibility of the leader, is to jump start the change by taking risks, making some mistakes, surviving the mistakes, publicly acknowledging the mistakes, and then continuing on. This shows the rest of the team that risks and even mistakes do not necessarily equal personal or career distress. Ultimately, change will only take place when the leaders internal to the company own it and live it.

So, if you are not at the table then you are on the menu. Choose to be at the right table, take risks, prove everyone wrong, and surround yourselves with those who believe in you.



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Wesley:

Your thoughts about Trust and Faith are right on. Trust is something that is earned and I.T. departments that are in a maintenance mode find it hard to trust the business when they step out of the traditional role. I.T. wants to hunker down in their comfort zone and hope they are not noticed. This works for a time while the business is growing. It is not until the business runs aground that they go looking for an I.T. department partner and find a pasty, white skin,
growth stunted group of people. Now, all of the sudden, I.T. is desperately needed and they are not ready to move into action.

I.T. also remembers back to when they were innovating for the business and getting ignored or having funds removed in mid development. There is little to trust in and small amounts of faith that this business need they are being asked to step into is real.


What makes all of this change, as you pointed out, are leaders that take risks. It matters not if the risk is a success or a failure. Success moves the cause forward by building trust. Failure becomes a teachable moment that allows for hope to grow. It is on this hope that the courage for another risk taking event is built. As there are more risks that pay off, the trust and faith get built back. And on this trust and faith is built the partnerships that lead to alignment.