Here's how you can navigate complex organizational structures as an IT leader to achieve your goals.

My background is information technology. My primary role was managing IT Help Desk/Service Desk(s). Although I never ran the IT organization, there are a few best practices I use today that I'm noticing have been lost which can be used to help minimize the complexities. 1. Catalogue all software, applications, technologies etc. - sort each by functionality, functional usage and departments that use it and for what reason. 2. Create a usage chart for each and comprehensively that shows usage% - This has helped me consolidate technologies and find better solutions that work better across teams. 3. This info should be shared with leaders/teams and assist in reducing complexities. 4. Build relationships with Peers, create feedback mechanisms.

To navigate complex organizational structures as an IT leader, start by mapping key stakeholders and building cross-functional relationships to align IT initiatives with business goals. Clear communication is crucial—present IT solutions in terms of business outcomes like revenue growth or efficiency to gain support. Regular updates foster transparency and trust. Finally, adaptability is key; be ready to shift priorities and find alternative paths when facing bottlenecks or competing priorities. By building relationships, communicating effectively, and staying flexible, you can drive IT initiatives and achieve your goals.

Another more focused tool for mapping it out is the RACI matrix. We identify who is Responsible (the doer), who is Accountable (the decision maker), who needs to be Consulted (those who provide input), and who should be Informed (those who stay updated). It's like a roadmap, ensuring everyone knows their role and is aware of others' responsibilities.

It reminds me of a quote by Machiavelli: "From the latter, he is defended by being well-armed and having good allies, and if he is well-armed, he will have good friends." To build strong alliances, you must be worth it. Continuously develop your character and skills to attract allies. Nothing is worse than alliances with people who lack professional skills.

Every technology leader should have vocabulary rich enough to be understood by any audience. You should be able to dive deep into technical debates and easily explain the results to non-technical stakeholders. Few people can do both with equal ease. ?? Therefore they are valued the most.

The CTO might choose to develop something in-house due to a lack of awareness about an open-source solution that could address the same problem effectively. This ignorance can result in wasted resources and lost time. Stay updated with new technologies and don't be afraid to spend extra time on additional research before deciding on a new tool. Knowledge is the main quality of a good technology leader.

I loathe playing politics at work because there are other places to hone your political skills. Office politics exist everywhere, but when exaggerated, people start to distort information, leading to company losses. At Amazon, for example, leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even if it's uncomfortable or exhausting. Almost every decision in the company can be backed by data and predictive models and therefore we can at least minimize human bias in favor of objective information-driven insights. This approach not only enhances accuracy but also promotes transparency and fairness, which is important for efficient human collaboration.