Adaptive IT Leadership

The speed of change in technologies means IT departments are undergoing major transformations every 18 months. While the technology curve bends exponentially, humans’ ability to adapt to change is more linear and requires an equally adaptable leadership style. Use this research to help you divide your responsibility as IT leader across priority leadership areas to accelerate value creation and embrace a human-centric approach.

The most critical success factor for the future of IT is you, the IT leader, because leadership isn’t just a job – it’s how you show up. Leadership in IT is fundamentally different than in other departments, due to shifting core responsibilities and greatly compressed timelines. These shifts demand a new form of leadership, and IT leaders must embrace an adaptive, multifaceted leadership style that integrates technology and people as a single, holistic system to set up their organizations for success.

1. Take charge in every area of leadership

IT leaders are expected to bridge technology and human-centered principles, moving beyond a singular focus on empathy or technical expertise toward a holistic approach. To succeed in the modern era of integration, leaders must drive adaptability at four levels – enterprise leadership, strategic leadership, IT team leadership, and personal leadership.

2. Build relationships with people, not technology

Shifting your role from problem-solver to organizational leader requires strong relationship building. Understanding the needs of key organizational players, communicating with them effectively, training staff, and executing on requests are the four most significant priorities to deliver value. Balance these equally to find the sweet spot between technology, business, and leadership that we call the “nexus of awesomeness.”

3. Conquer decision fatigue with flexibility

Leaders are expected to make ten times as many decisions daily as they were three years ago. Ad hoc processes and highly structured or authoritarian frameworks mean that leaders spend more time answering questions than they do leading. Center your organizational purpose in decision-making processes to empower leaders at many levels to make decisions like executives, giving you more time to and energy to focus on the bigger picture.

Use our insightful capstone to modernize your leadership mindset and stay in step with rapid technological development.

Use this research framework to redefine IT leadership from centralized and controlled to distributed and decisive. Our guide takes you through the most integral changes to ways of working as an IT leader, providing actionable steps and supporting Info-Tech resources to drive your journey forward.

1. Embrace exponential technologies and maintain a human-centric approach to accelerate value creation.
2. Drive adaptability across enterprise leadership, strategic leadership, IT team leadership, and personal leadership.
3. Identify and execute on the right opportunities for your organization and intentionally pivot to ensure value.