What do you do if you need to determine the appropriate level of delegation in IT Strategy?

Fundamentally, the question is how to link strategy and execution through bi-directional communication. Clearly defined strategic goals are cascaded through the organization to ensure that all functions and capabilities clearly understand the actions required to achieve the desired outcomes. At the same time, it is critical that information is cascaded upwards in a timely manner to ensure the entire organization can adapt to changing circumstances. Hoshin Kanri is a very practical planning and execution alignment system used to developing the processes required to support a bi-directional cascade of objectives, feedback and other critical information. Strategy execution must be part of the organization's operating model and culture.

Assessing needs is foundational to effective IT strategy. Understanding the scope, timelines, and skills required for projects allows for informed decision-making on delegation. Whether it's leveraging internal resources or seeking external expertise, aligning needs with capabilities ensures successful execution and strategic alignment.

-Evaluate and Build your teams skills and comeptency matrix. -Once we have the composition of the matrix, we can then clarify goals and ensure that everyone knows the IT strategy's objectives helps delegate without overburdening team members but setting up the responsibilities. -We should make sure provide the necessary tools and support for delegated tasks and encourage dialogue to address any issues or questions -Delegation is based on ongoing assessments and outcomes and is often a delicate balance between what you intend to "Delegate" for a specific business outcome and what you intend to "Control" for a specific business outcome.

Assessing needs means identifying what the organization requires for its IT strategy. For instance, a manufacturing company may prioritize upgrading its inventory system to improve production efficiency. This assessment guides how tasks and resources are delegated to meet those needs.

It’s really important, but can be tricky, to figure out how much control to give others. It's like trying to sail a ship where you need to decide when to steer it yourself and when to let someone else take over. The goal is to find the right balance - not being too controlling but also not too hands-off. Start by really understanding what your team is good at and what they're not so good at. Use this to decide who should do what. This doesn't just help get the work done right, it also makes your team feel trusted and valued. Make sure to keep communication open with your team regularly. This way, everyone knows what's going on and feels supported.

Effective talent management strategy should focus on recruiting, hiring and retaining employees that have the right knowledge, skills and experience for the job. Gaps in this process can result in common project quality issues; missed timelines, cost overruns and stakeholder dissatisfaction. A successful talent management strategy is more than just a one-size-fits-all solution. It comprises several key components, each contributing to the overall goal of nurturing a high-performing workforce. These critical components span the entire talent management lifecycle and form the foundation for your organization’s talent management strategy.

To determine the right level of delegation, after assessing needs, focus on understanding the talent within your team. Identify each member's strengths, weaknesses, and interests by mapping them out. This approach allows for effective delegation by aligning tasks with individuals' skill sets and career goals. It's important to view delegation not just as task allocation but as a strategic tool for development, offering team members the chance to advance their skills and capabilities. This strategy ensures that responsibilities are handled by those best equipped to manage them, while also fostering growth and development within the team, aligning individual progress with the broader objectives of the strategy.

As it's important to have a clear objective when delegating a job, include all the pertinent details about the task and explain what it involves. Emphasize the goals rather than the method for attaining them. Establish mutual expectations between yourself and team members regarding the outcome of the job. Involving team members in the decision-making process can help ensure they understand the task and support your decision to assign it to them.

Define boundaries and guidelines for delegated decision-making to provide clarity and ensure consistency. Clearly communicate roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority to avoid confusion and ambiguity. Regularly monitor and review the performance of delegated decision-making processes. Evaluate outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and adjust delegation levels as needed to optimize effectiveness and efficiency.

Encourage open communication by creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their concerns. Capture all concerns by writing them down and sharing them with the team for further discussion.

Encourage team communication, some simple steps like knowing the members could be the right path to be followed. No matter if you dont know Who is the owner of the process, better connections better follow UP. Look for the right one

Implement effective communication channels to facilitate collaboration and coordination between different levels of leadership and decision-makers within the IT department. Ensure that information flows smoothly to support delegated decision-making processes.

Strike a balance between giving your team autonomy and maintaining oversight. Delegation does not equate to shirking responsibility. Instead, establish a monitoring system that allows you to track progress without falling into the trap of micromanagement. This system could include regular check-ins or structured progress reports, enabling you to stay updated on each project's status. Such monitoring practices allow you to intervene with support or guidance as needed to ensure smooth progress. This approach ensures that while tasks are delegated, you remain informed and in control, facilitating a balance between empowerment and accountability within your team.

Balance autonomy and control by allowing decision-makers the freedom to execute within their delegated authority. Check in daily if needed, when things get complicated, to maintain sufficient oversight with the execution of the IT strategy.

Another critcal element to understand is that there is NOT an IT strategy. There is a technology roadmap and execution plan that HAS to be myopically linked to the delivery and execution of the business strategy. If within the technology area there are areas of spend and focus that will not support the business goals, then these have to be removed and eliminated.

1. Understand organizational goals. 2. Assess existing structure and key stakeholders. 3. Evaluate expertise and capability. 4. Consider risk tolerance. 5. Define decision rights. 6. Establish communication channels. 7. Monitor and review regularly.