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I asked ChatGPT about Strategy, Politics, Innovation, and Culture #AskChatGPT

I asked ChatGPT about Strategy, Politics, Innovation, and Culture at organizations, here are the responses:

STRATEGY

Strategic Perspectives on Strategy:

Who should be incentivized at the executive level to create a strategy?

At the executive level, it is typically the CEO and other top managers who are responsible for creating and implementing a company’s strategy. They should be incentivized to create a strategy that aligns with the company’s mission and goals, and that is likely to lead to long-term success. This can be done through a combination of financial incentives, such as bonuses and stock options, and non-financial incentives, such as recognition and opportunities for advancement. It is also important to ensure that the strategy is communicated effectively to all employees and that they are also incentivized to support and contribute to its implementation.

What governance structures should be in place for transforming how strategy is created?

There are several governance structures that can be put in place to support the transformation of how strategy is created:

Strategic Planning Committee: A committee made up of senior leaders and key stakeholders that is responsible for developing and implementing the company’s strategy.
Performance Metrics: The company should establish clear and measurable performance metrics to track progress and success of the strategy.
Risk Management: The company should have a robust risk management framework in place to identify, assess and mitigate potential risks associated with the strategy.
Communication and Transparency: The company should ensure that the strategy is communicated effectively to all employees and stakeholders, and that there is transparency in the decision-making process.
Board of Directors: The board of directors should be involved in the strategy development process and be responsible for oversight and approval of the strategy.
Regular reviews: The company should schedule regular reviews of the strategy and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that it remains aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
Culture alignment: the company culture should be aligned with the strategy, and that should be reflected in the company’s recruitment, training and development practices.

Implementing these governance structures can help ensure that the strategy is well-aligned with the company’s mission and goals, that it is implemented effectively, and that it is regularly reviewed and adjusted as necessary.

Where should technology be used to help strategy?

Technology can be used in several ways to help with strategy development and implementation:

Data analysis: Technology can be used to collect and analyze large amounts of data to gain insights and inform strategic decision making.
Automation: Technology can be used to automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks, freeing up resources to focus on more strategic activities.
Collaboration and communication: Technology can be used to facilitate collaboration and communication among teams and stakeholders, both internally and externally.
Process optimization: Technology can be used to optimize business processes, increasing efficiency and effectiveness.
Innovation: Technology can be used to support innovation and experimentation, helping companies to stay competitive in rapidly changing markets.
Decision making: technology can be used to support decision-making process, for example by using predictive analytics or machine learning algorithms to analyze data and make predictions.
Monitoring and evaluation: Technology can be used to track progress and evaluate the success of the strategy, through real-time monitoring and analysis of key performance indicators.

Technology can be a powerful tool to support the strategy development and implementation, but it’s important to consider the cost-benefit of the technology solutions, and the company’s capability to implement and maintain them.

When and how often strategic objectives should be communicated?

Strategic objectives should be communicated to all relevant stakeholders as soon as they are developed, and on a regular basis thereafter. The frequency of communication will depend on the specific objectives and the nature of the business, but here are some general guidelines:

Initial communication: Strategic objectives should be communicated to all employees and key stakeholders as soon as they are developed. This ensures that everyone is aware of the company’s direction and can start working towards achieving the objectives.
Periodic updates: Strategic objectives should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, at least annually. This allows the company to adapt to changing market conditions and ensure that the objectives remain relevant and aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
Progress reports: Progress reports on the achievement of strategic objectives should be shared with employees and key stakeholders on a regular basis, such as quarterly or semi-annually. This helps to keep everyone informed of the company’s progress and allows for adjustments to be made as necessary.
Special events: Strategic objectives should be communicated during special events such as town halls, team meetings, or all-hands meeting. This helps to keep the objectives top of mind and provides an opportunity for employees and stakeholders to ask questions and provide feedback.

The method of communication is also important, it should be clear, consistent and tailored to the audience. A combination of written documents, verbal communication, and digital tools can be used to reach different stakeholders. It’s also important to ensure that the communication is two-way, and that employees and stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions.

Why holistic strategy development processes should be critical to achieving strategic objectives?

Holistic strategy development processes are critical to achieving strategic objectives for several reasons:

Integration: A holistic approach ensures that all aspects of the business are considered and integrated in the strategy development process, which can lead to a more comprehensive and cohesive strategy.
Alignment: A holistic approach ensures that the strategy is aligned with the company’s mission, vision, values, and goals, and that it takes into account the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This can help to ensure that the strategy is realistic and achievable.
Involvement: A holistic approach involves a wide range of stakeholders in the strategy development process, including employees, customers, suppliers, and partners. This can lead to a strategy that is supported and owned by the entire organization, and that is more likely to be implemented successfully.
Adaptability: A holistic approach allows for the strategy to be reviewed, updated and adapted as necessary in response to changing market conditions and internal developments. This helps to ensure that the strategy remains relevant and aligned with the company’s mission and goals over time.
Comprehensive: A holistic approach takes into account all the factors that can impact the company, such as economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal aspects. This can help companies to anticipate and respond to external changes and internal challenges.

In summary, a holistic strategy development process helps to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive, integrated, aligned, supported, adaptable and takes into account all the factors that can impact the company. This can increase the chances of achieving the strategic objectives and reaching the company’s mission and goals.

Tactical Perspectives on Strategy:

Who should be incentivized at the middle management level to give feedback on strategy?

At the middle management level, it is typically department heads and managers who play a key role in implementing the company’s strategy. They should be incentivized to give feedback on the strategy, as their input can be valuable in ensuring that the strategy is realistic, achievable and aligned with the company’s mission and goals. Here are some ways to incentivize middle management to give feedback:

Empowerment: Giving middle managers the autonomy to share their opinions and ideas, and making them feel that their feedback is valued and considered, can be an effective incentive.
Recognition: Recognizing and rewarding middle managers for their contributions to the strategy development process can be an effective incentive.
Opportunities for advancement: Offering middle managers opportunities for professional development and advancement can be an effective incentive.
Alignment with incentives: Align the middle management incentives with the company’s strategic objectives, such as bonuses or stock options tied to the achievement of specific strategic objectives.
Communication: Communicate the importance of the feedback and the impact it can have on the strategy development process.
Two-way communication: Encourage two-way communication by making sure that feedback is acknowledged and acted upon, and that middle managers are informed about the outcome of their feedback.

It’s important to note that incentives should be tailored to the individual and their role, and it’s crucial to have a culture of open communication and trust in place, to create a positive feedback loop and foster continuous improvement.

What business units, functional areas, and teams should be included to create a strategy?

When creating a strategy, it is important to involve representatives from key business units, functional areas, and teams within the company. This can help to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive, integrated, and aligned with the company’s mission and goals. Here are some examples of business units, functional areas, and teams that should be included in the strategy development process:

Business units: Depending on the size and structure of the company, business units such as sales, marketing, operations, finance, and human resources should be included in the strategy development process.
Functional areas: Functional areas such as research and development, logistics, customer service, and supply chain management should be included in the strategy development process.
Teams: Teams such as IT, legal, procurement, and communications should be included in the strategy development process.
External experts: It can be beneficial to include external experts such as consultants, industry experts, and customers, as they can provide valuable insights and perspectives.
Key stakeholders: including representatives from key stakeholders such as employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, and partners can help ensure that the strategy is aligned with the company’s mission and goals, and that it takes into account the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

It’s important to note that the specific business units, functional areas, and teams that should be included in the strategy development process will vary depending on the company and the specific strategy. The goal is to have a diverse group of people with different perspectives and expertise to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive, integrated and aligned with the company’s mission and goals.

Where technology might hinder strategy development processes?

While technology can be a powerful tool to support strategy development and implementation, it can also hinder the process if not used effectively. Here are some ways in which technology might hinder strategy development processes:

Over-reliance: Over-reliance on technology can lead to a lack of human input and creativity in the strategy development process. This can result in a strategy that is not aligned with the company’s mission and goals, and that is not likely to be implemented successfully.
Data overload: Technology can make it easy to collect vast amounts of data, but it can be difficult to make sense of it all. This can lead to data overload, which can make it difficult to identify key insights and inform strategic decision making.
Complexity: Technology can be complex, and it can be difficult for employees and stakeholders to understand and use. This can lead to a lack of engagement and support for the strategy, which can make it difficult to implement.
Cost: Technology solutions can be costly to implement and maintain, and it’s important to consider the cost-benefit of the technology solutions and the company’s capability to implement and maintain them.
Cybersecurity: Technology solutions can also be vulnerable to cyber threats, and it’s important to have in place robust security measures to protect the company’s data and assets.
Obsolescence: Technology solutions can become obsolete quickly, and it’s important to consider the lifespan of the technology solutions and the company’s capability to upgrade and replace them.
Limited perspective: Technology solutions can be limited in their scope and perspective, and it’s important to consider the limitations of the technology solutions and the company’s capability to compensate for them.

It’s important to use technology in a strategic and thoughtful way, and to ensure that it is aligned with the company’s mission and goals, that it is supported by the employees and stakeholders and that it is adaptable to changing market conditions and internal developments.

When should the start and end of meeting strategic objectives communicated?

The start and end of meeting strategic objectives should be communicated to all relevant stakeholders as soon as they are established, and on a regular basis thereafter.

Initial communication: The start and end of meeting strategic objectives should be communicated to all employees and key stakeholders as soon as they are established. This ensures that everyone is aware of the timelines and can start working towards achieving the objectives.
Periodic updates: The start and end of meeting strategic objectives should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, at least annually. This allows the company to adapt to changing market conditions and ensure that the objectives remain relevant and aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
Progress reports: Progress reports on the achievement of strategic objectives should be shared with employees and key stakeholders on a regular basis, such as quarterly or semi-annually. This helps to keep everyone informed of the company’s progress and allows for adjustments to be made as necessary.
Special events: Strategic objectives should be communicated during special events such as town halls, team meetings, or all-hands meeting. This helps to keep the objectives top of mind and provides an opportunity for employees and stakeholders to ask questions and provide feedback.
End of objectives: When the objectives are met or completed, it’s important to communicate it to all stakeholders, employees, and partners to show the results of the hard work and the success of the strategy. This can also help to build trust and confidence in the company’s ability to achieve its goals.

It’s important to note that the communication should be clear, consistent and tailored to the audience. A combination of written documents, verbal communication, and digital tools can be used to reach different stakeholders. It’s also important to ensure that the communication is two-way, and that employees and stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions.

Why strategy development processes should be critical to achieving tactical objectives?

Strategy development processes are critical to achieving tactical objectives because they provide a framework for decision-making and action. Here are some ways in which strategy development processes support the achievement of tactical objectives:

Alignment: A well-designed strategy development process helps to align tactical objectives with the company’s mission and goals, ensuring that they are relevant and achievable.
Prioritization: Strategy development process helps to prioritize tactical objectives based on their importance and alignment with the company’s mission and goals. This can help to ensure that resources are allocated effectively to achieve the most important objectives.
Coordination: A well-designed strategy development process ensures that tactical objectives are coordinated across different business units, functional areas, and teams. This can help to ensure that objectives are aligned and that resources are used effectively to achieve them.
Adaptability: A well-designed strategy development process is adaptable to changing market conditions and internal developments, which helps to ensure that tactical objectives remain relevant and aligned with the company’s mission and goals over time.
Monitoring and evaluation: A well-designed strategy development process includes a system for monitoring and evaluating the progress and success of tactical objectives. This can help to identify areas where adjustments need to be made and ensure that resources are used effectively to achieve the objectives.

In summary, a well-designed strategy development process helps to ensure that tactical objectives are aligned with the company’s mission and goals, that they are prioritized and coordinated, that they are adaptable to changing market conditions and internal developments, and that they are monitored and evaluated to ensure they are achieved.

Operational Perspectives on Strategy:

Who might see strategy development processes as an obstacle?

Strategy development processes can be seen as an obstacle by several groups of people within an organization:

Frontline employees: They might see strategy development processes as an obstacle if they are not involved in the process, and if they do not understand how the strategy is relevant to their work and how it will impact their daily tasks.
Middle management: They might see strategy development processes as an obstacle if they feel that their input is not valued, or if they do not have the resources or support to implement the strategy effectively.
Executives: They might see strategy development processes as an obstacle if they are too focused on short-term goals, and if they do not have the time or resources to invest in the process.
Shareholders: They might see strategy development processes as an obstacle if they are not seeing immediate return on investments or if they are not satisfied with the results of the process.
External stakeholders: they might see strategy development processes as an obstacle if they do not understand the company’s direction and how it aligns with their interests.

It’s important to note that these groups might see strategy development processes as an obstacle because of a lack of communication, lack of involvement, lack of understanding of the process, or lack of alignment with their interests and goals. It’s crucial to engage in effective communication, to involve all relevant stakeholders in the process, and to ensure that the process is aligned with the company’s mission and goals, to reduce the possibility of resistance and obstacles.

What business processes should provide views on the organization’s actual vs. perceived strategy?

There are several business processes that can provide views on the organization’s actual vs. perceived strategy:

Performance management: This process can provide insights into how well the organization is achieving its strategic objectives, and whether there are any gaps between the actual and perceived strategy.
Budgeting and forecasting: This process can provide insights into how resources are being allocated and whether they are aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives.
Risk management: This process can provide insights into potential risks to the organization’s strategy, and whether there are any gaps between the actual and perceived strategy.
Business intelligence and analytics: This process can provide insights into the organization’s performance, and whether it is aligned with the company’s mission and goals, and whether there are any gaps between the actual and perceived strategy.
Market research: This process can provide insights into the external environment, including the market trends, customer needs and preferences, and the competition. It can help to identify potential threats or opportunities for the organization’s strategy.
Surveys, questionnaires and feedback: This process can provide insights into the employee’s, customer’s, suppliers, and partner’s perception of the organization’s strategy, and whether there are any gaps between the actual and perceived strategy.
Audit and compliance: This process can provide insights into whether the organization is adhering to relevant laws, regulations, and standards, and whether there are any gaps between the actual and perceived strategy.

These processes can provide a comprehensive view of the organization’s actual vs. perceived strategy, and can help to identify any gaps or misalignment that need to be addressed. It’s important to ensure that these processes are

Where should technology be a part of understanding the organization’s strategy?

Technology can play an important role in understanding an organization’s strategy in several ways:

Data analysis: Technology can be used to collect and analyze large amounts of data, such as financial, operational, and customer data, to gain insights into the organization’s performance and whether it is aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
Business intelligence and analytics: Technology can be used to create dashboards, reports, and visualizations that can provide real-time insights into the organization’s performance and whether it is aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
Performance management: Technology can be used to create automated performance management systems that can track progress and evaluate the success of the strategy.
Collaboration and communication: Technology can be used to facilitate collaboration and communication among teams and stakeholders, both internally and externally, which can help to ensure that the strategy is aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
Innovation: Technology can be used to support innovation and experimentation, which can help to ensure that the strategy is adaptable to changing market conditions and internal developments.
Automation: Technology can be used to automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks, freeing up resources to focus on more strategic activities.
Decision making: Technology can be used to support decision-making process, for example by using predictive analytics or machine learning algorithms to analyze data and make predictions.

Technology can be a powerful tool to support the understanding of the organization’s strategy, but it’s important to consider the cost-benefit of the technology solutions, and the company’s capability to implement and maintain them. It’s also important to ensure that the technology is aligned with the company’s mission and goals and that it is supported by the employees and stakeholders.

When should you have been informed about the strategic objectives and strategy development processes?

Employees and key stakeholders should be informed about the strategic objectives and strategy development processes as soon as they are established, or as soon as they are brought into the organization. This ensures that everyone is aware of the company’s direction and how their work aligns with the company’s mission and goals.

Initial communication: Employees and key stakeholders should be informed about the strategic objectives and strategy development processes as soon as they are established. This ensures that everyone is aware of the company’s direction and how their work aligns with the company’s mission and goals.
Onboarding process: New employees should be informed about the strategic objectives and strategy development processes during their onboarding process. This helps them understand the company’s direction and how their work aligns with the company’s mission and goals.
Periodic updates: Employees and key stakeholders should be updated on the progress and changes of the strategic objectives and strategy development processes on a regular basis, at least annually.
Special events: Strategic objectives and strategy development processes should be communicated during special events such as town halls, team meetings, or all-hands meeting. This helps to keep the objectives top of mind and provides an opportunity for employees and stakeholders to ask questions and provide feedback.
Performance management: The strategic objectives and strategy development processes should be aligned with the performance management process, so that employees are aware of how their performance and goals align with the company’s mission and goals.

It’s important to note that the communication should be clear, consistent, and tailored to the audience. A combination of written documents, verbal communication, and digital tools can be used to reach different stakeholders. It’s also important to ensure that the communication is two-way, and that employees and stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions.

Why strategic objectives should be critical to achieving your daily tasks?

Strategic objectives are critical to achieving daily tasks because they provide direction and focus for the company and its employees. Here are some ways in which strategic objectives support the achievement of daily tasks:

Alignment: Strategic objectives provide a clear direction and focus for the company and its employees, aligning daily tasks with the company’s mission and goals. This can help to ensure that daily tasks are relevant and contribute to the overall success of the company.
Prioritization: Strategic objectives help to prioritize daily tasks based on their importance and alignment with the company’s mission and goals. This can help to ensure that resources are allocated effectively to achieve the most important tasks.
Focus: Strategic objectives provide a clear focus for daily tasks, which can help to ensure that employees are working towards the company’s mission and goals, rather than getting bogged down in less important tasks.
Adaptability: Strategic objectives are adaptable to changing market conditions and internal developments, which helps to ensure that daily tasks remain relevant and aligned with the company’s mission and goals over time.
Monitoring and evaluation: Strategic objectives includes a system for monitoring and evaluating the progress and success of daily tasks. This can help to identify areas where adjustments need to be made and ensure that resources are used effectively to achieve the objectives.

In summary, strategic objectives provide direction, focus, and alignment for daily tasks, and by linking them with the company’s mission and goals, they help to ensure that daily tasks contribute to the overall success of the company. It’s important to ensure that employees understand the company’s mission, goals and strategy, and how their daily tasks align with them, in order to achieve the company’s objectives.

POLITICS

Strategic Perspectives on Politics:

Who should be incentivized at the executive level to understand politics?

At the executive level, it is important for leaders to understand internal organizational politics in order to effectively navigate and make decisions within the company. Therefore, it would be beneficial for executives, including CEOs and senior management, to be incentivized to understand and stay informed about internal politics. Additionally, fostering a culture of transparency and open communication can also help encourage executives to stay engaged with internal politics.

What governance structures should be in place to address holistic vs. specific unit/function/team strategic needs?

There are several governance structures that can be put in place to address both holistic and specific strategic needs related to internal organizational politics:

Board of Directors: The board of directors can provide oversight and guidance to ensure that the organization’s overall strategy aligns with its mission and values, and that individual units are making decisions that support the company’s overall goals.
Executive Committee: An executive committee, made up of top leaders from different departments and functions, can help coordinate and align efforts across the organization and make decisions that take into account the needs of all units.
Steering Committees: Steering committees or cross-functional teams can be established to address specific strategic initiatives or projects that involve multiple units or functions.
Employee feedback and participation: Encouraging employee feedback and participation in decision-making process, can help ensure that all voices are heard and that the organization’s strategy is responsive to the needs and concerns of all employees.
Transparency: Making sure there is transparency in the decision making process, so that all employees are aware of the reasoning behind decisions, can help to build trust and understanding.

These governance structures can help ensure that the organization’s overall strategy is aligned with its mission and values, while also taking into account the specific needs and concerns of individual units and functions.

Where should technology affect politics?

Technology can affect internal organizational politics in several ways:

Communication: Technology can facilitate communication across different departments and levels of the organization, making it easier for employees to share information and collaborate on projects. This can help to break down silos and foster a more cohesive and collaborative working environment.
Decision-making: Technology can also be used to collect and analyze data to inform decision-making, which can help to ensure that decisions are based on objective information rather than personal biases or politics.
Transparency: Technology can also be used to create transparency in the decision-making process, by providing real-time updates and visibility into the status of projects and initiatives, as well as the reasoning behind decisions.
Employee engagement: Technology can be used to engage employees and gather their feedback, which can help to ensure that the organization’s strategy is responsive to the needs and concerns of all employees.
Automation: Technology can automate repetitive tasks and can help improve efficiency which can help to reduce the scope for political maneuvering.

When and how often political motivations are revealed?

Political motivations can be revealed at different times and in different ways depending on the specific situation. Some common situations in which political motivations may be revealed include:

Meetings: During meetings, particularly those where important decisions are being made or discussed, political motivations may be revealed as different individuals and groups advocate for their own interests and positions.
Decision-making: Political motivations may also be revealed during the decision-making process, as different individuals and groups attempt to influence the outcome of a decision in their favor.
Conflicts: Political motivations may be revealed during conflicts or disputes within the organization, as different parties attempt to gain the upper hand or protect their own interests.
Policy implementation: Political motivations may be also revealed when new policies or procedures are implemented, as different individuals or groups may try to shape the implementation process to suit their own interests.
Employee feedback: political motivations may be revealed when employees give their feedback, as they may have different opinions, beliefs, and objectives.

It is important to note that political motivations may not always be revealed openly, and may instead be disguised or hidden behind more neutral or benign language or actions. Therefore, it is important for organizations to foster a culture of transparency and open communication, and to be vigilant for signs of hidden political motivations.

Why should political understanding be critical to achieving strategic objectives?

Political understanding is critical to achieving strategic objectives because:

It allows leaders to navigate and make decisions within the organization effectively. Understanding the political landscape and the different interests and power dynamics at play can help leaders anticipate and respond to resistance or opposition to their decisions.
It helps to align individual and group goals with the organization’s overall strategy. By understanding the political motivations of different individuals and groups within the organization, leaders can work to align their goals and objectives with the organization’s overall strategy, which can help to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
It can help to build support and buy-in for decisions and initiatives. By understanding the political motivations of different individuals and groups, leaders can tailor their communication and approach to build support and buy-in for their decisions and initiatives.
It can help to mitigate internal conflicts and power struggles. By understanding the political landscape and different interests at play, leaders can work to mitigate internal conflicts and power struggles, which can help to maintain a more cohesive and productive working environment.
It can help to create a culture of transparency and open communication. Understanding political motivations can help leaders to foster a culture of transparency and open communication, which can help to build trust and understanding among employees, and make it easier to navigate internal politics.

In summary, political understanding is critical to achieving strategic objectives because it allows leaders to navigate and make decisions effectively, align individual and group goals with the organization’s strategy, build support and buy-in, mitigate internal conflicts, and foster a culture of transparency and open communication.

Tactical Perspectives on Politics:

Who should be incentivized at the middle management level to understand internal organizational politics?

At the middle management level, it is important for managers to understand internal organizational politics in order to effectively lead their teams and contribute to the organization’s overall strategy and goals. Therefore, it would be beneficial for middle managers to be incentivized to understand and stay informed about internal politics.

Additionally, providing them the necessary training, resources, and support to understand the political landscape, can help them to navigate internal politics and make effective decisions. It is also important for managers to communicate openly with their teams and other stakeholders and to involve them in decision-making processes, as this can help to build trust and buy-in.

Incentives for middle managers can include:

opportunities for professional development and training to help them better understand organizational politics
performance evaluations that take into account their ability to navigate internal politics and make effective decisions
recognition and rewards for managers who are able to build strong teams and contribute to the organization’s overall goals.

Ultimately, it is important for organizations to foster a culture where middle managers are encouraged and motivated to understand and engage with internal politics, as this can help to ensure that the organization’s strategy is aligned with its mission and values, while also taking into account the specific needs and concerns of individual units and functions.

What business units, functional areas, and teams should be made aware of political implications?

It is important for all business units, functional areas, and teams to be aware of political implications in order to ensure that the organization’s overall strategy is aligned with its mission and values and that individual units are making decisions that support the company’s overall goals.

Business units: Business units should be made aware of political implications as they are the direct drivers of the company’s revenues and profits. They should be aware of the political landscape and the different interests and power dynamics within the organization and in the external environment that could affect their operations and strategies.
Functional areas: Functional areas such as finance, human resources, marketing, and legal should be made aware of political implications as they support the business units and play a critical role in decision-making and in the overall success of the organization. They should be aware of the political landscape, power dynamics, and potential conflicts that could affect their functions.
Teams: Teams within the organization, such as project teams, cross-functional teams, and departmental teams, should be made aware of political implications as they work together to achieve specific goals and objectives. They should be aware of the political landscape and the different interests and power dynamics within their teams and across the organization.

By making these groups aware of political implications, they can make better decisions, anticipate and respond to resistance or opposition, align individual and group goals with the organization’s overall strategy, build support and buy-in, mitigate internal conflicts, and foster a culture of transparency and open communication.

Where technology might hinder understanding internal politics?

While technology can be beneficial in understanding internal politics, it can also have some limitations that may hinder understanding. Some of these include:

Lack of personal interaction: Technology such as email and instant messaging can make it easier to communicate, but it can also make it harder to understand the nuances of communication and body language that are important in understanding politics.
Data privacy: Digital systems can be used to collect and analyze data on individuals, but with this comes the risk of data privacy violations, which can decrease trust and hinder understanding of internal politics.
Automation: Automation of certain tasks may lead to decision-making based on data and algorithms rather than on personal interactions and understanding. This can lead to decisions made without considering the political implications and can create a disconnect between the decision-makers and the rest of the organization.
Unintended bias: Technology can also perpetuate unintended bias and make it harder to understand internal politics, particularly when it comes to decision-making processes.
Overreliance: Relying too much on technology can create a false sense of security and make it harder to understand internal politics, as it can lead to overlooking important interpersonal dynamics and relationships within the organization.

It is important to keep in mind that while technology can be helpful in understanding internal politics, it should be used in conjunction with other methods such as open communication, employee engagement, and transparency to ensure that all aspects of internal politics are taken into account.

When should be the start and end of political motivations?

Political motivations can be present in any organization at any time, and they can arise in response to a variety of factors, such as changes in leadership, new policies or procedures, or conflicts over resources or power. Therefore, it can be difficult to pinpoint a specific start and end for political motivations.

However, political motivations may start to become more prevalent or intense in certain situations, such as:

During periods of change or uncertainty, such as when a new leader is appointed, or when the organization is undergoing major changes or restructuring.
When there are conflicts or disputes within the organization, such as when different departments or teams are competing for resources or power.
When new policies or procedures are being implemented, and different individuals or groups are trying to shape the implementation process to suit their own interests.

Similarly, political motivations may start to dissipate or become less intense in certain situations, such as:

When a resolution or compromise is reached in a conflict or dispute.
When a new leader or policy is firmly established and accepted.
When the organization becomes more stable and predictable.

It’s important to note that political motivations are a normal part of organizational life, they are not necessarily negative, they can also help to keep an organization functioning and adapting to changes. It is important for organizations to have a culture of transparency and open communication, and to foster an environment where political motivations can be openly discussed, understood and addressed as necessary.

Why political understanding should be critical to achieving tactical objectives?

Political understanding is critical to achieving tactical objectives because:

It allows managers and team members to navigate and make decisions within their teams and functional areas effectively. Understanding the political landscape and the different interests and power dynamics at play can help them to anticipate and respond to resistance or opposition to their decisions.
It helps to align team and functional area goals with the organization’s overall strategy. By understanding the political motivations of different individuals and groups within the team or functional area, managers and team members can work to align their goals and objectives with the organization’s overall strategy, which can help to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
It can help to build support and buy-in for decisions and initiatives. By understanding the political motivations of different individuals and groups, managers and team members can tailor their communication and approach to build support and buy-in for their decisions and initiatives.
It can help to mitigate internal conflicts and power struggles. By understanding the political landscape and different interests at play, managers and team members can work to mitigate internal conflicts and power struggles, which can help to maintain a more cohesive and productive working environment.
It can help to create a culture of transparency and open communication. Understanding political motivations can help managers and team members to foster a culture of transparency and open communication, which can help to build trust and understanding among employees, and make it easier to navigate internal politics.

In summary, political understanding is critical to achieving tactical objectives because it allows managers and team members to navigate and make decisions effectively, align team and functional area goals with the organization’s strategy, build support and buy-in, mitigate internal conflicts, and foster a culture of transparency and open communication. This in turn will help them to achieve the objectives of their teams and functional areas and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

Operational Perspectives on Politics:

Who might see political understanding as an obstacle?

Within organizations, there may be certain individuals or groups who see political understanding as an obstacle, some examples include:

Employees who prioritize their personal goals over the organization’s goals may view political understanding as an obstacle, as it could mean that their goals and interests may not be prioritized.
Employees who value efficiency and speed over building relationships and understanding the political landscape may view political understanding as a time-consuming obstacle.
Employees who have a strong sense of individualism, may see political understanding as a constraint on their autonomy and creativity, they may not want to be constrained by the political dynamics of the organization.
Employees who have a technical or specialized background, may not be interested in understanding the political landscape, they may see it as a distraction from their primary responsibilities.
Employees who have a negative perception of politics, may see political understanding as a negative thing, they may view it as a form of manipulation or deceit, that could be detrimental to the organization.

It is important to note that not everyone will see political understanding in the same way, and that different individuals and groups may have different perspectives. Some may see it as an obstacle, but for many others, political understanding is a vital tool for achieving their goals and contributing to the success of the organization. It is also important for organizations to foster a culture where political understanding is seen as a positive and necessary aspect of organizational life, in order to effectively navigate internal politics and achieve strategic and tactical objectives.

What business processes should provide views on the organization’s political boundaries?

Several business processes can provide views on the organization’s political boundaries, some examples include:

Performance evaluations: Performance evaluations can provide a view of the organization’s political boundaries by assessing an employee’s ability to navigate internal politics and make effective decisions.
Strategy development and implementation: The process of developing and implementing the organization’s strategy can provide a view of the political boundaries by identifying the different interests and power dynamics that may impact the implementation of the strategy.
Decision-making processes: Decision-making processes can provide a view of the organization’s political boundaries by identifying the different interests and power dynamics that may influence the outcome of a decision.
Conflict resolution and mediation: Conflict resolution and mediation processes can provide a view of the organization’s political boundaries by identifying the different interests and power dynamics that may be causing conflicts within the organization.
Employee feedback and participation: Encouraging employee feedback and participation in decision-making process can provide a view of the organization’s political boundaries by identifying the different perspectives, interests and power dynamics of employees.
Audit and Compliance: Auditing and Compliance process can provide a view of the organization’s political boundaries by identifying areas where the company may be in violation of laws and regulations, which can be a source of political conflicts.

These business processes can provide a view of the organization’s political boundaries by identifying the different interests and power dynamics that may be impacting the organization’s ability to achieve its goals and objectives. By understanding these boundaries, organizations can make better decisions, navigate internal politics more effectively, and foster a more cohesive and productive working environment.

Where should technology be a part of understanding the organization’s politics?

Technology can be a valuable tool in understanding the organization’s politics in several ways:

Data collection and analysis: Technology can be used to collect and analyze data on the organization’s political landscape, such as employee survey data, social network analysis, and internal communication data, which can provide insights into the different interests and power dynamics at play.
Communication and collaboration tools: Technology such as instant messaging, email, and videoconferencing can be used to facilitate communication and collaboration across different departments and levels of the organization, which can help to build trust and understanding among employees.
Decision-making and voting systems: Technology can be used to create transparent, and efficient decision-making systems such as e-voting, that can provide a view of the political landscape by identifying the different interests and power dynamics that may be influencing the outcome of a decision.
Compliance and governance systems: Technology can be used to create compliance and governance systems that help organizations to comply with laws and regulations, and to ensure that their decision-making processes are transparent and accountable, providing more visibility into the political landscape.
Artificial Intelligence: AI-based tools can be used to analyze large data sets, identify patterns and trends, and provide insights into the political landscape, by identifying key influencers, potential conflicts, and areas of agreement.

It is important to note that while technology can be helpful in these areas, it is not a panacea. It is important for organizations to also focus on fostering a culture of transparency, open communication, and employee engagement to ensure that technology is being used effectively to understand the organization’s politics. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the data collected and analyzed is accurate, unbiased and respects employees’ privacy. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a clear governance structure in place to ensure that the data is used ethically and to prevent potential misuse.

When should you have been informed about political objectives?

When an individual or a team is working towards achieving a specific goal or objective, it is important that they are informed about the political objectives that may impact their work as early as possible. This way they can make better decisions, anticipate and respond to resistance or opposition, align their goals with the organization’s overall strategy, build support and buy-in, mitigate internal conflicts and foster a culture of transparency and open communication.

It is also important for individuals or teams to stay informed about political objectives throughout the process of achieving their goals, as the political landscape may change and new objectives may emerge. This could happen because of changes in leadership, new policies or procedures, or conflicts over resources or power.

Additionally, political objectives should be communicated clearly and openly, with the rationale and any potential implications explained. This can help to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and that everyone has a shared understanding of the political landscape.

In summary, it is important for individuals and teams to be informed about political objectives as early as possible in the process of achieving their goals, and to stay informed throughout the process to ensure that they are able to navigate the political landscape and achieve their objectives successfully.

Why political understanding should be critical to achieving your daily tasks?

Political understanding is critical to achieving daily tasks because:

It allows individuals to navigate and make decisions within their teams and functional areas effectively. Understanding the political landscape and the different interests and power dynamics at play can help them to anticipate and respond to resistance or opposition to their decisions.
It helps to align daily tasks with the organization’s overall strategy. By understanding the political motivations of different individuals and groups within the team or functional area, individuals can work to align their daily tasks with the organization’s overall strategy, which can help to ensure that they are contributing to the organization’s goals.
It can help to build support and buy-in for daily tasks. By understanding the political motivations of different individuals and groups, individuals can tailor their communication and approach to build support and buy-in for their daily tasks.
It can help to mitigate internal conflicts and power struggles. By understanding the political landscape and different interests at play, individuals can work to mitigate internal conflicts and power struggles, which can help to maintain a more cohesive and productive working environment.
It can help to create a culture of transparency and open communication. Understanding political motivations can help individuals to foster a culture of transparency and open communication, which can help to build trust and understanding among employees, and make it easier to navigate internal politics.

In summary, political understanding is critical to achieving daily tasks because it allows individuals to navigate and make decisions effectively, align daily tasks with the organization’s strategy, build support and buy-in, mitigate internal conflicts, and foster a culture of transparency and open communication. This in turn will help them to achieve their daily tasks and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

INNOVATION

Strategic Perspectives on Innovation:

Who should be incentivized at the executive level to lead the innovation?

At the executive level, the leadership team and key decision-makers should be incentivized to lead innovation. This includes the CEO, COO, CTO, and other top executives who have the authority and resources to drive change within the organization. Additionally, providing incentives to cross-functional teams and individual contributors who are actively working on innovative projects can also help drive innovation throughout the company.

What governance structures should be in place for the flow of innovative ideas?

Effective governance structures for the flow of innovative ideas can include:

A dedicated innovation team or task force responsible for managing the ideation process, evaluating new ideas, and ensuring they align with the company’s overall strategy and goals.
A clear and transparent process for submitting and evaluating ideas, that allows all employees to submit ideas and provide feedback on others’ ideas.
A system for tracking the progress of ideas and their impact on the organization, this can be done through a centralized platform or portal.
Regular communication and engagement with all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and partners to gather feedback and input on new ideas.
A governance structure that is flexible and allows for experimentation and iteration, while ensuring that the company’s values and objectives are upheld.
Clear metrics and criteria for evaluating ideas and selecting the ones that are the best fit for the company’s goals and resources.
A culture that encourages and rewards innovation, and that provides employees with the resources and support they need to turn their ideas into reality.

Where should technology be used to help in innovation?

Technology can be used in various ways to help drive innovation, some examples include:

Idea generation and management: Platforms such as Idea Management Software can be used to gather, track, and evaluate new ideas from employees, customers, and partners.
Collaboration and communication: Tools such as project management software, virtual meeting platforms, and team collaboration tools can help remote teams to work together more efficiently and effectively.
Data and analytics: Advanced analytics, machine learning, and data visualization tools can help organizations analyze and make sense of large amounts of data, which can be used to identify new opportunities and to make more informed decisions.
Automation and AI: Automation and Artificial Intelligence can help companies streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency, freeing up resources for innovation.
Innovation management: Platforms such as innovation management software can be used to manage the entire innovation process from idea to commercialization and provide insights on the performance of the innovation project
Virtual and Augmented Reality: These technologies can help companies in various industries to visualize products, test and optimize them, and improve user experience.
Crowdsourcing: Crowdsourcing platforms allow companies to access a global pool of talent and ideas, which can be used to find new solutions to problems or identify new opportunities.

When and how often strategic objectives should be communicated about innovation?

Strategic objectives for innovation should be communicated regularly and in a timely manner to ensure that all employees are aware of the company’s goals and priorities. The frequency and timing of these communications will depend on the specific needs of the organization and the stage of the innovation process.

At the start of the innovation process: Strategic objectives for innovation should be clearly communicated at the start of the process to ensure that all employees understand the company’s goals and priorities. This can be done through company-wide meetings, town hall sessions, or through internal communications such as emails or company newsletters.
During the ideation phase: As new ideas are generated, it’s important to keep employees informed of the progress and status of the ideas and how they align with the company’s strategic objectives. This can be done through regular updates, such as weekly or bi-weekly meetings, or through an internal innovation portal.
As ideas move into development: As ideas move from the ideation phase into development, it’s important to keep employees informed of the progress and potential impact of the ideas. This can be done through regular project updates and progress reports, as well as through internal communications such as company newsletters.During and after implementation: As new ideas are implemented, it’s important to communicate the results and impact of the innovations to all employees. This can be done through regular progress reports, case studies, and internal communications such as company newsletters.

It is important to note that the communication should be tailored to the audience, should be clear and concise, and should include both the progress and the challenges.

Why should external and internal views on innovation matter for strategic objectives?

External and internal views on innovation are important for setting strategic objectives because they provide a holistic perspective on the organization’s current and potential capabilities and opportunities.

External views: External views provide a perspective on the competitive landscape, customer needs, and emerging technologies and trends that are relevant to the organization. This information can be used to identify new opportunities and to ensure that the company’s strategic objectives are aligned with the broader market.
Internal views: Internal views provide a perspective on the organization’s current capabilities and resources. This includes the skills and expertise of employees, the company’s culture, and the systems and processes that are in place. This information can be used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and to ensure that the company’s strategic objectives are aligned with its internal capabilities.

By considering both external and internal views, organizations can make more informed decisions about how to set strategic objectives for innovation. This can help the company to identify new opportunities and to ensure that it has the resources and capabilities it needs to pursue them. In addition, it helps to identify gaps and areas of improvement.

Furthermore, considering both views also helps to ensure that the innovation efforts are aligned with the organizational goals and objectives, which can lead to more successful outcomes, and increase the chances of the innovations being adopted and used internally and by the external stakeholders.

Tactical Perspectives on Innovation:Who should be incentivized at the middle management level to call B.S. on perceived innovation gains?

At the middle management level, it is important to incentivize individuals who are able to provide critical and objective evaluations of perceived innovation gains. These individuals should be able to identify potential issues and challenges, and to provide honest and transparent feedback on the progress and potential impact of new ideas.

Some examples of who could be incentivized to call B.S. on perceived innovation gains include:

Project managers and team leads who are responsible for implementing new ideas and who have a good understanding of the practical challenges and limitations of the organization.
Subject matter experts who have a deep understanding of the specific industry or technology related to the innovation.
Cross-functional teams who are composed of members from different departments and who have a broad perspective on the organization’s operations and capabilities.
Innovation or strategy committee that could be composed of representatives from different functions and levels in the organization.

Incentivizing these individuals could be done in various ways, such as providing them with recognition, opportunities for professional development, or bonuses. It’s also important to create a culture and a process that encourages and rewards transparency, objectivity, and critical thinking in evaluating perceived innovation gains.

What business units, functional areas, and teams should be included to do innovation?

In order to drive innovation throughout an organization, it’s important to involve multiple business units, functional areas, and teams. This can help to ensure that new ideas are aligned with the company’s overall strategy and goals, and that they take into account the perspectives and needs of different stakeholders.

Some examples of business units, functional areas, and teams that should be included in the innovation process include:

Research and Development (R&D) or Innovation teams: These teams are responsible for identifying new opportunities, developing new products, and driving innovation within the organization.
Business units: Business units are responsible for specific products, services or markets. They are in contact with customers, understand their needs and see the opportunities in the market.
Marketing and Sales teams: These teams are responsible for understanding customer needs, identifying new market opportunities, and communicating the value of new products and services to customers.
Design and User Experience (UX) teams: These teams are responsible for designing and testing new products and services to ensure that they meet the needs of users and are easy to use.
Engineering and Technology teams: These teams are responsible for developing new technologies and products, and for implementing new ideas.
Operations and Supply Chain teams: These teams are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the organization, including manufacturing, logistics, and distribution.
Human Resources and Talent teams: These teams are responsible for recruiting and developing new talent, and for ensuring that the organization has the resources and capabilities it needs to drive innovation.Legal and Intellectual Property teams: These teams are responsible for protecting the company’s intellectual property and ensuring that new ideas and products are in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

It is important to note that the involvement of different teams and functional areas will depend on the nature of the innovation and the company’s structure and operations. And also, it’s important to have a clear process and communication channels to involve these teams and functional areas throughout the innovation process.

Where technology might hinder innovation processes?

While technology can be a powerful tool for driving innovation, it can also have the potential to hinder innovation processes in certain situations.

Over-reliance on technology: An over-reliance on technology can lead to a lack of creativity and critical thinking among employees, as they may rely too heavily on the technology to solve problems instead of using their own skills and expertise.
Limited flexibility: Some technologies may be rigid and difficult to adapt to changing requirements and new ideas. This can limit the ability of the organization to pivot and change direction as needed.
Lack of understanding and training: Without proper training and understanding, employees may be unable to use technology effectively and may struggle to keep up with new developments. This can lead to frustration and a lack of engagement.
High costs: Investing in new technology can be expensive, and organizations may struggle to justify the costs of new technology if they are not sure of its potential impact.
Cybersecurity risks: The use of technology also brings the risk of cyber-attacks, data breaches, and other types of security threats, which can have significant consequences for the organization.
Privacy concerns: Some technologies might collect and process personal data, which raises privacy concerns and regulatory compliance risks.Limited scalability: Some technologies may not be able to scale to meet the needs of larger or growing organizations, which can limit the potential impact of innovation.

It’s important for organizations to be aware of these potential challenges and to take steps to mitigate them. This can include providing employee training and development, investing in flexible and scalable technologies, and regularly reviewing and updating technology systems to ensure they are meeting the needs of the organization.

When should innovation alignment to strategic objectives communicate?

Innovation alignment to strategic objectives should be communicated regularly and in a timely manner to ensure that all employees are aware of the company’s goals and priorities and how they relate to the innovation process. The frequency and timing of these communications will depend on the specific needs of the organization and the stage of the innovation process.

At the start of the innovation process: Strategic objectives for innovation should be clearly communicated at the start of the process, this will help to ensure that all employees understand the company’s goals and priorities and how they relate to the innovation process. This can be done through company-wide meetings, town hall sessions, or through internal communications such as emails or company newsletters.
During the ideation phase: As new ideas are generated, it’s important to keep employees informed of the progress and status of the ideas and how they align with the company’s strategic objectives. This can be done through regular updates, such as weekly or bi-weekly meetings, or through an internal innovation portal.
As ideas move into development: As ideas move from the ideation phase into development, it’s important to keep employees informed of the progress and potential impact of the ideas and how they align with the company’s strategic objectives. This can be done through regular project updates and progress reports, as well as through internal communications such as company newsletters.
During and after implementation: As new ideas are implemented, it’s important to communicate the results and impact of the innovations and how they align with the company’s strategic objectives to all employees. This can be done through regular progress reports, case studies, and internal communications such as company newsletters.
Regularly: Strategic objectives for innovation should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they are aligned with the company’s current goals and priorities, and that the innovation efforts are aligned with these objectives. This can be done through regular meetings and reviews, and through internal communications such as company newsletters.

It is important that the communication is tailored to the audience, is clear and concise, and includes both the progress and the challenges. Additionally, the communication should be done in an open and transparent way that encourages employee engagement and feedback.

Why innovation processes should be critical to achieving tactical objectives?

Innovation processes should be critical to achieving tactical objectives because they provide the means for organizations to identify and capitalize on new opportunities, to improve their products, services, and operations, and to adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs.

Identifying new opportunities: Innovation processes allow organizations to identify new opportunities for growth, such as new products, services, or business models. This helps to ensure that the organization is constantly evolving and adapting to changes in the market.
Improving products and services: Innovation processes allow organizations to improve existing products and services, making them more competitive and meeting the evolving needs of customers. This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can drive revenue growth.
Improving operations: Innovation processes allow organizations to improve their operations, making them more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable. This can reduce costs, improve productivity, and increase the ability of the organization to respond to changing market conditions.
Adapting to change: Innovation processes allow organizations to adapt to changes in the market, such as new technologies, changes in customer needs, and shifts in competitive dynamics. This helps to ensure that the organization is always innovating and staying ahead of the curve.
Outcompeting the competition: Innovation processes enable organizations to outcompete their competitors by introducing new and improved products and services, and by creating new business models that are more efficient and responsive to changing market conditions.

Tactical objectives are the specific actions and operational goals that the organization needs to achieve in order to execute its strategy. Innovation processes are critical to achieving these tactical objectives as they allow the organization to create new products and services, improve its operations, and adapt to changing market conditions. Therefore, organizations that invest in innovation and continuously improve their innovation processes will be more likely to achieve their tactical objectives and execute their strategies effectively.

Operational Perspectives on Innovation:

Who might see innovation as a disease or a cure?

Innovation can be viewed as both a disease and a cure depending on the perspective of the individual or organization.

Those who view innovation as a disease may see it as disruptive to existing business models and processes, leading to uncertainty and potential loss of revenue or market share. They may also see it as a drain on resources and a distraction from more pressing priorities.
Those who view innovation as a cure may see it as a way to improve products, services, and operations, to increase efficiency, and to create new opportunities for growth. They may also see it as a way to stay competitive in the market and to adapt to changing customer needs and technologies.
Some individuals or organizations may have a more nuanced view of innovation, recognizing that it can have both positive and negative effects, depending on how it is managed and implemented.
Some people might see innovation as a disease if they are not open to change, or if the innovation does not align with their values or goals.
On the other hand, some might see it as a cure if it helps them to achieve their goals, or if they see it as a way to improve their products, services, or operations.

It is important to note that innovation can bring both positive and negative effects, and that organizations should have a clear process and strategy for identifying and managing the potential risks and challenges of innovation.

What business processes and cultural considerations should provide views on the organization’s actual vs. perceived innovation?

What business processes and cultural considerations should provide views on the organization’s actual vs. perceived innovation?

Business processes that can provide views on the organization’s actual vs perceived innovation include:

Idea generation and management: This process captures and evaluates ideas for new products, services, or processes from employees and external sources.
Innovation project management: This process defines how new ideas are selected, developed, and implemented.
Performance measurement: This process tracks the success of innovation efforts in terms of revenue, cost savings, or other metrics.

Cultural considerations that can impact the organization’s perception of innovation include:

Employee engagement: An engaged workforce is more likely to contribute ideas and be supportive of change.
Risk tolerance: A culture that encourages taking risks and tolerates failure is more conducive to innovation than one that punishes failure.
Encouraging diversity: A diverse workforce with different perspectives and experiences is more likely to generate a wide range of ideas.
Leadership support: Senior leaders play a key role in fostering a culture of innovation and providing resources and support for new ideas.

When should you have been informed about the innovation pursuits and feedback needs?

It is important for employees to be informed about innovation pursuits and feedback needs as early as possible in the process. This allows them to be involved in the ideation and development of new products, services, or processes, which can lead to better buy-in and support for the final outcome.

Ideally, employees should be informed at the beginning of the idea generation process so they can contribute their own ideas and provide feedback on others. They should also be kept informed throughout the innovation project management process so they can understand how ideas are being developed and selected for implementation.

Additionally, it is important to have a clear communication and feedback loop in place, so employees can provide input on the progress and performance of the innovation efforts, and provide suggestions for improvement. This can help ensure that the organization’s actual innovation aligns with the perceived innovation, and employee satisfaction and engagement is maintained.

Why anyone beyond you should care about innovative ideas about your daily tasks?

Innovative ideas about daily tasks can bring many benefits to an organization beyond just the person who came up with the idea. Here are a few reasons why others should care:

Improved efficiency and productivity: Innovative ideas about daily tasks can help streamline processes and make employees’ work easier and more efficient, which can increase productivity and reduce costs.
Increased employee engagement: When employees are encouraged to come up with innovative ideas, they feel more invested in their work and are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
Competitive advantage: Organizations that are able to innovate and improve their processes and products are more likely to stand out in the marketplace and gain a competitive advantage.
Improved customer satisfaction: Innovations in daily tasks can lead to better products, services, and customer experiences, which can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Improved financial performance: All of the above can lead to improved financial performance, as the company is able to save cost, generate more revenue and have a sustainable growth.

By encouraging and implementing innovative ideas about daily tasks, an organization can improve its overall performance, remain competitive, and create a positive work environment for employees.

CULTURE

Strategic Perspectives on Culture:

Who should be incentivized at the executive level to transform culture?

At the executive level, it is important to incentivize leaders who have the ability to influence and drive cultural change within an organization. This includes senior managers, department heads, and other high-level executives who have direct control over teams and decision-making processes. These individuals should be held accountable for fostering a positive culture and be rewarded for their efforts to create a more inclusive, collaborative, and innovative work environment. Additionally, it is important to involve all employees in the process of cultural transformation, and to provide opportunities for them to share their ideas and feedback on how to improve the culture.

What governance structures should be in place for strategic cultural transformation?

Governance structures that should be in place for strategic cultural transformation include:

Executive Sponsorship: The senior leadership team should be committed to driving cultural change and be actively involved in the process.
Steering Committee: A cross-functional steering committee should be established to guide the cultural transformation efforts and ensure alignment with the organization’s overall strategic goals.
Communication Plan: A clear and effective communication plan should be put in place to keep employees informed about the progress of cultural transformation efforts and to provide opportunities for feedback and input.
Metrics and Measurement: Metrics and measurement systems should be put in place to track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of cultural transformation efforts.
Employee Engagement: Employee engagement should be a key focus, as it is essential to ensure buy-in and participation from all employees in the cultural transformation process.
Regular Review and Adjustment: The governance structure should be regularly reviewed and adjusted as necessary to ensure alignment with the organizational goals and the effectiveness of the cultural transformation process.
Employee Development and Training: Employee development and training programs should be developed to support the cultural transformation and equip employees with the knowledge and skills they need to support the new culture.

It’s also important to note that governance structures should be flexible enough to adapt to the organization’s unique needs and culture.

Where should technology be integrated into transforming culture?

Technology can be integrated into transforming culture in several ways:

Communication and Collaboration Tools: Technology such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and project management tools can be used to facilitate communication and collaboration among employees, regardless of location or time zone. This can help to create a more inclusive and collaborative work environment.
Employee Engagement Platforms: Employee engagement platforms can be used to provide employees with opportunities to give feedback, share ideas, and collaborate on projects. This can help to foster a sense of ownership and empowerment among employees.
Diversity and Inclusion Tools: Technology can be used to support diversity and inclusion initiatives. For example, machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze data and identify patterns of bias in recruitment, performance evaluations, and other HR processes.
Training and Development: Technology can also be used to support employee development and training. For example, online learning platforms and virtual reality can be used to provide employees with access to training and development resources from anywhere.
Analytics and Measurement: Technology can be used to collect and analyze data on employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. This can help leaders to identify areas where the culture needs to be improved and track the effectiveness of cultural transformation efforts.

Overall, technology can be a powerful tool to support cultural transformation by fostering communication, collaboration, employee engagement and development, data-driven decision making and measurement.

When and how often cultural transformation objectives should be communicated?

Cultural transformation objectives should be communicated frequently and consistently throughout the transformation process. The specific frequency and timing will depend on the organization and the specific cultural transformation objectives, but generally, it is important to communicate the objectives at the following key moments:

At the start of the process: The objectives should be clearly communicated to all employees at the start of the process to ensure that everyone understands the goals and the reasoning behind the transformation.
During the implementation phase: As the transformation efforts are being implemented, regular updates should be provided to employees to keep them informed of the progress and any changes to the objectives.
After the completion of key milestones: After the completion of key milestones in the transformation process, it’s important to communicate the progress to all employees, and to celebrate achievements and successes.
On a regular basis: Regular communication should be made on a regular basis, for example, through company-wide town hall meetings, company newsletters, or all-hands meeting, to ensure that employees are aware of the progress and any updates.

It’s also important to use different communication channels and methods to reach all employees, such as face-to-face meetings, email, company intranet, and social media.

It’s also important to make sure that communication is two-way and that employees are encouraged to provide feedback and input throughout the process. This will help to build trust and engagement, and it will also help leaders to identify and address any concerns or resistance that may arise.

Why cultural transformation should be critical to achieving strategic objectives?

Cultural transformation is critical to achieving strategic objectives because it can align an organization’s values, behaviors, and practices with its goals and mission. A strong, positive culture can lead to increased employee engagement, productivity, and innovation, as well as improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, a culture that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion can help attract and retain top talent and foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace. Ultimately, cultural transformation can be a key driver of organizational performance and success.

Tactical Perspectives on Culture:

Who should be incentivized at the middle management level to be champions of transforming culture?

Middle management is often seen as a key level in driving cultural transformation within an organization. These managers are responsible for leading teams, communicating with upper management, and implementing policies and practices that support the organization’s culture.

To incentivize middle managers to be champions of cultural transformation, organizations can use a variety of tactics, such as:

Providing training and development opportunities related to leadership and culture change
Incorporating culture-related metrics into performance evaluations and bonuses
Recognizing and rewarding managers who successfully lead cultural change initiatives
Creating opportunities for middle managers to share their successes and learn from one another
Giving middle managers autonomy and ownership over culture-related initiatives and decisions

Incentivizing middle management to be champions of cultural transformation can help create a sense of ownership, leadership and accountability in driving the desired culture change throughout the organization.

What business units, functional areas, and teams should be included to bring about transformation?

To bring about cultural transformation within an organization, it is important to involve a wide range of business units, functional areas, and teams. This can include:

Senior leadership: The organization’s top leaders should be actively involved in driving cultural change and setting the tone for the rest of the organization.
Human resources: HR should be involved in developing and implementing policies and practices that support the desired culture, as well as in evaluating and measuring the success of cultural change efforts.
Operations: Teams involved in day-to-day operations should be involved in the cultural change process, as they are often on the front lines of implementing new policies and practices.
Marketing and communications: Teams responsible for communicating with customers and other stakeholders should be involved in shaping the organization’s external messaging and branding to align with the desired culture.
Employee resource groups: Employee resource groups can play a key role in fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
All employees: Cultural transformation should be a bottom-up process, where all employees are encouraged to participate, share their ideas, and provide feedback on culture initiatives.

Including these different groups can ensure that all perspectives are heard, creating a more holistic approach to culture change. And also it can provide a sense of shared responsibility and ownership for the desired culture change throughout the organization.

Where technology might hinder in cultural transformation?

Technology can play a role in both supporting and hindering cultural transformation. While technology can be a powerful tool for communication, collaboration, and data-driven decision making, it can also create barriers to cultural change if not used effectively. Some ways that technology might hinder cultural transformation include:

Lack of alignment: If technology systems are not aligned with the organization’s culture and values, they can create confusion and resistance among employees.
Limited engagement: Technology can create a disconnect between employees and the organization, making it more difficult for employees to feel engaged with the culture change process.
Limited communication: Technology can create barriers to effective communication and collaboration, making it more difficult for employees to share ideas and feedback.
Limited transparency: Technology can create barriers to transparency and visibility, making it more difficult for employees to understand the culture change process and their role in it.
Bias and discrimination: Technology can perpetuate bias and discrimination if not designed and implemented with diversity, equity, and inclusion in mind.

To mitigate these challenges, it is important to ensure that technology systems are aligned with the organization’s culture and values, and that they are designed to support engagement, communication, and transparency. Additionally, it is important to consider how technology might perpetuate bias and discrimination, and take steps to mitigate those risks.

When should the start and end of cultural transformation be communicate?

The start and end of cultural transformation should be communicated clearly and effectively to all employees.

The start of cultural transformation should be communicated as soon as the decision to initiate the change has been made, to set expectations and create a sense of urgency. This communication should include an explanation of the reasons for the change, the desired outcomes, and the expected timeline. It should also highlight the importance of the change and how it aligns with the organization’s mission and values.

The end of cultural transformation should be communicated when the organization has achieved the desired outcomes and the new culture is firmly established. This communication should include an overview of the progress made, the outcomes achieved, and the next steps for maintaining and evolving the culture.

Throughout the cultural transformation process, it is important to keep all employees informed of the progress and any changes that occur, and to involve them in the process of shaping and implementing the new culture. Regular communication helps keep employees engaged and invested in the change process and can help ensure buy-in and support for the new culture.

Why cultural transformation should be critical to achieving tactical objectives?

Cultural transformation is critical to achieving tactical objectives because it can align an organization’s values, behaviors, and practices with its goals and mission. A strong, positive culture can lead to increased employee engagement, productivity, and innovation, as well as improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, a culture that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion can help attract and retain top talent and foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Having a culture that supports the organization’s goals and objectives can also help ensure that employees understand and are aligned with the organization’s mission, values and goals. This can lead to more effective decision-making, increased efficiency and better problem-solving.

Culture also plays a critical role in shaping the organizational structure and decision-making. A culture of innovation, for example, would encourage taking risks and experimenting, while a culture of stability would emphasize maintaining the status quo. This can have a direct impact on the tactical objectives, such as the ability to innovate, adapt to changes, or maintain the current operations.

In short, cultural transformation can help ensure that the entire organization is working together towards achieving the same objectives, which can lead to greater efficiency and better results. This can be especially critical for achieving tactical objectives, which often rely on the day-to-day actions of employees and teams.

Operational Perspectives on Culture:

Who might see cultural transformation as an obstacle at an operational level?

Cultural transformation can be seen as an obstacle at an operational level by employees who are resistant to change or who may not understand the reasons for the change. Some possible groups of employees who might see cultural transformation as an obstacle include:

Long-term employees: Employees who have been with the organization for a long time may be resistant to change, particularly if they have become comfortable with the existing culture and ways of doing things.
Front-line employees: Employees who are directly involved in day-to-day operations may be resistant to changes that disrupt their workflow or require additional training.
Managers: Managers may be resistant to cultural change if they perceive it as a threat to their authority or decision-making power.
Unionized employees: Unionized employees may be resistant to cultural change if they perceive it as a threat to their rights and benefits.
Employees from certain demographics: Employees from certain demographics, such as older workers or those from marginalized groups, may be more resistant to cultural change if they perceive it as a threat to their status or well-being.

It is important to keep in mind that resistance to change is normal, and that employees may have valid concerns about the impact of cultural transformation on their work and well-being. Therefore, it is essential to communicate the reasons for the change, the desired outcomes, and the benefits of the new culture clearly and effectively to all employees, and to involve them in the process of shaping and implementing the new culture. This can help to gain buy-in and support for the new culture, and ultimately make the transition smoother.

What business processes should provide views on the organization’s culture?

Business processes can provide valuable insights into the organization’s culture by revealing how employees interact, communicate, and make decisions within the organization. Some business processes that can provide views on the organization’s culture include:

Performance evaluations: Performance evaluations can provide a view of how employees are rewarded and recognized for their contributions, and can reveal any cultural issues related to fairness, equity, and inclusion.
Employee engagement surveys: Employee engagement surveys can provide a view of how employees feel about their work, their managers, and the organization as a whole, and can reveal any cultural issues related to communication, collaboration, and alignment with the organization’s mission and values.
Hiring and onboarding processes: Hiring and onboarding processes can provide a view of how the organization attracts and retains top talent, and can reveal any cultural issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Customer feedback and satisfaction surveys: Customer feedback and satisfaction surveys can provide a view of how the organization is perceived by its customers, and can reveal any cultural issues related to customer service, communication, and alignment with the organization’s mission and values.
Incident and complaint management processes: Incident and complaint management processes can provide a view of how the organization handles and resolves issues, and can reveal any cultural issues related to accountability, transparency, and alignment with the organization’s mission and values.
Communication and decision-making processes: Observing how the organization communicates and makes decisions can provide a view of the culture’s level of collaboration, transparency, and innovation.
Analyzing these processes can provide valuable insights into the organization’s culture, and help identify areas where change is needed in order to align the culture with the organization’s mission and values. This can help the organization to foster a culture that supports its goals and objectives, and ultimately contribute to achieving the organization’s tactical and strategic objectives.

In addition to the processes mentioned above, there are other ways to provide views on the organization’s culture. Some examples include:

Employee focus groups: Employee focus groups can provide a view of how employees feel about the organization’s culture, their work, and their managers. These groups can also be used to gather feedback on culture change initiatives and to identify potential roadblocks to successful implementation.
Manager and team meetings: Observing how managers and teams interact and communicate during meetings can provide a view of the organization’s culture. This can reveal any cultural issues related to communication, collaboration, and decision-making.
One-on-one employee interviews: One-on-one employee interviews can provide a view of how employees experience the organization’s culture on a personal level, and can reveal any cultural issues related to fairness, equity, and inclusion.
Ethics and compliance audits: Ethics and compliance audits can provide a view of how the organization’s culture supports or undermines its compliance and ethical standards.
Cultural assessment tools: There are various assessment tools that can be used to measure the organization’s culture. These include surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observation techniques.

Overall, it is important to understand that culture is a complex and dynamic concept that can be influenced by many factors. Therefore, gathering views on the organization’s culture from multiple sources and using a variety of methods can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the culture and help identify areas for improvement.

Where should technology be a part of the understanding of the organization’s culture?

Technology can play a role in understanding an organization’s culture in a few ways. Some examples include:

Surveys and assessments: Technology can be used to administer and analyze surveys and assessments that measure the organization’s culture. This can include employee engagement surveys, customer satisfaction surveys, and cultural assessments.
Data analysis: Technology can be used to analyze data from various sources, such as HR systems, performance evaluations, and customer feedback, to identify trends and patterns that provide insight into the organization’s culture.
Communication and collaboration tools: Technology can be used to facilitate communication and collaboration among employees, which can provide a view of how employees interact, communicate, and make decisions within the organization.
Social Media monitoring: Technology can be used to monitor social media platforms, such as company-wide intranet, corporate social networks, or public facing platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Twitter, to understand how employees and external stakeholders perceive the organization and its culture.
Employee feedback platforms: Technology can be used to gather employee feedback through digital platforms. This can provide real-time feedback on culture change initiatives, and can be used to identify potential roadblocks to successful implementation.
Artificial Intelligence and machine learning: Technology can be used to analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns that might not be immediately obvious. This can be used to detect cultural issues that might be hard to identify through traditional methods.

It is important to note that while technology can play a valuable role in understanding an organization’s culture, it should not be used as the sole source of information. It should be used in conjunction with other methods, such as surveys, focus groups, and employee interviews, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the culture.

When should operational folks have to be informed about the cultural transformation objectives?

Operational folks, such as front-line employees and managers who are directly involved in day-to-day operations, should be informed about the cultural transformation objectives as soon as possible. This can help them understand the reasons for the change, the desired outcomes, and their role in the change process.

Informing operational folks early on can also help to gain their buy-in and support for the change, and can mitigate resistance to change. It can also help to ensure that they are aware of any changes that may affect their work and are able to adapt and implement new policies and practices.

Additionally, involving operational folks in the planning and implementation of cultural change can help them see the benefits of the change and to be more invested in the process. This can also help to ensure that the change is tailored to the specific needs of the operational teams, and that they understand how it aligns with the organization’s goals and mission.

Overall, keeping operational folks informed and involved in the cultural transformation process is important for ensuring the success of the change and ensuring that the new culture is embedded in the day-to-day operations.

Why cultural transformation should be critical to achieving your daily tasks?

Cultural transformation is critical to achieving daily tasks because it can align an organization’s values, behaviors, and practices with its goals and mission. A strong, positive culture can lead to increased employee engagement, productivity, and innovation, as well as improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. This can have a direct impact on the daily tasks and responsibilities of employees, leading to better results and outcomes.

Culture also plays a critical role in shaping the organizational structure and decision-making. A culture of innovation, for example, would encourage taking risks and experimenting, while a culture of stability would emphasize maintaining the status quo. This can have a direct impact on the daily tasks and responsibilities of employees, leading to better results and outcomes.

In short, cultural transformation can help ensure that the entire organization is working together towards achieving the same objectives, which can lead to greater efficiency and better results. This can be especially critical for achieving daily tasks, which often rely on the day-to-day actions of employees and teams.

Ask these 100 Questions to Align Business and IT

Here is a list of 100 potential questions to help align business and IT:

What are the business objectives and how can technology support them?
How can IT support the company’s strategy and goals?
How can IT and the business work together to identify and prioritize projects?
How can IT and the business ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget?
How can IT and the business measure the success of technology initiatives?
How can IT and the business improve communication and collaboration?
How can IT and the business manage and mitigate risks?
How can IT and the business ensure data security and compliance?
How can IT and the business leverage emerging technologies to gain a competitive advantage?
How can IT and the business improve the user experience and customer satisfaction?
How can IT and the business align IT investments with business objectives?
How can IT and the business develop a shared vision for technology initiatives?
How can IT and the business optimize IT infrastructure for the business?
How can IT and the business manage IT costs effectively?
How can IT and the business improve IT service levels?
How can IT and the business improve IT governance?
How can IT and the business ensure that IT decisions are aligned with business objectives?
How can IT and the business implement IT service management best practices?
How can IT and the business improve IT performance measurement?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business communication?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business collaboration?
How can IT and the business align IT with the company’s overall strategy?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business coordination?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business integration?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business relationship?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business alignment metrics?
How can IT and the business implement IT-business alignment best practices?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business process alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business strategy alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business value alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business culture alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business leadership alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business governance alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business organizational alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business process management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business change management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business project management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business risk management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business service management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business knowledge management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business compliance alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business data management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business security alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business architecture alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business operations alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business application alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business system alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business network alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business software alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business hardware alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business technology alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business resource alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business personnel alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business training alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business budget alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business investment alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business procurement alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business vendor management alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business outsourcing alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business partnership alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business innovation alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business agility alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business scalability alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business flexibility alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business reliability alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business availability alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business continuity alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business disaster recovery alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business recovery time alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business recovery point alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business automation alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business integration alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business standardization alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business optimization alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business simplification alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business rationalization alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business consolidation alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business modernization alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business transformation alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business digital alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business mobile alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business cloud alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business analytics alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business intelligence alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business machine learning alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business artificial intelligence alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business Internet of Things alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business blockchain alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business cybersecurity alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business compliance alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business regulations alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business laws alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business standards alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business industry best practices alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business customer alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business partner alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business supplier alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business employee alignment?
How can IT and the business improve IT-business culture alignment?

It’s important to note that these are only suggestions and that the specific questions that need to be asked may vary depending on the organization and its specific needs. Additionally, it’s important that these questions are not only asked but also followed up with actionable steps to align business and IT.

5 Questions to Ask About Business-IT Relationships

Within organizations, people in individual roles, middle management, and executives use different types of technologies to accomplish their goals. Depending upon their experiences, the perception/use/biases of technology can range from being a corporate obligation to being the only catalyst for transformative change. The truth is, these two perceptions/uses/biases of technology are extreme. We need a balanced understanding of what can and can’t be accomplished through technology.

In my view, this balanced understanding of technology requires healthy relationships between the Information Technology (IT) Department and the various Business (non-IT) Departments. To achieve this, here are some points to consider:

At the inter-departmental level, observe power dynamics and culture
At the processes level, observe interactions/overlaps/silos
At the people level, observe friendly/adversarial interactions

All healthy relationships require effort by everyone to create and maintain it. Similar is the case for healthy Business-IT relationships. This means that healthy Business-IT relationships shouldn’t be thought of as a one-way IT issue but rather a multiway organizational communications issue wrapped around Discipline, Unity, Empathy, and Trust (DUET).

Discipline

Within departmental boundaries, discipline is created through hiring/firing practices, policies, procedures, rules, and training. Due to the siloed nature of creating discipline, friction may arise when what the Business department desires is at odds with what the IT department is capable of doing. For healthy Business-IT relationships, we need inter and intra-departmental discipline that requires people to:

Be aware of their own department’s discipline (or lack thereof)
Make no judgments about what business and IT departments are (not) doing
Communicate the impacts of business and IT processes on each other

Unity

In order to create unity inside an organization, every department tries to align departmental goals with organizational goals. Sometimes a department’s alignment goals can be in conflict with another department’s alignment goals. This can create an Us vs. Them mentality. For example, in most organizations, the IT department is responsible for cybersecurity, however, there might be occasions when a business department purchases software to improve its own business processes without knowing about the underlying security vulnerabilities of the software. For healthy Business-IT relationships, we need inter and intra-departmental unity that requires people to:

Be aware of departmental goals that might affect other departments
Make decisions holistically rather than piecemeal
Communicate the impacts of unity (or lack of) with each other

Empathy

Often times when we are working in an organization, we are so focused on the tasks at hand that we forget that we have to take into consideration other people’s feelings and thoughts. Empathy makes us more receptive to understanding the visible and invisible pain points. When the IT department is gathering requirements, empathy will help in creating IT systems that people will use and be proud of contributing to. For business departments, empathy can also enhance employee experiences and customer experiences. For healthy Business-IT relationships, we need inter and intra-departmental empathy that requires people to:

Be aware of their own and others’ biases
Treat everyone with dignity and respect regardless of position/title
Communicate pain points without the threat of repercussions

Trust

Without trust, you don’t have an organization, you just have a group of people getting a paycheck. Trust is established at many levels and it is the invisible glue that holds departments together. When an IT department manages software/hardware/IT services/vendors/partners keep in mind they are not doing this in isolation and business departments should reach out to them without hesitation. Similarly, IT departments should trust the business departments when it comes to their processes. IT should not enforce new processes on business departments but rather have a collaborative approach to what can be done to address issues productively. For healthy Business-IT relationships, we need inter and intra-departmental trust that requires people to:

Be aware of broken promises at all levels of the departments
Understand that trust is about relationship-building
Communicate how your trust can be earned/lost

Now that we understand that Business-IT relationships are DUETs, let’s ask a few self-reflecting questions:

Today	Tomorrow
Who is responsible for creating healthy Business-IT relationships?	Who should be responsible for creating healthy Business-IT relationships?
What communications, processes, and tools are available to encourage healthy Business-IT relationships?	What communications, processes, and tools should be available to encourage healthy Business-IT relationships?
Where are the current obstacles to healthy Business-IT relationships?	Where would future obstacles diminish healthy Business-IT relationships?
When do healthy Business-IT relationships break down?	When would healthy Business-IT relationships break down?
Why do healthy Business-IT relationships matter for your organization?	Why should healthy Business-IT relationships matter for your organization?

It should be noted that creating healthy Business-IT relationships is not the responsibility of the IT Department only. Accounting, Business Development, Customer Service, Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Operations, Sales, etc. need to develop healthy relationships with the IT Department as well. Bad Business-IT relationships directly result in issues with Business-IT alignment which can make the difference between success and failure.

Why Should Anyone Outside of IT or Leadership Care About Digital Transformation?

A Review of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan

On January 14, 2021 President Joe Biden released his new administration’s USD $1.9T plan called the American Rescue Plan. This plan shows the priorities of the new White House administration and calls for Congress to help the American people in many ways. Here are some of the most repeated words in this plan:

Suprisingly, at the end of the American Rescue Plan, there is a section that asks for increased funding to “Modernize federal Information Technology (IT) to protect against future cyber attacks”. Here are my thoughts on it:

Expand and Improve Technology Modernization Fund (TMF)

For now and the foreseeable future, technology will continue to have a direct impact on our lives. Nowhere is this more evident than in the U.S. Federal Government which is the largest purchaser of technology in the world. Recognizing this, in 2017, the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) was created whose mission is to help U.S. Federal Government Departments and Agencies use technology efficeintly, effectively and securely.

TMF receives proposals from different U.S. Federal Government Departments and Agencies in what they want to accomplish. After vetting the proposals, TMF provides funding to the U.S. Federal Government Departments and Agencies who have a 5-year window to return the funds. TMF receives its own funding from Congress. To understand how much funds have been approved for TMF, lets look at the budget requests versus the appropriations received in the table below:

Fiscal Year	Budget Request	Appropriations Received
2021	$150M	$25M
2020	$150M	$25M
2019	$210M	$25M
2018	$228M	$100M

TMF Budget Requests vs. Appropriations Received

As we can see from the above table, TMF has never received the budget it has requested even though TMF’s mission is basically to benefit the American public through technology.

In regards to cybersecurity, in 2018, Cyber Security and Information Security Agency (CISA) was created whose mission is to lead at the national level to mitigate cyber and physical risks to vital infrastructure. To understand how much funds have been approved for CISA, lets look at the budget requests versus the appropriations received in the table below:

Fiscal Year	Budget Request	Appropriations Received
2021	$1.7B	$2.25B
2020	$3.1B	$2B
2019	$3.3B	$1.68B

CISA Budget Requests vs. Appropriations Received

As we can see from the table above, CISA received more funds than they asked for because Congress felt the cybersecurity is important especially when it came to the elections.

The American Rescue Plan presented by President Joe Biden requests Congress to increase the combined appropriations to be $9B which will be used to increase IT shared services and cybersecurity across the U.S Federal Government. This plan also recommends removing the need of U.S. Federal Government Department and Agencies to reimburse the funds back to TMF witin 5 years. I think these are good firsts steps. However, we have to also see these $9B funds as an opportunity to:

Hire the right people/contractors to do the right jobs
Prioritize and optimize processes before cloud migration and automation
Apply technology at the right time with redundancy and security built-in
Create services that improve experiences for the American public
Create products that make government become more digital

Surge Cybersecurity Technology and Engineering Expert Hiring

The Office and Management Budget (OMB) is responsible for managing the Information Technology Oversight and Reform (ITOR) fund which produces quarterly reports on Government-wide IT reform efforts to save on cost of operations U.S. Federal Government Departments and Agencies. The American Rescue Plan also asks for $200M in hiring cybersecurity professionals to improve the U.S. Federal Government’s cybersecurity efforts across the government.

The problem here is two-fold:

IT is always asked to do more with less. This is also true in government. Sometimes IT is asked to produce cost-savings, however, IT does not and should not operate in a bubble. This means that if you truly want to transform an organiztion then the motivation should not be cost savings only. Motivation should be efficient and effective processes augmented by IT which results in frictionless operations that directly provide value to the American public.
While hiring cybersecurity professionals is a line of defense but it is not the only one. Cybersecurity needs to be a whole of government approach which requires cultural change in different U.S. Federal Government Departments and Agencies. This change requires everyone in these organizations to be vigilant and mechanism to be put in place that not only trains people but unexpectedly tests them too.

In both of the above issues, culture plays a very important role.

Build Shared, Secure Services to Drive Transformation Projects

The mission of the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) under the General Services Administration (GSA) is to create a digital government that can benefit the American people. They do this through various programs and services provided to different U.S. Federal Government Departments and Agencies. The American Rescue Plan has asks for $300M so that TTS can create more programs and services that can be used. In order for this to work:

We have to make sure that different U.S. Federal Government Department and Agencies see TTS as not the last resort but the first option to consider.
While TTS’ solutions in Data and Analytics, Innovation, Public Experience, Secure Cloud, Smarter IT, Cloud.gov, Login.gov and other Free and Low-Cost Tools are great but they are not enough. I think TTS should expand its mandate to become a “connector” between different agencies so that redundancies can be reduced and lessons learned can be shared.

Improving Security Monitoring and Incident Response Activities

The American Rescue Plan asks for an additional $690M for CISA to improve shared cybersecurity and continue to moving towards the cloud. What the SolarWinds debacle has taught us is that not only we are highly reliant on technology but also on its interconnectness. This means that to tackle security monitoring and incidence response, we have to to think holistically. This requires us to start with the basics:

Determine the number of legacy systems government-wide
Determine how often those legacy systems are updated/patched
Determine if those legacy systems are too big to fail
Determine what (budget, expertise, time) is missing to replace legacy systems
Determine what data is fed/received from those legacy systems

Other Areas Where IT can Help

IT can help in other areas mentioned in the American Rescue Plan too. Here are a few suggestions:

For a national vaccination program, contain COVID-19, and safely reopen schools:
- Create a system that automatically pulls data from the COVID-19 tracking systems of States, Localities, Tribes and Territories. Use this data to determine which areas have the fastest rates of spread and then deploy/create vaccination centers in those areas first. Encourage States, Localities, Tribes and Territories to share thier mitigation steps and result in this portal as well so that lessons can be learned. Make this system publically available.
- Create a system that tracks what tests have been done, what tests needs to be done, frequency of tests required and what States, Localities, Tribes and Territories did after tests were administered.
- Create a system that pulls in contact tracing data from all States, Localities, Tribes and Territories. Use this data to determine movement of the virus across jurisdictions.
- Create a system that tracks what communities are underserved.
- Create a system that tracks supplies, usage, disposal and waste.
- Create a system that automatically tracks virus data from other countries, it spread rate and any mitigatrion strategies that proved helpful in reducing infections.
For delivering immediate relief to working families bearing the brunt of this crisis:
- Create a system that takes into account the cost of living for government assistance so that States, Localities, Tribes and Territories support can effetively be augmented by the U.S. Federal Government.
- Create a system that tracks assistance of healthy nutrition options in relation to health issues in that community.
- Create a system that tracks which organizations do not provide paid sick leave to their employees.
- Create a system that tracks which organizations do not give $15/hour to thier employees.
- Create a system that tracks which organizations do not provide back hazard pay to their employees.
For providing critical support to struggling communities:
- Create a system that provides seed funding to individuals especially people of color to easily start businesses.
- Create a system that incentivizes and tracks States, Localities, Tribes and Territories public transit efforts.

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Discipline

Unity

Empathy

Trust

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Expand and Improve Technology Modernization Fund (TMF)

Surge Cybersecurity Technology and Engineering Expert Hiring

Build Shared, Secure Services to Drive Transformation Projects

Improving Security Monitoring and Incident Response Activities

Other Areas Where IT can Help

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