The IT Leadership Deal

This aside, what is culture? (today), how can we change it? (tomorrow) and why is it so important when it comes to helping our customers? (Friday)....

What is culture? One word, many definitions, all with one common strand. Find that one single, recurring theme, and we have the "answer," or at least choice of answer. And what every definition of culture has in common, is you. You are the culture of your organisation - because you are your organisation. So next time someone refers to culture, they are referring to themselves. Take ownership of this in your IT team and you will take ownership of so much. Don't, and you won't...

How can we change the culture of our organisations? (today), and why is it so important when it comes to helping our customers? (Friday)....

We change the culture of our organisations by changing ourselves. Full stop. The answer to the $64 million question - why can't organisations change? Organisations can't change because organisation is a 12 letter word, meaning a legal entity of a group of people who have come together for a period of time to achieve a particular goal. They can never change, only people can, and they because they choose to. Culture = You, Organisation = You/Us. Another full stop.

Why is changing the culture of our organisations? (ourselves) so critical to helping our customers?

And I mean proper customers, those that keep us in our jobs. The idea that business is about making money is a myth, business is about delighting customers - making money is the result.

Here's the rub, if we can't look after ourselves - by taking ownership of our cultures as ourselves, and making new and better choices, then this will show to our customers and potential customers. We will talk about our organisation in a negative way with friends (we are really talking about ourselves), we will tell customers that their issues are "nothing to do with us," and most crucially, we will be focused on our own internal issues, rather than their external needs.

In IT, make sure your decision makers are customer facing, and that they can make decisions. Complement IT customer systems with human beings, and make sure your web-site is customer not company focused.

As a CEO said to me recently:

IT will arrive when, and only when, they realise they are here to help, and serve and wow our customers as much as anyone else.

So, what are you personally going to do?

1. Something?

or

2. Nothing?