| For example, if IT is in Stage 1, as a basic Supplier of Services (or “keep the lights on”), they are typically not included in new business initiatives. But when these teams develop specific skills, including service excellence, project management, and business requirements management, they become regarded as a Solution Provider – Stage 2 of the Maturity Curve.
The Stage 2 IT organization matures to Stage 3, Strategic Partner, when they excel at internal consulting – becoming a trusted adviser. They also develop the credibility to negotiate with their business partners to drive better strategic decisions. Another key to emerging from Stage 2 to Stage 3 is capturing and communicating metrics that are meaningful to the business. These teams are effective at communicating their contributions, or marketing the value of IT.
The Stage 3 Strategic Partners become Innovative Anticipators ™ at Stage 4 when they consistently lead change and demonstrate a culture of innovation. These teams have generally completed their Agile transformation and are consistently delivering rapid, measurable business value.
33 Years of Evidence
Our own experience at O&A, transforming thousands of IT organizations, tells us that certain competencies are prerequisites to growing through the stages of the IT Maturity Curve. It’s no wonder that Achieving IT Service Excellence is our most popular workshop, followed closely by Internal Consulting Skills and Marketing Your Organization’s Value.
My experience as a long time CIO and trusted adviser to CEOs and Boards demonstrates the same pattern. We achieve excellent service and IT sees a dramatic improvement in their reputation with the business. We become better internal consultants and the business trusts us. And we demonstrate the real business value of IT and we gain the confidence of the business to move into a partnership and, eventually, leadership role.
I’ve done this numerous times and the formula just seems to work.
You NEED an IT Workforce Strategy The required competencies don’t just happen. You need a strategy to develop and continuously improve in these areas.
Whether your IT organization is at Stage 1 or Stage 4 or somewhere in between, now more than ever you need an IT workforce strategy. The talent war has begun. Many believe it will be more challenging then during the dot-com era. That makes sense with so much emphasis on digital transformation and disruption.
Leading CIOs are looking out three years and contemplating what their team will need to look like. They’re assessing talent and making plans to develop people wherever possible, and identifying the new roles that they’ll need to hire. These leaders are building their workforce, now, in anticipation of what the business will need in the next few years.
| 
