Whilst reading some stuff in the blogosphere this week I came across the following blog post from November 2009 in 2020 Science.
There was a paragraph in this that just jumped out at me as simple, straight to the point and true. It is why IT strategies and IT visions created in IT departments are never implemented and why IT people get frustrated. It stuck in my mind so much that I wanted to reproduce it.
“Strategically relevant technology does not just happen. It depends on targeted investment, coupling outputs to needs, and working with stakeholders to develop and implement appropriate and acceptable solutions. And it takes time – lots of it.”
All too often there is an arrogant, we know better attitude in IT and it is little wonder that the rest of organisation just goes off and does it's own thing.
IT organisations need to communicate, work with and be part of an organisation not just order takers or a creators of stuff.
They need to ensure that IT ideas are linked to the needs of the organisation and its aims and objectives otherwise you are relying on a build it and they will come approach. Understand what they want and maybe what they don't realise they want and convince them they need it.
I was once told by an executive that one of the best training for IT professionals are sales courses to learn the art of selling stuff.
It does take lots and lots of time and lots and lots of conversations and lots and lots of selling to build up that trust, reputation and relationships for IT people and the IT organisations.
The hard work is ,however, worth it as the rewards, relationships and outcomes you create within an organisation are immense.
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