Transform IT Role

Technology represents tremendous value if you view it from the proper perspective. IT empowerment also has its various levels in any organization. As a CIO or IT Senior Leader, you should try to move the technology function up the value chain. Learn how to transform your service delivery organization being looked upon as another cost center to a business partner that provides valuable services and brings competitive advantage for the business.

Technology represents tremendous value if you view it from the proper perspective. IT empowerment also has its various levels in any organization. How the business perceives the roles of the IT organization, whether they consider it to be another cost center or think of it as a partner that enables business success. Let's understand how an IT department matures in any organization.

IT is another Cost Center

Category 1 is “ Another Cost Center”. Business leaders think IT to be one of the utilities like Electricity, Telecommunications, etc. that helps manage the day to day operations of the business.

IT is Enabler

In Category 2, the IT department is viewed as an enabler. Business leaders think IT helps them manage business operations more efficiently and thereby help them solve their complex business problems.

IT is a Performer

In Category 3, IT is perceived as a performer, and business leaders see immense value out of their technology arm. They think IT delivers tangible value and provide them with a competitive edge to win the marketplace. IT in this role is seen as driving process improvements & cost efficiencies for the organization.

IT as a Transformer

The next category is that of the transformer where IT is considered as one of the major strategic imperative. Business leaders think IT brings substantial change to the business and partners in driving innovation and strategy.

These categories might depend on the scale of the company’s operations or on the cost that the business is ready to spend on IT. In the case of global companies, there are more expectations from IT to provide innovation and transformation. Smaller firms may want to use IT as more of a basic service, to keep costs down and serve daily operational needs efficiently. However, as IT Leaders and IT professionals, there are always opportunities to add innovation and change into your roles. You can develop these skills irrespective of where your organization lies in the above categories. Let us understand what are the skills and how to develop them.

Understanding Corporate Strategy

Management outlook and procedures have been revolutionized by more and more innovations over the recent years. It is no longer possible to follow traditional approaches to develop your organization's direction, its management as well its effectiveness. Senior managers need to be good decision-makers. In this section, we introduce concepts for strategy, strategic planning, strategic leadership, their exact meaning and associated terms, and how to use them.

Read more
Katz’s Three-Skill Approach

Robert Katz identified three leadership skills called - technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills as the basic personal skills essential for leadership. Leaders must possess these three skills that assist them in optimizing a leader's performance. Technical skills are related to the field, human skills are related to communicating with people and conceptual skills related to setting the vision.

Read more
Assess Your Career Values

The best career choices are ones that match your values. Each person has several values that are important to him. These values are highly personal and knowing them provides a clearer sense of what's most important to you in your life and career. Career values are the beliefs you consider important from a work standpoint. Values help you understand what you want from a job? Explore a few examples of work values that can influence career path and job satisfaction.

Read more
Process of Time Management

Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. The best time management techniques improve the ways you work. Time management refers to managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity. Learn more about the five steps for effective time management viz. study, identify, analyze, decide, and implement.

Read more
Change is the Only Constant

In our present Hitech scenario, society is changing very fast. What are the skills that are most relevant for leaders in relation to the changing economic environment? Leaders need to develop skills to drive innovation and change in order to play a more central role in their organizations’ activities. How do managers accept the change and meet business expectations by becoming a key figure in driving change and innovation?

Read more
Discover Your Career Direction

The process of finding career direction begins with specific career exploration and identification of a career that could be passionate about, a career that allows you to make the optimum use of your talents. After identification of the career, you need to acquire skills and tools, and education that can help you get entry into your dream career. Learn the important tips that you cannot afford to miss.

Read more
Time Management Skills

How often do you have a plan for how you are going to spend your day but you aren't able to complete the tasks on your plan because of unimportant tasks, interruptions, or your own procrastination? Wouldn't it be great to be able to manage your schedule and your time while avoiding, or at least controlling, these time stealers? Learn the strategies to manage your schedule while still handling interruptions and demands on your time.

Read more
Developing Functional Skills

Functional skills are the core competencies that can be transferred to different work areas like understanding of finance is independent and a finance expert can comfortably adapt to a manufacturing or service industry. Functional skills are obtained by understanding the various processes and the principles applicable to a business function. Functional experts are in great demand as they are specialists and required to manage the business processes like human resources, operations, or finance.

Read more
Level Five Leadership

“Level 5 Leadership”, this term was coined by Jim Collins in his book “Good to Great” and it is all about achieving "Greatness" as a leader. This article will explain what we mean by Level 5 Leadership and what the characteristics of a Level 5 leader are. What it takes to achieve greatness as a leader, and what are the steps and strategies that one can use to move up to this top level of leadership.

Read more
Emergent Leadership

Emergent leadership occurs when a group member is not appointed or elected as leader, but rather that person steps up as the leader over time within-group interactions. Have you ever faced challenges in getting accepted into your new role of position as a leader? Groups don't automatically accept a new "boss" as a leader. Emergent leadership is what you must do when taking over a new group. Learn more about emergent leadership.

Read more