How can you keep up with the rapid pace of IT change and disruption?

Disruptive technology goes beyond IT and has the potential to reshape the entire business models, accordingly the role of IT managers extends beyond conventional IT operations. IT managers should continuously scan the landscape of disruptive technology through: - Attending conferences, reading industry publications, networking with peers. - Engage in professional networks such as industry associations and online forums. - Encourage employees to share their ideas and insights about emerging technologies. - Keep an eye on startup ecosystems. It is also important to categorize the scope of the new disruptive technology a) Enhance customer experience, or b) Operational Experience: improving performance and quality, while reducing cost.

Active scanning for and recognizing subtle, weak signals in the market such as starting shifts in research, customer behavior, and economics is crucial for IT managers aiming to stay ahead. This proactive approach can offer competitive advantages, but it's resource-intensive and not feasible across all business areas. Therefore, focusing on core areas of value creation and product lines is advisable, as the cost-benefit ratio is more favorable in these sectors. Each department must assess whether the investment in such extensive market surveillance aligns with their needs and capabilities.

I believe that we need to listen to the non-traditional methods and the ones that make us uncomfortable. Many times this has turned out to save the companies I have worked for man hours and money in the multiple millions of savings. Also, we should be seeking innovation with a conservative approach that contributes to a roadmap that is achievable.

The major factor one is not able to cope up with the disruptions of the industry is because they do not scan the horizons. In case of IT, we need to keep in mind that it comprises of various modules including Operations, Foundations, Improvement and Experience. So it has to be scanned while keeping in mind all the modules. If one scans the horizon in time, that person is able to predict the disruption way ahead.

1. Involve eager people who are willing to learn from business departments to experiment and implement RPA and low code solutions. 2. Experimenting with new technologies is a continuous process. 3. Make sure the development team does not only consist of traditional development people.

IT leaders need to foster a culture of continuous learning, where team members experiment with new initiatives, feel comfortable sharing their mistakes, and recognize it as an essential aspect of maturity. Learning is a journey, and staying ahead of the curve is essential for business growth and success. This can be achieved through attending training programs, taking relevant certifications, and leveraging available resources. Mastering new technology may not be feasible. In such cases, hiring resources with the required skills can bridge the gap.

In today's fast-paced IT landscape, effective leadership goes beyond mere management. First, invest in skills by dedicating resources to training and certifications in emerging technologies. Make learning rewarding with targeted incentives, thereby encouraging your team to stay ahead. Second, embrace a culture of experimentation. Create a 'lab day' to test new technologies and approaches, turning these insights into scalable best practices. Finally, apply an agile mindset to professional growth, adjusting your strategies based on regular evaluations. In an industry that never stops evolving, role of IT manager is to set the example. Equip yourself and your team with the agility to not only adapt but to anticipate and drive change.

to achieve truly impactful results, in my view, one should be open to, and actively pursuing more "non conventional" ideas, rather than counting on and leveraging the mainstream AI tools and solutions. (i.e. ChatGPT Pluginns... as anyone can ultimately built on such plugin) These type of experiments deliver ultimately real innovation.

Two important skill needed to keep pace with the change are Psychological Safety & Emotional Intelligence. This applies to both leaders as well as to the associates. This will enable our associates to take calculated risks and help them foster an Innovative approach to handle the change.

Totally agree, this means consistency. Using new tools or processes may be fun or attractive for a specific person, but it has zero contribution to the essential objective, whether personal or business, the sense of cost benefit should not be left aside, just to say that we follow technological trends. I have thousands of emails in my inbox with advertising or useless information, just because excessive messaging is fashionable.

Effective prioritization and alignment of tech projects to business goals is crucial. As a CEO, I promote cross-functional collaboration to ensure IT and business leaders are aligned towards the business objectives. We sit down to breakdown the technology roadmaps to iterative releases for maintaining agility. All new investments are deeply evaluated not only on tech merits but also to business outcomes.

Break down your long-term IT strategy into shorter cycles. This will ensure IT initiatives remain aligned with the evolving business needs and will increase business agility and resiliency. New IT initiatives need to be prioritized and linked to business goals and objectives, such as enhancing customers experience and increasing operational excellence. Effective communication with business stakeholders is crucial to align technological advancements with business goals, it will also smooth business transition and foster a culture of collaboration. Prioritization of IT initiatives should take into consideration fund availability, which need to follow agile financial model and move away from the inflexible, annual budget reviews.

This is a crucial skill for IT managers because it helps to ensure that IT resources are being used to support the most important business goals and that IT changes and disruptions are delivering value to the organization. By effectively prioritizing, aligning, and communicating, IT managers can help to improve the overall performance and success of their organizations.

It's not just about embracing every new tech trend, but discerning which truly serves the business's core goals. Crucially, this journey isn't solo. Continual dialogue with stakeholders, from top executives to end-users, ensures that IT decisions resonate deeply, propelling both technical excellence and aligned business growth.

Assess business and IT transformation readiness (capabilities, compliance, culture, ... etc.) before implementing disruptive changes. Neglecting to do so will risk business stability and success. It is essential to keep stakeholders informed about various aspects of the transformation initiatives such as business value, cost, and timeline. Neglecting to do so will risk the success of implementation. Transformational projects might conflict with other ongoing projects and face the risk of failure. It is important to establish portfolio/program management to ensure well-coordinated and controlled projects.

How to manage the risks and challenges of IT changes and disruptions: - Identify and assess the risks - Develop and implement mitigation strategies - Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your mitigation strategies - Involve stakeholders early and often - Communicate effectively - Be prepared to adapt

To excel in IT, prioritize continuous learning, cultivate an agile culture, and actively engage in networking. Stay adaptable by embracing emerging technologies and regularly updating your skills. Mitigate threats through comprehensive risk assessments, strong security measures, employee training, regular data backups, and a well-structured incident response plan. Keep informed, collaborate with industry peers, and ensure legal compliance through routine audits.

Beyond the technical aspects (like ensuring IT security and reliability), it's about foreseeing potential pitfalls and being prepared. But it doesn't stop at preemptive action, equally vital is navigating the human side of IT : addressing team uncertainties, organizational resistance, and cultural barriers.

Identify risks and create mitigation plans, with the understanding that new challenges may arise unexpectedly. Maintain an efficient feedback pipeline for addressing unforeseen issues. Effectively managing everyone's expectations requires both courage and finesse. Ensure that everyone is aware of the challenges and consider them when setting potential deadlines. Implement a comprehensive communication strategy and align operational processes to support the changes seamlessly. Regular retrospectives should be conducted to assess both successes and areas for improvement. Risks are omnipresent and often more frequent than anything else. Harness them as a catalyst for innovation.

Evaluation and improvement are continuous endeavors in IT management. Start by setting clear KPIs aligned with your strategic objectives, and measure them regularly. Use automated dashboards or surveys to collect real-time feedback on performance, team satisfaction, and client experiences. These insights allow you to make data-driven improvements. Periodically conduct 'Retrospectives' to assess what's working and what isn't, fostering a culture of collective learning. The goal isn't to assign blame but to continually optimize processes and outcomes. By rigorously evaluating your operations and nurturing an environment of constant improvement, you not only adapt to but also anticipate and drive change in a competitive IT landscape.

One of the critical aspects to consider to improve is tracking performance metrics, gathering feedback, and, crucially, acting on that data to refine processes. But beyond the numbers lies a mindset : fostering a culture where learning isn't a mere phase but an ongoing journey.

Measuring the baseline is one of the most impactful things you can do as a new manager. Think about your role and the impact you’re having on the team, biz & society: 1. Understand what are the main important metrics in your business or industry. Measure the baseline at the start of your tenure 2. Track the metrics, gathering evidence along the way, to show the impact you’ve had on the business. Better yet, align the metrics to industry standards or frameworks (such as ITIL or UN sustainable development goals) 3. Communicate the success with the wider organisation at specific intervals, aligning with the company’s strategy. Include any dips in performance, learning from “failures”. You can start this process at any stage of your career.

Evaluation and improvement are the bedrock of effective IT management. Continuously measuring and monitoring the outcomes of IT changes and disruptions is essential. Collecting feedback and data provides valuable insights into performance and satisfaction levels. Identifying and implementing improvements and adjustments enhances efficiency and effectiveness. Cultivating a culture of continuous learning and improvement ensures that your IT processes evolve alongside the ever-changing tech landscape. These skills empower you to not just keep up, but thrive in the dynamic IT environment.

Benefits of evaluating and improving IT outcomes and processes: - Improved IT performance and satisfaction - Enhanced IT efficiency and effectiveness - Fostered culture of continuous learning and improvement

The only constant in IT is change. However, that doesn't mean you have to be chasing every shiny new product/technology/methodology that comes around. I believe a big task for managers is to sift through these, understand the value they bring to you your team/company and make an informed decision if it's worth it exploring/adopting them.

Alignment to the mission is key to internalizing the rapid changes in the technology landscape. To a great extent, rapid change of IT and disruption depends on an organization's mission and the environment in which it operates. For example, a commercial organization that has competitive advantages in being quick to market with its offerings through emerging tech will strive to have a shorter life cycle to evaluate and implement changes to maintain its customers, market share etc. However, government organizations that provide citizen services put greater emphasis on statutory regulatory requirements and adherence to several policies and standards. Such entities have a longer evaluation and implementation cycle.

One thing I found out to be extremely useful to be able to react very quickly to new trends and breakthroughs has been to include a complete full funding of any significant layer of service on a cycle of 4 years max. This means that I have been able to fully reconsider and fund any given layer of service every 4 years, including the study to redesign it from scratch. This gave me the flexibility to completely change direction and select new technologies regularly. The only layer where it was not that easy was for ERP platform….but for the rest, it worked very well !

Don't let the current drag you towards where everyone is going, in a world where either everyone worships or fears AI, it would be good to get out of that circle and see what else the world offers or what else you can offer it.

Really think about what’s important to you. This will help you get through tough times and Many of us care about the environment, for instance. When it comes to business, we aren’t sustainable. Find out about Sustainable IT and how it can motivate you to become a better IT manager, help the world become a better place, transform the business into a more financially AND environmentally sustainable company.