Did you ever watch Flipping Out, a house flipping and design series, led by Jeff Lewis? His designs were outstanding and his personality memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Fast forward to 2022. The new Jeff Lewis is back.
Jeff has discovered the fine art of empathy and listening. In a recent episode, he commented that every client has a different need for participation in the design process. He carefully considers that in each client conversation.
This is hardly a revelation to most of you, but for a high control person like Jeff it was a big turning point.
We All Need to Feel in Control of Our Technology Decisions
Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have our control hot buttons. As a business leader, you are ultimately accountable for results. It’s only human to feel like the way to keep the trains running on time is to have your hands firmly on the controls.
The problem with the we’ve-got-it thinking is that you limit your possibilities. You do what you know how to do because the outcomes are predictable. You don’t do what you don’t know how to do because uncertainty is uncomfortable.
Partnering Feels Like You're Giving Up Control
It’s hard for most of us to accept the fact that
we don’t know everything. When we invite an outside partner in, we feel like the outcome, even when it’s a stunning success, isn’t as meaningful because someone else helped us get there.
No one achieves great things alone. Leadership is about bringing out the best in others. Business partnerships bring out the best in you.
There’s a Difference Between IT Outsourcing and an IT Partnership
Most business leaders are more than willing to hand off specialized services to a third party provider. Think about all of the day-to-day services another company provides for you. Internet access, website hosting, email, business tools, the list goes on. The service provider promises to deliver the service you ask for, you accept their offer, and you hope for the best.
This is outsourcing.
Outsourced providers are--
Task-focused
Hired based on lowest cost
Provide specific technical skills
Deliver day-to-day narrow scope of services
Unconcerned with your business strategy
Continue to deliver the same services regardless of changes in your business needs
Outsourced providers keep the same trains running on the same tracks at the same time.
In contrast, a partnership works with you to discover and lay new tracks for more trains running faster.
Business partners are--
Strategy-focused
Hired based on long-term value, not short term cost
Equipped with broad technical and business expertise
Collaborative business leader peer
Invested in your mutual success
Scalable thinkers continually aligning services with your company's growth
Able to consolidate and manage all of the disconnected service providers
Wrapping It Up With Jeff Lewis
Watching the creative design thinking at work always triggers fresh ideas. Like Jeff, we know that every client has their own need for involvement and control. That’s one of the things we enjoy the most about working with clients.
We understand that making commitments about business technology can feel expensive, complicated, tedious, unnecessary, the list is long. But we also believe that not acting means missed opportunities. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We took a step back and asked ourselves how our current and future clients feel about business technology action-taking. This led us to design 3 distinct business technology plans tailored to each company’s level of hands-on interest.
Business Technology Services Designed the Way Your Company Needs Them
DIY (Do It Yourself) IT Services
: You're a hands-on business leader. You like doing the work yourself. We provide the tools and resources you need to make the most of your time and stay up-to-date on the latest business technology trends and changes.
DWY (Done With You) IT Services
: We'll work together as a collaborative partnership. Each of us will contribute what we do best.
DFY (Done For You) IT Services
: Your plate is full; your focus is on growing your business. We become your partner, your business technology seat at the table. We work closely together so you're never surprised, and your business priorities are our common strategic roadmap.
You pick the services that make sense for you right now. As your company grows and changes, your services adapt along with you.
It’s that simple.
You’re still in control.
5 Strategic Business Technology Services You Might Find Helpful
When you’re ready, here are just
5 of the ways we work together:
Create your step-by-step infrastructure roadmap (How?)
Implement peace of mind cybersecurity protection (How?)
Evaluate new technologies before you buy (How?)
Discover new financial wins for both you and your customers. (How?)
Expand your technology team your way ~New ~ (How?)
Don't forget to add these
actionable ideas to your OneNote or other favorite note taking app.
Linda Rolf is a lifelong curious learner who believes a knowledge-first approach builds valuable client relationships. She is fueled by discovering the unexpected connections among technology, data, information, people and process. For more than four decades, Linda and Quest Technology Group have been their clients' trusted advisor and strategic partner. 