Who doesn't dread having a conversation with IT? Whether it's a support call you can't put off any longer, a planning session or simply a casual exchange, you know how it's going to go before the conversation even begins.
The next time you're faced with the inevitable, here are a few tips to turn every IT moment into a productive conversation for everyone.
Invite IT to Participate in Your Planning and Decision Sessions
Including IT folks in your long-term business planning is essential to align strategy with sound technology decision-making.
Imagine IT has come to the meeting with recommendations for a new product. As today's tech savvy visionary, you set the direction for the discussion by restating the business purpose that brought everyone together. Then you turn the meeting over to IT to show their work.
IT begins their presentation. They've spent a lot of time using the product, exploring the fancy features, and going deep into how it works under the covers. They're enthusiastic about the product. If this is like most tech-led sessions, the business needs are quickly lost in the buzzwords and feature excitement.
Asking questions like these will serve as a continual reminder that technology serves the business, not the other way around.
1. Focus on the purpose. "Before you show us all of the terrific product features, will you describe for everyone the specific business needs we'll be addressing. What job will we hire this new product to do for us?" If the IT folks struggle to clearly explain the problem they're solving, then it's back to you.
2. Everyone participates in the long-term goals. "How will this product contribute to our long-term goals?" These are business, not technology, objectives so IT will have to step outside their comfortable techy box and think strategically. Don't let them slide. No demo, no show and tell until they can clearly demonstrate their business thinking skills.
3. Product evaluation is a process. "What questions did you ask the vendor about this product?" This is important because you'll know if IT approached this as a business problem to solve or a technology exercise.
What are the alternatives? Did they approach this evaluation objectively or fall in love with one or two features prematurely?
Why did they select this product over the other candidates?
4. Every job to be done is one small part of the business. "What happens if we do nothing, and the problem remains?" How well do they understand how one problem affects other areas of the business.
5. Ease of implementation influences buying decisions. "Will you walk us through the step-by-step written plan to implement this?" IT folks really don't like going from shiny tech to structured plans. No technology should ever be implemented without a clearly defined action plan that everyone involved agrees to.
How will they go back a step if one of these fails? Thinking through these rollback steps is often dismissed as it will never happen. Rarely does an implementation move along without a bump or two. IT folks are unnaturally optimistic.
6. Bring the day-to-day users into the conversation. "How long will users be unable to do their work?" Describing which users will be impacted shows how clearly the business implications are understood.
7. Keep the focus on goals and outcomes. "What happens if it doesn't work? How will we recover?" Give the product its job to be done within the company.
"What is our ROI?" This is a wonderful opportunity to teach technology folks how to apply measurable numbers to every product and service.
This is just a short sample of the questions that will help your IT folks become more strategic (and less dreaded) business thinkers.
The All-Too-Familiar, Unhelpful IT Support Call Responses
We've all reached that point where every alternative has been exhausted. There's nothing left to do but contact IT support. The next time you're faced with one of these all too common, unhelpful IT responses give one of these challenges a try.
1. "It works fine for me." That's one of those passive aggressive phrases that makes my teeth grind every time – and we've all heard it a lot.
You: That's terrific. Why don't we go through this together, and you show me know you do it. (Calmly step back, smile, and point to your keyboard.)
2. "What did you do?" Putting the user on the defensive is a well-developed IT support skill. While you're busy trying to keep your anger under control, IT maintains an impassive stare.
You: You caught me. My goal was to be just as annoying as I could be. Why don't I show you what I did so you can be just as irritated as I am right now?
3. "It should work." This means IT didn't take time to try it before they dumped this back on you. They're just hoping that it will work, and you'll go away.
You: Yes, it seems we agree on that. Before I waste any more of my time, describe what you did to make sure it actually works. (Make eye contact without blinking for as long as it takes.)
Takeaways
IT folks love technology. That's why you hired them. But when they learn how their skills make a measurable difference to the entire company's success, their perspective shifts.
They're no longer the people everyone dreads.
They'll add business words to their vocabulary and use them in sentences.
They become the tech leaders who proactively look for, uncover, and share technologies that continually serve your company.
Linda Rolf is a lifelong curious learner who believes a knowledge-first approach builds valuable, lasting client relationships. 