War Between Business and IT

Susan Cramm's forthcoming book, 8 Things We Hate About IT: How to Move Beyond the Frustrations to Form a New Partnership With IT (Harvard Business Press, March 2010), examines the frustrations common to the business-IT relationship. "Nobody hates the people in IT, but everybody - business and IT leaders alike- hates the current IT system," says Cramm, founder and president of the IT leadership firm Valuedance.

Her list of eight hates was validated by a 2009 survey of business and IT leaders. It's built around issues facing organizations, and includes perspectives from both sides.

Line leaders hate when IT is overly bureaucratic and control oriented.

IT leaders hate when the business makes half-baked requests and is clueless about impact.

Line leaders hate when IT consists of condescending techies who don't listen.

IT leaders hate when the business treats IT professionals like untrustworthy servant-genies.

Line leaders hate when IT is reactive rather than proactive.

IT leaders hate when the business develops plans without including IT.

Line leaders hate when IT proposes "deluxe" when "good enough" will do.

IT leaders hate when the business focuses on costs and not value.

Line leaders hate when IT doesn't deliver on time.

IT leaders hate when the business changes its mind all the time.

Line leaders hate when IT doesn't understand the true needs of the business.

IT leaders hate when the business wants it all - right now - regardless of ROI.

Line leaders hate when IT doesn't support innovation.

IT leaders hate when the business isn't IT-smart and doesn't use or understand IT systems.

Line leaders hate when IT inhibits business change.

IT leaders hate when the business is never satisfied with IT.

Important BOOKS,2010

8 Things We Hate About IT

By Susan Cramm
Harvard Business Press
Available March 22, 2010
The leadership coach and former CIO explains how business executives and operatives should understand IT—and how the two sides can work together for mutual success.

The Practical CIO: A Common-Sense Guide for Successful IT Leadership
By Jose Carlos Eiras
Wiley
Available Feb. 15, 2010
The former international CIO outlines the new reality for IT leaders, with anecdotes and perspectives from a number of IT leaders.

Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results
By Thomas Davenport, Jeanne Harris and Robert Morison.
Harvard Business Press
Available Feb. 12, 2010
The follow-up to Competing on Analytics offers a step-by-step framework for companies to use analytics to make better decisions.

Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face
By Richard S. Tedlow
Portfolio Hardcover
Available March 4, 2010
The Harvard Business School professor looks at why some companies ignore challenges and problems, while others succeed by meeting them head-on.

Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard

By Chip and Dan Heath

Broadway

Available Feb. 16, 2010

The sibling academics, who co-wrote Made to Stick, return with a guide for understanding why the human brain resists change, with examples of how to turn those challenges on their heads.

Lords of Strategy: The Secret Intellectual History of the New Corporate World
By Walter Kiechel
Harvard Business Press
Available March 3, 2010
How three consulting leaders and an academic brought corporate strategy to the forefront—and changed business as we know it.

Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It
By Marshall Goldsmith
Hyperion
Available Feb. 2, 2010
The renowned executive coach explains how leaders can harness their identity, achievement and reputation to reach the full potential.

The Right Fight: How Great Leaders Use Healthy Conflict to Drive Performance, Innovation, and Value
By Saj-nicole Joni and Damon Beyer
HarperBusiness
Available Feb. 2, 2010
The founder of Cambridge International teams with a Booz & Company consultant to explain how corporate leaders can channel conflict to get better results.

Seizing the White Space: Business Model Innovation for Growth and Renewal
By Mark Johnson
Harvard Business Press
Available Feb. 22, 2010
A primer on the art of business model innovation, from the chairman of Innosight, which was co-founded by Harvard Business School’s Clayton Christensen.

The Death of Modern Management: How to Lead in the New World Disorder
By Jo Owen
Wiley
Available Feb. 1, 2010
A how-to guide for rewriting the rules of management following the global economic collapse, by the author and consultant.

Reorganize for Resilience: Putting Customers at the Center of Your Business
By Ranjay Gulati
Harvard Business Press
Available Jan. 9, 2010
The Harvard Business School professor uses a decade of research to reveal five key elements that successful companies employ to build effective customer strategies.

Hyperformance: Using Competitive Intelligence for Better Strategy and Execution
By T.J. Waters
Jossey-Bass
Available March 8, 2010
The intelligence expert and former business executive outlines a strategy for understanding the competition and staying ahead of the pack.

Beating the Commodity Trap: How to Maximize Your Competitive Position and Increase Your Pricing Power
By Richard D'Aveni
Harvard Business Press
Available Jan. 12, 2010
The Dartmouth professor and consultant argues that any company can become commoditized—and offers ways to avoid falling into that trap.

How the Best Leaders Lead
By Brian Tracy
AMACOM
Available Feb. 3, 2010
The author and consultant chronicles the leadership secrets of business executives from 1,000 companies in 52 countries.

The China Strategy: Harnessing the Power of the World's Fastest-Growing Economy
By Edward Tse
Basic Books
Available March 23, 2010
Booz & Company’s China chief explains the four drivers for changing the way companies do business in the world’s economic juggernaut.