In study after study, poor communication is cited as the #1 reason for IT failure. IT’s #1 job is to meet people where they are rather than where IT wants them to be. IT must understand their customer (by seeing them as a customer first), have a deep interest in what they need, and communicate this wish often to create a natural gravitational pull towards IT (funding, support, collaboration). In other words, IT needs to move closer to those outside of IT. The best way to accomplish that is through communication. There is a major difference in corporations where communication is very good from IT or very bad. A certain pattern arises. If communication is poor, the contributions tend to be invisible. This leads to regrettable projects, low adoption, underused applications, outsourcing, and job loss. Effective communication ensures that the value of IT is clear and that funding goes beyond the maintenance of a project. Upper management mostly funds maintenance of existing technology but to get funding for new innovative technology is difficult. Staying engaged through good communication is the key. Good communication (not just status reports) results in higher adoption rates, better collaboration across the business, job preservation, and the input of the CIO.
The point of connection is where the human benefit of technology is understood, embraced, supported, and adopted. Success results when the point of connection is found. There are differences in the thought processes in regards to perceptions of technology and humans. Technology tends to be more logical, black or white (right or wrong), linear, insensitive, rational, objective, and complex. Humans, on the other hand, can be characterized as emotional, intuitive, organic, sensitive, irrational, conception, and complex.
How do you find that point of connection? Read our IMF report, “Turning IT’s Biggest Blindspot into Your Greatest Tool for Success,” for 5 ways to discover your point of connection.
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