After immersing yourself in dozens of insightful posts on IT leadership, you’ve undoubtedly gained a wealth of knowledge and can take pride in how far you’ve come — and rightly so! But let’s pause for a moment and acknowledge a simple truth: the most formidable challenges may still be on the horizon. As an IT manager, your journey is far from over. Unlike many in other fields, your role demands a constant forward-looking perspective. Yes, you’ve made significant strides by establishing your IT department and tackling pressing issues, but the true test of your leadership lies in navigating the complexities yet to come. It’s time to gear up and sharpen your focus on the future because staying ahead of the curve is not just a goal — it’s a necessity.

Tackling the IT Talent Shortage

The IT talent shortage is a reality that organizations worldwide are grappling with. According to Gartner, in 2003, the global hiring rate in IT was negative, with only 7.5 skilled professionals available for every ten full-time IT positions required. This shortage varies by region but remains a pressing issue globally. As an IT manager, you need to think beyond traditional boundaries. The old strategies may no longer work, and it’s essential to innovate in your approach to talent acquisition and retention.

Restructuring for the Future

Gartner also predicted that by 2003, the traditional hierarchical organization of information systems would become obsolete in 80% of medium and large organizations, giving way to more modular, process-based models. This shift emphasizes the need for IT managers to be adaptable, recognizing that up to 20% of your IT staff might come from within the organization itself, reflecting the evolving nature of work beyond traditional IT boundaries.

The key challenge here is to differentiate between effective organizational theories and those that don’t fit your growing structure. As discussed earlier, adopting frameworks like Elliot Jacques’ theories can help align your organization’s structure with its evolving needs.

Navigating the Changing Nature of Work

The way we work is continuously evolving, and as an IT manager, you need to stay ahead of these changes. Remote work is becoming increasingly common, and this shift brings new challenges in managing and supporting a distributed workforce. Here are a few critical questions you should be asking:

• How do you manage and communicate with employees working remotely or from home?
• Do you have Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in place to manage their work and output effectively?
• Are you compensating these employees appropriately for their skills, and how are you handling their payments (hourly vs. salaried)?
• What equipment and services have you provided to ensure they can work efficiently?
• How do you ensure that assets are maintained correctly when they are off-site?
• Are you prepared to support the hardware and software they use, including necessary licenses that work both in the office and remotely?
• Who handles repairs if their systems break down? Are there local experts available during off-hours?
• What about insurance? Are their computers covered, and can they or their family members use them for personal tasks?
• Beyond email and phone, how do you keep in touch with these remote workers?
• How do you support and evaluate their performance remotely?

These questions will guide you in thinking more deeply about how to manage your IT team effectively, especially as remote work continues to grow. When a business unit comes to you asking for support on such projects, you’ll be well-prepared to handle the challenges.

Embracing New Technology

As an IT manager, you must stay informed about the technology lifecycle and be ready for changes. Some key considerations include:

• Will this technology last through the life of the program?
• Is this technology a replacement for a current business process, like ATMs replacing bank tellers?
• Does the chosen technology align with the business’s evolutionary path, such as adopting wireless applications for an old-school sales team?
• What risks does this new technology pose to the business?
• Which of these risks are associated with the technology provider?

A common problem is that “new technology” might be replaced during the development of a new system, and its lifecycle may not match the commercial lifecycle of the applications it supports. Preparing for these shifts isn’t easy, but it’s necessary to ensure your organization remains competitive.

Maintaining Business Focus

One recurring theme in this series is the need to focus on the revenue IT generates for the business. IT is increasingly becoming a critical asset, not just as a tool for automating processes and reducing workloads but also as a means to add significant business value. Good management models make IT more integral to creating business value, which is crucial for explaining IT’s impact on the business’s bottom line. Understanding and communicating the business implications of IT investments is vital for your department’s success.

Planning for the Future

If you’re managing a medium or large organization, the best way to prepare for the future is by developing a set of architectures — work, program, information, and technology architectures. This process forces you and your business colleagues to think about the future. If you’re unfamiliar with these concepts, revisit the relevant posts and explore the recommended readings in the “For Further Reading” section at the end of this post.

Reviewing Your Strategic Plan

Depending on how you develop your architectures, you may want to integrate them with your IT strategic plan. Some architecture methodologies do not cover all the long-term issues related to the IT organization. If you plan to create an IT strategic plan, avoid producing lengthy, multi-volume documents. Your plan should be concise, to the point, and focused on the essentials. If you’re hiring a consultant for this, don’t forget to consider the BTOPP aspects and the Results Chain methodology previously mentioned.

Re-evaluating Current Practices

Take a step back and reassess the services your unit currently provides. For example, is it necessary to maintain an internal email system when you could use a local ISP with wide access? Does your IT unit offer user training or other services that might not strictly belong under IT? Can you outsource some of your administrative processes to external organizations?

Closing Thoughts

As you prepare for the future, remember that the journey is ongoing. The IT landscape will continue to evolve, presenting new challenges and opportunities. By staying adaptable, investing in your skills, and maintaining a forward-looking approach, you can ensure that your IT department not only survives but thrives in the years to come.