Category: Handling Business Leaders

Technology executives and business analysts must prioritize closely working with business leaders and their teams. As the business team’s tech acumen has advanced, particularly with cloud technology, the tech team must continuously enhance their skills. Demonstrating the value of technology interactions to the business is essential.

For tech professionals, earning the trust and respect of business colleagues is crucial. Engage them early in the requirements process for any solution development. Avoid assuming you fully understand business needs when creating or implementing a tech solution.

Often, the technology team leads the process and involves the business later, leaving them feeling excluded and wondering, “Why weren’t we involved earlier?” Regardless of expertise, gaining consensus and buy-in is vital for designing solutions that truly meet business needs. Early inclusion of the business team ensures this buy-in.

In Agile design, “shifting left” means involving the business leaders earlier in the development process.

This collaborative approach is increasingly common and necessary. With the rise of no-code and low-code solutions, end-users may even develop their own applications. Keeping the business engaged and delivering value is critical.

There’s no room for ego. Business leaders encourage tech executives to step down from their ivory towers—sooner rather than later. Tech leaders must stay well-informed and understand the business’s daily operations, rather than relying solely on technical knowledge. This understanding builds trust and credibility with the business team.

Additionally, technology executives must continuously educate themselves about new technologies and their potential impact on the business. They should also have a solid understanding of the current technology landscape, including trends and emerging technologies. This knowledge allows them to make informed decisions that support the organization’s overall strategy and goals.

Collaboration between tech professionals and business leaders is not just limited to project development. It extends to ongoing maintenance and support of systems as well. Regular communication and collaboration ensure that any issues or updates are addressed promptly and effectively.

In addition, staying current on tech trends helps businesses outpace competitors and adapt swiftly to market changes. Tech pros and business leaders collaborating drive growth, efficiency, and success.

In conclusion, working with business leaders and collaboration between technology executives is essential in today’s fast-paced digital world. Through open communication, mutual respect, continuous learning, and a collaborative mindset, these two teams can work together towards achieving a common goal – leveraging technology to drive business success. Let’s continue to emphasize the importance of this collaboration and strive for a harmonious relationship between tech and business teams. So, we should always prioritize collaboration, communication, and continuous learning in order to succeed in this ever-changing technological landscape.

Click here to see a post on the future of collaboration technologies.

I just returned from a face-to-face meeting with a client tech exec, and it feels fantastic to be engaging with clients in person again. One key insight I’ve gained from these meetings is the significance of non-verbal communication that we missed out on during virtual meetings on platforms like Zoom, Teams, or Webex. The subtle cues conveyed through body language can greatly impact our understanding and connection with clients.

Our meetings follow a hybrid format, with some joining remotely while others attend in person.

During a recent session, I noticed an interesting dynamic between our technical Partner, who participated via Zoom, and the client. Being in the room provided unique insights that might have gone unnoticed. The Partner heavily relied on technical jargon to explain the proposed work, but it seemed that the audience was unresponsive. Every time technology acronyms were mentioned, the CIO subtly flinched and rolled his eyes. These reactions were evident to those present in the room.

Providing some context, we are currently developing a comprehensive “resiliency offering” that consolidates various concepts into a unified approach. It aims to address a wide range of challenges, while avoiding overemphasizing the offering for specific client needs like a DevOps platform assessment. Effective positioning is key. Resiliency encompasses incident management, site reliability engineering, disaster recovery, and more, all seamlessly integrated for uninterrupted service and consulting support. However, presenting this approach simply and without unnecessary complexity is vital. The client’s reaction is understandable; they believed we intentionally bundled and complicated components, potentially inflating costs.

Fortunately, the subtle expressions of disbelief did not go unnoticed, leading to a sincere and candid discussion with the Chief Information Officer during our dinner. Ultimately, we reached a consensus to shift our attention towards the core issue at hand and break down the aspects of resilience into manageable components that align with the client’s objectives.

The essential goal is to convey your tech expertise in a manner that resonates with the client’s business needs. Tailor your discussions to their specific challenges. Rather than presuming the client will be impressed by our knowledge, concentrate on addressing their issues and offering solutions. Observing body language can guide you in aligning the conversation or correcting any misunderstandings.

Click here for a post on handling miscommunication with clients.