CIO Straight Talk - Issue 7 - 42

42

Business value is the only reason

and bring them together. I want that

we in IT exist. The skills required

hard-core tech guy who can make

to deliver value in today's dynamic

the best solution better, but if I don't

environment are more wide ranging

have someone with the consultative

than ever, resulting in a new success

and relationship building skills to get

formula for IT professionals. I believe

the business to adopt that technology,

that my organization, comprising

we won't deliver any return. We must

talented people with the right

master that formula every time.

mind-set, has validated this new

Just having a team with

formula by generating tremendous

complementary skills won't lead to

value for Merck Animal Health, a

success in IT, though. To deploy those

$3.4 billion business with 6,500

skills effectively, everyone on the

employees worldwide.

team needs a new mind-set.

Success in IT was once based on

Traditionally, IT has been

a single competence: technology

hierarchical. You have a job

expertise. Today, success requires

description - that's what you do.

three broad competencies.

You don't know what's happening

Technology, and especially

to the left or right of you. This is

data, expertise remains critical,

an ineffective model that leads

particularly given the rapid

to inefficiencies and sub-optimal

innovation in our industry. But a deep

solutions. On my team, each person

understanding of the business and

invests time building networks of

its processes is also needed, in order

contacts, across organizational

to earn IT a seat at the table with its

boundaries and without regard to

business partners. Finally, the ability

hierarchy. It is these networks that

to lead change - change related

enable us to create value for

to the deployment and adoption of

the organization.

new technologies, processes, and

It's also important for members

even business models - has become

of our team to be able to deal

indispensable. Only when all three

with intense ambiguity. With the

come together can IT deliver real

rapid pace of change in technology

value to the business.

and in our industry, we need IT

The Right Mind-Set

professionals who can adapt, be
flexible, and make rapid (and
informed) decisions.

Not everyone in the IT organization

Perhaps most important, I look for

is proficient in technology, business

people who know how to market and

knowledge, and driving change. It

sell our IT services and solutions and

simply isn't practical to assume that

are intensely focused on our business

every person in the IT organization is

partners. We can't sit in our offices

going to possess that triumvirate.

and wait for business partners to

As an IT leader, it is my job to

come ask for IT solutions. It's our job

seek out individuals who possess

to market and sell IT solutions that

certain aspects of those capabilities

can drive value.

CIO Straight Talk | 34

I look for people
who know how to
market and sell our IT
services and solutions
and are intensely
focused on our business
partners. We can't sit
in our offices and wait
for business partners
to come ask for IT
solutions. It's our job
to market and sell IT
solutions that can
drive value.
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 7

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CIO Straight Talk - Issue 7
