Wanted - IT Liaison

Let's start with a definition:

liaison

1. communication or cooperation which facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations.

Listen up IT, I'm not sure we're getting it right. We are ridding ourselves of the introverted whizzkid in the basement with no customer service, relationship skills and questionable dress sense stereotype, but I think everyone would agree that there is still more we can do to become that true partner we all aspire to be. Admittedly, we are a lot better dressed now, we roam the floors and common areas, we have even upped our customer service game thanks to the ability to give instant feedback and ratings, but there's still an opportunity to close the gap even more between the technical offerings of IT and what actual frontline business users need in order to realise our strategic goals and visions.

I have thought of a few common problems that play their part in creating this disconnect so I'll first explain those, then finish it off with a few things we can do immediately to help get it heading in a better direction:

• TECHNICAL JARGON - The key to effective communication is not just about exchanging information. It's about relaying the message with clarity and ease, understanding the emotions and intent. Even though the whole world has become a lot more "tech-savvy", I've lost count how many times this gets called out at every level and yet we still continue to talk in a language that is either incomprehensible to most, or totally unnecessary. We then expect everyone else to just understand. and when they don't, we get frustrated. It's not just digital communication I'm talking about here either. The language we use in those all-important customer relationship meetings or project kick-offs all play their part in bringing us closer, understanding each other and our crafts, needs and wants. Lastly, communication does not simply change for the better due to the rollout of a new digital medium. SharePoint, Notion, Slack, Teams etc can end up amplifying the issues not fix them. Remember, it's a skill and an art and something that needs to be coached/taught/learnt.
• CIO / CTO ROLE - A lot of organisations still don't treat the CIO / CTO position as a true C level executive and equal partner. It's getting better by the day but I'd love to see earlier engagement at a creation of business strategy and visions level. It's often played out as the "Technical Implementor" of said strategy, with a constant whisper of cost reduction, automation and innovation. This can often flow down to an overburdened and reactive middle management layer juggling operational integrity with constant change requirements towards a goal they rarely fully understand.
• UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS - Yes I know you can simply open up your home PC and get all the information you need within minutes, or the fact that you can walk down to Harvey Norman and buy a tablet quicker than IT can get one to you (and with a lot less red tape) so it's frustrating when this can't be done at work. Corporate IT is a very different, complex game played by a whole set of different rules that govern everything from frontline customer service to ensuring the integrity of the backend architecture and infrastructure. Also, this is done for the masses, not the individual and unlike Harvey Norman who relinquishes 95% of the responsibility as soon as you walk out of the door, IT are in it for the long haul and trying to achieve the same things as everyone else. There is a definite lack of mutual understanding and rarely do we spend enough time understanding each other fully. More often than not customers main complaint isn't the time taken, but the expectation setting or lack thereof.

So what can we do?

Firstly, let's recognise that we want the same things! Success, reward, development, satisfaction etc so this should make it easier to:

1. Engage collaboratively, honestly and at the earliest opportunity - Regardless of whether you are starting something new, addressing an issue, or asking for help, just like in a normal relationship, the earlier you can focus your energy on the problem(s) and not each other, the quicker you will find a working solution. Trusted relationships are an essential ingredient to success.
2. Communicate, communicate, communicate (Effectively) - There are so many distractions vying for every minute of our day so we have to be really smart in this area. Put a lot of thought into the best medium, frequency and language of your communications. Limit jargon and understand your audience. (I've seen a subscription-style strategy works really well as it puts some power into the recipients' hands and helps stop the dreaded "filter>spam>delete" phenomenon.) In most organisations, there are trained personnel who communicate for a living. Leverage them to ensure consistency, common language and themes etc.
3. Use organisational change management strategies - Don't underestimate the power of OCM, instead realise it is a necessity, not a luxury. It helps to get everyone aligned with the vision and actively participate in the outcome. Incorporate it into all your roles, projects and initiatives for the best chance of adoption and success.
4. Use a common language and always highlight the alignment to the overall strategy and goal(s). It's a great way of reducing chatter and increasing understanding.

The title of this article is Wanted - IT Liaison and I really think this "function" would go a long way to helping address certain scenarios and comments that are ever-present in our companies today. It doesn't necessarily have to be a specific person or role but it is something that needs to be addressed and accountable at every opportunity to bring us closer and thus enable our success.

"None of us is as smart as all of us." - Ken Blanchard

A thought-provoking topic no doubt and one which we have only skimmed the surface on. I would love to hear your thoughts, solutions and ideas that you have either changed yourself or been part of to address the gap can sometimes exist between business and IT.

This article is part of my 100-day challenge to publish articles, posts and thought-provoking topics for 100 consecutive days in 2021 - 1 of 100! :-) If things like this interest you then go to https://the100dayproject.org/ to see more.