How Do You Know What You Don’t Know?

Congratulations, we’ve made it through the first quarter of 2018!

Usually, the first few months of the year are spent working out the kinks in your strategic plan and fumbling around with planning and KPI software (…or is that just me?). I hope you are getting your stride and hitting your 2018 milestones. 

Now’s the time when business owners and executives typically start thinking hard about using technology as a competitive advantage. Tax season is behind us, and many companies have begun focusing on Information Technology (IT) related objectives.

The problem is, many people have very little idea about how to approach the subject of IT problems and opportunities.

The term “Information Technology” is vast and covers a lot of ground. It can be very troublesome to business executives, since the definition of “IT” frequently means “everything involving a computer or the Internet.” 

However, IT is much like medicine in that there are specialties within the broader field. When someone goes to medical school, they pick a specialty, like cardiology, pediatrics, orthopedics, or internal medicine. Would you want a cardiologist performing your knee surgery?

IT is very similar.

I've spent my entire professional life consulting, and I have a degree in Business and Information Technology. If you put me and another IT professional in the same room, changes are, we’ll know and understand what the other is talking about. But we won't be experts in each other’s specialties. 

I frequently tell folks that I have 58 IT professionals on staff, and we most certainly do not know it all. However, for our specialty, we’re very good. How does this help you? Whether you have an internal IT department or you outsource, you may need to reach out to specialists to reach your specific business goals using computers, software, or Internet.

One of the things I have been told that I do well is help business owners and executives see their way to their goals by providing ideas on how to reach a particular business goal with technology.  Sometimes you just need someone to hear your ideas and help process them into action.

Sometimes you just need someone to hear your ideas and help process them into action.

I am happy to listen if you want to talk. 

Make it a great May,

Marty

Related: 7 Information Technology Buzzwords Decoded