Previously, I explored why title and organizational accountability seem to surface on a regular basis for CIO and IT Directors as a critical aspect of their career ambitions. The metaphor I developed was based around the idea that being in the “Boardroom” with the senior management of an organization was somehow related to your title as Chief Information Officer or the title of the person to whom you directly report. Wrapped into this metaphor is the idea of the “War Room” being a reflection of a tactical obligation and career limiting alignment which will have a direct negative impact on your career ambitions. The goal of Part 2 is to dispel this assumption within the metaphor, shine a bright light on what the War Room really is and explain why it is an essential career development platform.
Of course, the War Room is not the place we gather to discuss casual events. This is the place where the folks who work for you (or you work with) convene to cope with some type of challenge, emergency or event that requires a focus and dedication to detail not possible in the normal course of conference calls, meetings and cubicle communiqués that fulfill the normal troubleshooting and communication needs of your organization. The War Room is a tense, highly charged and dynamic environment.
Furthermore, I would ask you to see the War Room as a personification of the responsibilities we carry to maintain, fix and improve the infrastructure, applications and services of our companies. The War Room simply represents the fact IT needs to work and it only works when the IT people in a company are organized and attentive.
We, the CIOs and IT Directors of the world, are responsible for the daily success of our operations. Fundamentally, when you pay ample attention to the War Room and everything it represents you are paying attention to making sure IT works. I know there is very little glamour and excitement associated with being the type of leader that simply makes sure things work, but let’s take a minute and think through the ramifications of not – at a minimum – being able to achieve this level of competency.
First, why would you be entrusted with any amount of corporate strategy and leadership if your own house isn’t in order?
Second, how can you successfully build and grow a company when the underlying foundation isn’t solid?
Lastly, how can you get your team to go after big hairy goals when they simply don’t see you as a being in touch with the rigors and obligations of daily life in an IT department?
I can’t honestly think of too many conversations with CEOs or CFOs where the primary verbalized complaint was “our stuff doesn’t work”. I don’t believe most leaders or executives really want to be so vulgar in their description of such a critical asset. Usually, the pejorative attitudes I encounter further exacerbate disconnects between Boardroom and War Room. The other senior folks develop a sense the IT leaders aren’t strategic enough or can’t leverage the investments made to date. Realistically, what they are thinking is “why can’t these people make the basic things work without?” I am not a mind reader, but I do ask questions. When the Q&A starts what comes to the surface quickly is one simple fact: most executives outside of IT want IT to work like dial tone – always on.
So, before you think being skilled in the War Room doesn’t help your career remember one thing: managing the War Room means you are managing the reliability and quality of the services your company realize from IT. That is always a good career move. If you crave more get this one right first. If you still aren’t satisfied make sure you honestly assess the type of company you work for – some companies really don’t need IT to be strategic as much as they need it to be operationally excellent and there is no career failure associated with giving your company what it needs.
Next, Part 3, How to own the Boardroom and the War Room.
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