If you’ve been in IT leadership for a while, then you remember the days where you made the rules. You only launched complete (and perfect) projects, and you got to pick and choose innovation according to your priorities and tech availability.
Today, these rules no longer apply. IT’s mandates no longer carry the weight they used to, but you’re not necessarily bottom of command either.
The new rules of IT leadership demand more from IT — and from everyone in the organization.
The World Has New Demands for IT Leaders
The world-changing combination of digitization and globalization means that IT faces new, unprecedented demands. You’re staring down transformational technologies, new ways of working, and the ever-present threat posed not only by hackers but by your end-users.
As a result, your rules are no longer relegated to keeping the lights on, working as a gatekeeper, and perfecting every project. You need to work quickly and together, and to lead a team, you need to get rid of the old rules.
Follow These 8 New Rules of IT Leadership
The old world and its rules are long gone. While some old principles lurk in today’s operations, serving as IT leadership means flipping those rules around and doing the reverse.
The eight big rules include:
- Put the Customer at the Center of Your Universe
- Cooperate and Collaboration Above All Else
- Trust No User – Ever
- Think About Value as a Feature
- Embrace Experimentation
- Put a New Emphasis on Flexibility
- Allow Data to Flow Freely
- Iterate, Iterate, Iterate
Nothing demonstrates the new world better than who is at the center of your world — and the subject of Rule #1.
In the past, you made the rules and enforced them. Users had to play ball if they wanted to use the product. But today, users demand a people-centered experience. They make the rules, and it’s your job to protect them (as best you can) as they brave the global, digital world.
Are You Ready to Be a Leader in Today’s World?
IT leadership today requires more than a focus on collaboration between team members and meeting the demands of certain technologies. To succeed, you need to walk the tightrope between user needs, value generation, and the threats that could wash everything away.
Are you ready to lead a team in this brave new world? Find your next IT leadership role with Transcend Solutions.