Practical IT Research that Drives Measurable Results Become a More Effective IT Leader

IT leaders feel pressure to spend more time leading and less time on the details With limited budgets, obsolete technologies, a looming shortage of skills, and a rapidly growing backlog of unmet business requirements, it’s easy to focus on doing the work instead of managing and leading. The best IT leaders resist that temptation. This research is designed for IT leaders. It reveals: How the most effective IT leaders spend their time. What they do to focus on leadership activities. This research allows IT leaders to compare themselves to successful peers and decide how to:  Allocate time.  Formalize key aspects of the IT department so they can focus on leading.  Become a strategic problem solver and contribute to the corporate strategy process. The IT Leader's job will change more dramatically in the next 5 years than it has changed in the last 5 years. - CIO, Manufacturing The IT Leader's job will change more dramatically in the next 5 years than it has changed in the last 5 years. - CIO, Manufacturing “ “

Executive Summary The IT leader job must evolve with the business. Should the leader not evolve, it is highly likely they will be forced out. - CIO, Automotive The IT leader job must evolve with the business. Should the leader not evolve, it is highly likely they will be forced out. - CIO, Automotive “ “ Info-Tech’s survey results confirm several areas where the most effective IT leaders spend less time: – Avoid taking on work they could otherwise delegate. – Steer clear of becoming a project manager. – Let your staff manage the bulk of vendor relationships. Apply that time to leadership: – Focus on corporate and technology strategy. – Treat the business as a business partner. – Manage the project portfolio. – Ensure operational quality. This research uses an ongoing example. It follows and compares a day-in-the- life of two CIOs with different levels of effectiveness.

Focus on leadership time and avoid doing the IT work Source: Info-Tech Research Group N= IT leader effectiveness was defined as those having the most favorable view of: Their fit with their role Their ability to deal with upcoming challenges Their ability to contribute to corporate strategy IT effectiveness IT efficiency IT staff engagement IT staff role satisfaction User community satisfaction with IT The most effective IT leaders spend 14% less time on the details, which frees up over 280 hours per year for leading, managing, and representing IT.

John John has the time management style of the most effective IT leaders. He spends more time on leadership activities than the average IT leader: about 280 hours per year or an hour per day. John John has the time management style of the most effective IT leaders. He spends more time on leadership activities than the average IT leader: about 280 hours per year or an hour per day. Michael Michael has the time management style of the least effective IT leaders. He’s more likely to take on IT work, manage projects, and spend time with vendors. Michael Michael has the time management style of the least effective IT leaders. He’s more likely to take on IT work, manage projects, and spend time with vendors. Follow a day-in-the-life of two CIOs to see how one is more effective At first glance there’s only one difference in their days, but there’s more than meets the eye. John uses his time more wisely.

The Business Projects and the Portfolio Vendors Strategy Managing Operations Delegate Resist the temptation to stop leading and start doing. The most effective IT leaders spend 105 hours less per year doing what their employees can do. Case study: Develop skills and succession planning. Roadmap Avoid doing your employees’ work Next Section in Brief

The most effective IT leaders delegate whenever possible In the 9am meeting with the COO, they review a barrage of negative feedback from a recent intranet change. The COO asks for a deeper analysis of the issues. John John refers to his department’s “Skills Profile” and resourcing plan. He identifies someone to write the report and assigns the work, pointing out that it’s a great opportunity for the assignee to interact with senior management. John John refers to his department’s “Skills Profile” and resourcing plan. He identifies someone to write the report and assigns the work, pointing out that it’s a great opportunity for the assignee to interact with senior management. Michael Michael can’t think of anyone who can write the report. Given the visibility of the assignment, he decides to take the task on himself and author the report. After all, it should only take an hour or two. Michael Michael can’t think of anyone who can write the report. Given the visibility of the assignment, he decides to take the task on himself and author the report. After all, it should only take an hour or two. Any time you spend doing your employees’ jobs would have been better spent in the CEO’s office demanding a bigger budget. - CIO, Software ISV Any time you spend doing your employees’ jobs would have been better spent in the CEO’s office demanding a bigger budget. - CIO, Software ISV “ “ Don’t do your employees’ work… Maintain a skills tracker.

Get to know your people & let them get to know you, but avoid the temptation to roll up your sleeves & do the IT work IT leaders should spend time with everyone in the IT organization, getting to know what people do and recognizing their contributions. Then, get out of the way and let them do their jobs. - CIO, Financial Services IT leaders should spend time with everyone in the IT organization, getting to know what people do and recognizing their contributions. Then, get out of the way and let them do their jobs. - CIO, Financial Services “ “ Source: Info-Tech Research Group N=117 The most effective IT leaders spend about 105 less hours per year doing work that their employees could be doing. The most effective IT leaders spend about 105 less hours per year doing work that their employees could be doing.

Develop an integrated skills tracking & succession plan to optimize work assignments I use a simple, color-coded spreadsheet to track the development of skills for the IT team. It’s low-tech, but it works and is easy to maintain. - Diane Salois-Swallow, CIO, York Central Hospital I use a simple, color-coded spreadsheet to track the development of skills for the IT team. It’s low-tech, but it works and is easy to maintain. - Diane Salois-Swallow, CIO, York Central Hospital “ “ By formalizing skills development and succession planning, IT leaders ensure that they spend less time with resource management issues. Case Study Situation A mid-sized logistics company with over 75 IT staff struggled to optimize their IT resources. They had skills trackers in various enterprise software systems, but reporting was weak and the content was hard to maintain, so the skills trackers were not used. Solution The CIO implemented a version-controlled skills tracking and succession planning spreadsheet that cross-referenced his team with the needed skills, showing their level of proficiency. Result The managers and supervisors adopted the new “skills and succession planner” immediately. The tool became a vital part of resourcing and problem solving, reducing the number of repeated conversations about who can do what. Info-Tech has simple tools to help solve this problem: IT Skills Inventory Tool Track all of the skills within the different sections of IT. Succession Development Planning Tool Assess the risk of employee departure in the context of their role and identify succession candidates. Info-Tech has simple tools to help solve this problem: IT Skills Inventory Tool Track all of the skills within the different sections of IT. Succession Development Planning Tool Assess the risk of employee departure in the context of their role and identify succession candidates.

The Business Projects and the Portfolio Vendors Strategy Managing Operations Delegate The most effective IT leaders spend more time on strategy and business relationships, but they also spend more time overseeing operations and change management. If you keep it practical, Enterprise Architecture can make it easier to manage operations. Recommendation: Put system diagrams on your wall for everything under you, and require that they be maintained as things change. Roadmap Operational quality will always be job one Next Section in Brief

Let change management drive your focus on operations Each week, the CIO meets with his three Directors: Operations, Platforms, and Applications. John John reviews all changes introduced in the previous week because he regards “IT Change” as the leading indicator of quality across the three groups. He has high-level system diagrams of the entire business on his wall. The Directors bring replacement diagrams for anything that changed. John John reviews all changes introduced in the previous week because he regards “IT Change” as the leading indicator of quality across the three groups. He has high-level system diagrams of the entire business on his wall. The Directors bring replacement diagrams for anything that changed. Michael Michael’s agenda for these meetings is static. Each Director gives verbal updates related to any Operational issues that came up during the week and they discuss how the three departments can avoid recurrence. Michael Michael’s agenda for these meetings is static. Each Director gives verbal updates related to any Operational issues that came up during the week and they discuss how the three departments can avoid recurrence. Develop Enterprise Architecture (EA)… Demonstrate your attention to changes. Everybody talks about the CIO becoming more of a COO, moving up the value chain to be considered a partner and key strategic resource. The price of admission is getting IT’s house in order first. - CIO, Financial Services Everybody talks about the CIO becoming more of a COO, moving up the value chain to be considered a partner and key strategic resource. The price of admission is getting IT’s house in order first. - CIO, Financial Services “ “

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