How can IT Strategy professionals address their greatest weakness?

I'm a simple chap, and my simple suggestion here is that IT folks (and that includes IT strategists) need to remember that IT is not the end in itself; it is a means to an end. Thus, building and consulting with a wide senior stakeholder network, outside of just IT, is essentially to building IT strategies that drive business value. In my experience, technologist's greatest weakness is building technology that they think is a good idea, without that value context & insight. Not only does this detract from the ultimate sucess, it also impedes delivery and adoption.

Before applying or accepting an interview, research the organization's goals, challenges, and priorities. Gain insight into their preferred IT Strategy frameworks, methodologies, and tools, and how they measure and communicate IT Strategy's impact. This knowledge enables you to customize your resume, cover letter, and portfolio, emphasizing your pertinent skills and experiences. Additionally, this preparation helps anticipate potential interview questions and scenarios, allowing for more focused and relevant responses. Such thorough preparation demonstrates not only your competence but also your commitment to aligning with the organization’s specific needs and culture.

One thing I've found helpful was Analytical Leadership. To take lead on projects and to promote mutual success through open dialogue, drive constructive criticism, I've leaned on analytics. Analyzing processes combined with customer feedback have set high standards and quickly solved problems. Soft skills, cloud skills , product management skills will provide a competitive edge to decision making.

An example of helping IT strategy professionals understand the organisation is CANVAS model, this model helps understand an organization's key aspects like customers, activities, resources, and partnerships, providing a structured approach to design IT strategies and innovations aligned with the organization's goals and needs.

It will always depends heavily on its nature. For technical gaps, dedicate time to learning through courses, certifications, or shadowing colleagues. If your weakness lies in communication or collaboration, seek feedback from trusted peers, practice active listening, and hone your presentation skills. Don't shy away from mentorship or coaching, either. Remember, self-awareness and a proactive approach are key. By acknowledging your blind spots and investing in personal growth, you'll not only mitigate vulnerabilities but also expand your skillset and become a more well-rounded strategist.

IT strategy is only considered a good strategy if it helps to propel business in these areas e.g. (increase revenue, reduce cost, increase business agility ,reduce system risks, increase resiliency) As such, IT strategy needs to first explain the WHY (why are we doing this ), followed by the WHAT (what do we need to do) first. The HOW part should be kept to explain to internal IT team on how to make things happen. This will allow business to better understand and gain alignment. Remember that business does not need to understand technology in depth. That's why we are here to make things happen.

I think we should rebrand 'IT Strategy' to 'Business IT Strategy' to emphasize that IT's primary roles are to support, enable, and drive impactful business innovation using digital, data, and technology. Aligning with a company's vision and mission along with understanding today's business strategy while preparing for the future. And preparing for the future is not a distant concept; it's about being ready now. Most large companies have the financial ability for tech investments; the real challenge lies in managing time and shifting people's culture to be future-ready. I also strongly agree with the point about avoiding technical jargon. It's essential, along with managing the (mis)perceptions created by many hard-selling technology vendors

All of us have strengths and weaknesses and situations bring out the best or worst in us. Getting the context right in each situation and responding accordingly helps immensely. A context may require only certain skills - so we need not over-react with unnecessary attention to all details. We also need not stay away from addressing an issue when it arises in an area which is not our core competency. This helps us to at least get the essence of the issue and delegate accordingly

Devemos em nosso argumento saber calibrar entre profundidade técnica que trazemos na solu??o evidenciada e conex?o com a proposta de valor. Em alguns casos vale tentar sentir a expectativa do entrevistador, trazendo uma vis?o clara e objetiva inicialmente sem muita profundidade, mas ainda sim explorando o impacto de sua estratégia e finalizar questionando de uma forma leve se poderia detalhar, enriquecendo desta forma o diálogo com mais especificidades. Utilizar uma linguagem simples e estruturada, com as devidas pausas, tornam a comunica??o mais clara, traduzindo ideias mesmo que complexas em contextualiza??es mais fluidas, n?o se esquecendo de evidenciar o vínculo real entre a estratégia de TI, com a necessidade do negócio.

In interviews and discussions, it's important to start with the problem statement, objectives, and benefits of your IT strategy. This approach ensures that your audience grasps the significance and impact of your strategy before delving into the specifics. Employing a logical, structured approach to explain how you developed your solution helps in maintaining clarity. Furthermore, using simple, jargon-free language and supporting your points with diagrams or visuals can significantly enhance understanding. This strategy not only showcases your expertise but also demonstrates your ability to communicate complex ideas in a concise and accessible manner, aligning technical solutions with business needs.

Soft skills are the hardest skills to master. Effective communication, empathy, creativity are critical skills for any IT team and project. The more diverse a team is, the better work it can produce while forming strong relationships with the rest of the organization. Embrace those “soft” skills! They’re your superpower! Let them shine.

Once upon time , interviewer told me ,quoted " I will hire my grandfather if he present me attitude for what I asking"...that is tell you everything..with all these today candidates with fancy certification, roles,accomplishments there realy few tough one that stand out besides glory words with minimal enthusiasm and attitude when problems calling

During IT Strategy interviews, it's crucial to showcase your soft skills and personal traits. IT Strategy professionals should have excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership abilities, as well as a creative and analytical mindset. To demonstrate these skills, ask thought-provoking questions, actively listen, express opinions respectfully, and provide constructive feedback. Also, share examples of accomplishments, obstacles, and lessons learned to show enthusiasm, curiosity, and passion for IT Strategy. Remember, the interviewer is evaluating your suitability and potential for the role and organization, not just your technical skills. Displaying humility can also influence others to support your initiatives and objectives.

Showcase your humility as well. Being humble goes a long, long way to win people over to your cause and initiatives. (Easier said than done, I know...)

To excel in IT Strategy interviews, go beyond technical expertise and showcase your soft skills and personality. Demonstrate strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, along with a creative and analytical mindset. Engage the interviewer with insightful questions, active listening, and respectful articulation. Share examples of achievements, challenges, and learnings, conveying your enthusiasm and passion for the field. By presenting yourself as a well-rounded individual with both technical and interpersonal strengths, you'll make a lasting impression and increase your chances of securing the position.

Practice makes perfect! definitely Practice and prepare are important. In my opinion, the first step is awareness. Once we are aware our own weakness, we can decide what we want to do with it and how much we want to improve on it. Eg. if we want to improve a lot on it, then practice and practice. if we want to focus on the strength more, and just be aware and tolerate with the weakness, that's also another acceptable strategy.

Always practice and prepare for the effectiveness and the favorable outcomes. Even the regular meetings should be attended with a bit of preparation to avoid the natural death of such catch-ups. Important meetings definitely demand thorough preparation.

Practice is a metric of improvement. Everyday we practice on a particular context its the learning thats improved and that helps you prepare better and present better

Consider these three challenges: 1. Deep Dive into Resources: Explore one new resource weekly (a book, online course, or industry article). Not just to refreshing knowledge, but to stay ahead of trends. 2. Master the STAR Technique: ... with a twist. For each scenario, come up with alternative actions and potential results. 3. Create a Feedback Loop: After each practice session, seek feedback ... from peers in different departments or mentors with varied backgrounds. This broadens perspectives and uncovers blind spots. Engaging in these steps fosters a proactive learning mindset, crucial for excelling in IT Strategy interviews. #ITStrategy #InterviewPreparation #ContinuousLearning #FeedbackCulture"

I use the sometimes overlooked STARR(Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection) method when a you get a positive or negative result. The reflection section gives you further insight to ask what went right or wrong in the action and result to avoid or repeat in the future.

Before the interview, a short friendly discussion with a professional is also one of the methods. In a short one-hour business conversation, professionals can determine your strengths and weaknesses and show you how to cover your weaknesses.

Regular self-assessment, feedback from peers and mentors, and a commitment to personal and professional growth are essential for IT Strategy professionals to continuously improve and excel in their roles.

IT Strategy professionals can overcome their biggest weakness by cultivating a proactive attitude, keeping up with technological advancements, and encouraging effective communication. By focusing on continuous learning, acquiring cross-functional skills, and working with diverse teams, they can improve their adaptability. Prioritizing stakeholder engagement and aligning IT goals with organizational objectives will ensure strategic relevance. Embracing agility, fostering innovation, and utilizing data-driven insights will contribute to resilience and long-term success in a constantly evolving IT environment.

One of the best ways that professionals (IT Strategy and otherwise) can address their weaknesses, is to acknowledge that they exist and to show a desire (and past examples, if possible) to seek out colleagues, team members, and partners that have different points of view and different strengths. An important component of building any IT Strategy is to consider ways in which your plan may fail, including as a result of things you haven't considered. A more diverse team is more likely to complement each other's strengths and mitigate each other's weaknesses.

I would rather looking for second opinion from a person you trusted to double check if you thought is valid or there are other way to go.