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How to Speak "Manager"
The document outlines the role of IT professionals as 'technical brokers' who bridge the communication gap between technical and business audiences. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the needs and perspectives of both sides to foster collaboration and trust. Key strategies include developing trusted advisor relationships, effective communication, and demonstrating business value through IT operations.
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How to Speak "Manager"
- 1. How to Speak“Manager” Nicole Forsgren Velasquez, PhD Professor of Accounting and MIS @nicolefv Jon M. Huntsman School of Business Utah State University
- 3. The Gap Businessis here IT is here
- 4. IT focuses ontechnology (micro)
- 5. Business focuses ata higher level (macro)
- 6. We Are Hereto Bridge The Gap
- 7. IT Professionals areTechnical Brokers • We are the bridge • Act as translator and interface between communities • Understanding this role is important • Navigating business • Addressing tensions
- 8. IT Professionals areTechnical Brokers • As a technical broker, a large part of your role is communication • Technical audiences • Business audiences Technical Professional Business Technical Communities
- 9. Challenges: Visibility andContent The business usually sees: Desktop Support What you do is often beyond visibility of business: Maintenance Infrastructure Innovation and automation The really hard stuff The stuff that matters most to the business
- 10. Talking to Tech • Who is your audience? • What language is appropriate? • e.g., security, desktop support, senior / junior • How do you communicate something to each? • Technical • Expertise
- 11. Talking to Business • Who is your audience? • How should this be communicated? • What language is appropriate?
- 12. Who is Business? • Common ground: • Need for funding • Success measures • Demonstrated value
- 13. Is IT Operationsa Business? • Delivering value to customers • Internally focused: IT operations • Business unit within a business • Externally focused: technology firm • IT operations might be the core business
- 14. Connecting the TwoSides The Trusted Advisor • Organizational leaders relying on IT advisors • No surprises because IT is a player at the table • IT can provide strategic direction at high levels • IT as a service: Consultant? Custodial?
- 15. Positioning of ITOperations • How are IT decisions made and who makes them? • Who else influences? • What is the role of CIO in your organization? • Who are your customers? • How do they impact service delivery? • What are your core competencies? • How do they align with organizational needs?
- 16. Key: How CanIT Help • What do you think organizational leaders need from IT to make your organization stronger? • Regulation compliance • Improved competitiveness in your industry Increased research funding Making and keeping customers Increased sales • Increased internal efficiency • Better use of technology to further mission
- 17. Building Bridges •Professional connections • Who in your organization • How to develop the trusted advisor relationship • Trust • Business value
- 18. Trust • Trustcomes from • Perception of value • Good communication • Collaborative relationship
- 19. How to CreateTrust • Put connection before technical concepts • Don’t pretend • Focus on the customer’s perspective (who is your audience) • Face problems and unhappy customers head-on • Listen • Don’t pull your punches • Document when it matters • Nothing is too small if it’s important to the customer • It isn’t a competition
- 20. Business Value •Depend upon IT and type of business • Internal – Organizational efficiency • Productivity enhancements • e.g., reducing complexity • Complexity often takes 90% of internal resources leaving little headroom for innovation • Cost reduction • Streamlining internal business practices
- 21. Business Value (cont.) • External – Increases competitiveness in your marketplace • Increased profits • Competitive advantage • e.g., streamlined customer management • Both internal and external
- 22.
- 23. Metrics • Quantitative • Throughput, turnover time, SLAs • Qualitative • Customer feedback surveys
- 24. Organizational Culture Matters • Keep cultural differences in mind • Corporate vs. government vs. university • Different teams: Windows / Unix / Mac • Different world view, depending where you “live”
- 25. Know Your Audience • Put yourself in their shoes • Communicate at the right level • How much to communicate
- 26. Written Communication •Email • Basics: subject, structure • Outage management • Communication to customers • Emails to organizational leaders • Texting, social media • Think professional, not Facebook
- 27. Face-to-Face • Meetings • Fixed duration • Have a purpose • State goals • Stay on message • Summarize • Presentations • Training • Persuasive
- 28. The Elevator Pitch “Very concise presentation of an idea covering all of its critical aspects, and delivered within a few minutes” Useful even if you don’t have an elevator • Describe the value proposition in clear language • Written, verbal
- 29. The Collaborative Relationship • Trusted advisor • Being responsive to requests from above • Being a solutions provider • Be there when needed
- 30. Professional Maturity ReactiveProactive • Early in your career • Not being able to forecast due to lack of experience or vision • Increases technical debt, or cannot see it • Comes with vision and maturity • Solving issues before they become bigger problems • Thinking with an enterprise mindset • Reducing or eliminating technical debt through good practices and agility
- 31. How Do YouKnow When You’ve Arrived? • Organizational leaders ask your opinion before spending $$ on IT solutions • Leaders ask others to go through you for approval before investing in IT • You’re invited to be part of the organization’s management team • When you speak, leaders listen and respect your opinions
- 32. Where to Begin • Look at specifics of your organization • Who are your core customers? • What impact can IT operations have? • What does business need from you? • At what level can you personally make a difference? • Is there a point-person to connect with organizational leaders? • You • Your boss?
- 33. Action Items •Assess your organization before beginning • Look for opportunities to increase visibility • Sell these concepts to the rest of your team • IT operations should look for opportunities to engage organizational leaders on issues impacted by IT
- 34. Thank you Questions? nicolefv@gmail.com @nicolefv