The role of the IT director on the company board will
disappear in the next five years, according to management guru
David Taylor.
Taylor, who begins a regular column in Computer Weekly on 22
February, predicted that the board-level IT director's role will be
consumed by the director for business operations.
"In enlightened companies there will be a director responsible for
all processes and operations within an organisation, ensuring areas
such as customer services are delivered and enhanced," said Taylor,
who is president of IT director's organisation NCC-Certus and
author of bestselling management book The Naked Leader.
"The role will also involve [overseeing] considerable
administration and supply chain management," he said.
On the plus side, Taylor said IT directors are well-placed to fill
this new role. However, he added that a persuasive personality
would be more important than in-depth knowledge of technology for
ambitious IT directors who want a seat on the board.
"The greatest irony is that IT directors' IT training does not
matter one hoot," he said.
IT leaders urged to drop the victim
mentality>>
In the series of columns to appear in Computer Weekly, Taylor will
outline the key challenges facing IT directors and the skills
needed to deal with them.
His managerial blueprint comes at a time when IT departments are
grappling with the demands of corporate financial regulations and
are under pressure to demonstrate the value of IT investment to
sceptical boards.
' Drop the victim mentality, p20