Why an IT Roadmap? 1. Creates an opportunity to better align business and IT initiatives. The Business Plan drives the IT projects. Helps the organization migrate from limiting the focus on market share, to becoming a market maker. 2. Enhances communications with employees, partners, stakeholders, providers and customers. Confirms everyone is on the same page. 3. Crystallizes the business drivers. Why are we doing this project? How does this fit into the overall plan? Helps in capturing tangible benefits. 4. Financial-drives the operating and capital budget activities to maximize the “bang for the buck”. Establishes/expands financial control and reporting. 5. Operational-Helps identify critical success factors and provides the platform for key performance indicators. Maximizes current business processes and information flow. 6. Documents the current IT environment and sets the stage for development efforts to meet business needs. 7. Results in a crisp statement of priorities and assists in the resolution of current “pain points”. Assures razor-sharp focus on critical enterprise activities. 8. Work is performed by an experienced, objective, outside consultant. Becomes the tool for transformation from current state to future state.

Take two aspirins and call me in the Morning

December 14, 2013

It isn’t all gloom and doom for my CIO friends in healthcare.  There is hope.  Being proactive and not settling for status quo is a good start.  By adapting this “can do” attitude, you can be the catalyst for change.  Change will not come quickly or easily.  Old habits are hard to break.  Start small on your transformation odyssey, and celebrate small victories.

The first step in your amalgamation is to chart a plan, or direction, a strategy if you must.  Dare I use the word “PLAN”?

Carefully think through what you would do if you were CEO of your company.  Don’t start by listing IT projects, initiate the process by identifying business objectives that you would want to achieve if you were CEO.  For example,

1.  Increase earnings 10 percent in the next 12-18 months.  Note: you can work out the logistics later—just focus on tangible steps you must take to be successful.
2. How can you improve staff productivity noticeably and measurable in the next few quarters?
3. How can you engage the entire work force at all levels?
4. What is your vision for the companies? What does your company look like in 1 year? 3 years? 5 years?  Hint: more products/ more services? New locations? Partnerships? Alliances?
5. How can you engage your customers earlier in the sales cycle/process?  Focus groups? Internet? Web in nars?
6.   Continue macro questions like these until you have a legitimate list of at least 10 items.

Now that you have some sort of semblance of a list of high levels you want to do, what do you do with your list?  The answer is multiple choice:

1.  Nothing
2. Share it with colleagues, peers and management
3. What are others doing in your industry?
4. What are your competitors doing?
5. Carefully review your list and start to prioritize your list.

What was tops on your list?  Why is it the top item on your list?  Is it critical for your company s success?  Is it required by regulatory compliance? Safety? Environmental?  Etc.

Now, take your first item-your highest priority item.  Let’s assume you’ve adequately vetted this item. (Authors note: Is that true?).  Does this item provide the most value to the enterprise? What are the critical success factors for this activity to happen?  How do you measure success?  What sort of resources do you need? What time frame does this activity need to be completed in?

Are you starting to get the idea?  Good!

Now start the ball rolling.  Identify individuals either inside the company or outside that have the requisite skills and initiate action/efforts to engage them somehow.  Volunteer? Contractor? Consultant? Reassignement?  Partnership?  All of the above.

It is imperative that you take the ball and start various activities that will yield a positive outcome for your company. 

Don’t wait for approval or someone else to bless your project.  Get the ball rolling.  You can beg for forgiveness later. 

Once progress is begging made and people inside the company and outside see you leading the charge on this very worthwhile effort, you will have others contacting you wanting to participate,

Best wishes for your continued success! Drop me a note and let me know how you did.

Fred Kesinger

FredKesinger@aol.om 

Sailing the High Seas of Leadership in Troublesome Times

Sailing the High Seas of Leadership in Turbulent Times

June 20, 2010

Leadership in prosperous times is difficult enough. Leadership in recession, recovering economy or whatever you want to call the 2009 thru 2010(and 2011? 2012?) period is even more challenging and stressful. To some, the present offers untested opportunities and challenges in leading companies, work units, churches, schools or just about every other body, organization or group of people. Although the challenges may look different, feel different and act differently than before, leadership is needed more now than ever. The leadership of our fathers is different than the leadership today in some aspects. In other areas, leadership practices of yesterday, tried and true, and yes even tired, are just as much a key part of the economic recovery in the U.S. as they have ever been—perhaps even more so.

The five things that leadership experts revert to during challenging times

1. Planning and preparation-critical analysis of where you are today. Identify strengths and weaknesses. Followed by a gut-wrenching decision about where you want to be in a year, two years and so on, and how to get there. Do you have the right players on your team?

2. Strategy-Once you have determined a new direction and the strategy you and your team need to be successful, it is incumbent of successful leaders of today to articulate this in detail to every member of your team, your providers, your suppliers, inside and outside the company. They all must know where you are going and why, and what it takes to get there and how will you know when you get there? Each must understand his/her role and their relationship to other team members.

3. Execution-Some call this the execution phase. Put the right players in the right roles, incent them, complete with real and visible metrics—and stand back, get out of the way and let your team lead the way. Hold team mates accountable. Expect bumps and bruises, road blocks, obstacles (either real or perceived), naysayers and neer- do-wells. Excise non players and find something else for them-either inside or outside the team. Help others when they are down. Create an “I’ve got your back” environment. Build trust inside the team and outside. Walk the talk. Nobody wants to follow a leader if he/she doesn’t “walk a mile in my moccasins”. Mentor and delegate ferociously.

4. Recognition-celebrate success often-big and small. Report key success factors religiously. Post key metrics visibly and regularly. Remember: 1001 ways to reward your team.

While the U.S. is in the worst recession we have known for decades, there are a thousand and one points of light. Taking the leadership challenge by the horns and following the afore-mentioned actions will help ensure your continued success. You’ll feel better for it; and your team will have lifelong memories of the “battle that was”.