IT mangers are plagued with a sense of regret at work
with many believing they have failed to reach their true potential,
a survey by the Chartered Management Institute
reveals.
More that a third of the 141 IT managers surveyed regularly look
backed over their careers, wishing that they had developed new
skills. One in five believe they could have progressed more quickly
by “taking more risks” and two thirds think they should have “asked
more questions of their peers and their colleagues”.
The majority of IT managers cite bureaucracy as the main
stumbling block to success at work, and 22% say they are held back
by lack of resources. Junior and mid-level managers are more likely
to blame stress, than senior managers. And female managers are more
likely to identify lack of internal support.
Despite the setbacks, 58% of IT managers claim to be energetic
at work. Over half want to take on new projects and a similar
proportion say “they go the extra mile” to achieve success.
However, more women than men say they constantly try to beat
targets or deadlines.
The survey also identifies the factors that have most helped IT
managers develop their careers. Networking, developing experience
within one organisation, and cross functional working came top of
the list. A smaller proportion of managers also identified
professional qualifications and mentoring as important.
Many IT managers admit they are not keeping up to date with
current market trends. Just over half agree they are well informed
about budgetary or financial management issues, and only 39% agree
or agree strongly that they are aware of competitor
information.