Telecom & Technology Consulting
Many of today’s CIOs and CTOs have career aspirations that go beyond the realm of technology. More than mere tacticians and implementers, they possess the strategic vision that can foster long-term organizational goals. The problem is, other executives in the company, as well as the board, may not be aware of their deeper capabilities.
This is where technology leaders must make an impression when discussing the initiatives they’re currently overseeing and planning for in the near future. Talk of digital transformation, risk management programs, and software upgrades, on the surface, mean little to non-technical executives. However, those folks will surely be impressed when you convey how a specific project has delivered specific business value. It comes down to age-old fundamentals about communication: Discuss the benefits of the initiative while avoiding jargon. As you illustrate your business acumen, others will realize you have the know-how to sit at the strategic table.
Business value can mean recuperating infrastructure costs, faster speed to market, improved employee efficiency, and other tangible benefits. Be as specific as possible with results, and show stats to back up the claim – 24% increase in sales leads, 18% decrease in employee downtime. Overall, align the information you provide to the individual’s top strategic priorities.
Beyond specific numbers, be sure to mention how you’re employing technology to drive company growth. This is an issue that’s top-of-mind for board members, perhaps even more than revenue. And for them, growth can mean disruption opportunities, capturing more market share, expanding into new categories, and monetization.
Don’t limit yourself to only past company growth results, or what’s currently taking place. Provide your vision for the future – for where the business needs to go and how technology can take it there. Which technology can be the catalyst for future revenue opportunities? How can technology enable the development of new employee skills, which in turn can lead to more product/service offerings?
Also get intimately familiar with the company’s strategic plans. Study business plans, marketing strategies, and internal presentations to discuss how technology can foster the goals contained within those documents. Instead of focusing on the arcane details of a roll-out or implementation, convey the practical benefits of your ideas in plain language.
This approach is especially important when’s there’s pushback or skepticism. Don’t discuss what the technology does, and instead clarify your argument using high-level concepts. For example, the project will increase competitive advantage, boost market share, create new revenue streams, improve customer experiences, enable more cross-sell opportunities, provide teams with in-demand skills – you get the point. In summary, show how you’re not managing technology projects, but rather how you’re helping the organization adapt in order to reach its full potential.
Executives will undoubtedly ask about your plans and investment ideas around emerging technology. Think AI and blockchain, as well as larger pursuits like digital transformation. But senior leaders across all non-technical departments are not interested in the actual implementation or technical details. As such, in this scenario, as mentioned earlier, discuss the business value that’s been created since those technologies have been weaved into the company’s technical ecosystem.
Share how AI has spurred employee productivity, enabled quicker decision-making, improved call center success, reduced the amount of abandoned shopping carts, optimized supply chains, and decreased employee turnover. Back up these claims with facts and figures, and well-researched projections for additional success down the line.
Technology is nothing but a tool that allows organizations to achieve specific objectives and capitalize on business opportunities. Show others in the C-suite how you’re enabling those goals, and you’ll be well on your way to more strategic career options.
