You often hear the concept “IT-business alignment” or “IT in the business” being discussed among CIO circles. This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
It's not about alignment – it's about integration. There is no special distinction for “IT in the business.” We are part of the business just like the chief marketing officer and the chief financial officer. The CIO is no different. IT should be part of the very fabric of the business, not an afterthought.
Why? Because when IT is an afterthought, that's when every shiny new technology is thrown over the fence to the CIO. How can this gadget help the company? What are we doing with the Internet of Things?
For a CIO to be fully integrated into the business, they need to be having lunch with business leaders, sitting beside them, working with them and proactively educating them on the new technology on the horizon. In time, when a business leader determines a problem they are trying to solve or a goal they are trying to accomplish, they will turn to IT first to collaborate on a strategy.
IT integration will help solve “shiny object syndrome” and ensure that the organization as a whole – IT included – is working to drive competitive advantage and business outcomes with technology.
