Smart Leaders Count on the Goldsmiths of IT

These are uncertain times and the world is becoming increasingly complex. That calls for a new type of leader. Having a dominant, all-knowing CEO, who everyone in the company chases after, is useless – not only because none of the employees will accept it, but also because it is simply impossible for one person to know everything and to base good strategic decisions on that knowledge. A wise and successful CEO is humble – he knows what he doesn’t know, takes advice from the best experts and puts his trust in them.

Trust and Responsibility

Unfortunately, often when you look at the top of an organization, you still see a certain type of know-it-all. Someone who always knows better, or at least, they think they do.

Just like many entrepreneurs, when their businesses grow, they desperately hold on to the way they have always done things… It has to be their way and they want to control everything, even though the employees they have hired over time have much more expertise in the various fields – whether that be technology, marketing, human resources, logistics or IT.

The really good entrepreneur surrounds himself with people who are better than him, giving them trust and responsibility. He sees performance and numbers improve as a result. He knows his place and his limitations. Moreover, by not interfering in everything, he keeps time and energy for what he himself is good at, namely, entrepreneurship.

Setting a Good Example

As a citizen, you would like to see the same thing happening to the government. Whether it’s a city council, ministry, agency or implementing body. If I confine myself to my own field, IT, I am pleased to see positive developments in many areas. In any case, there is a growing awareness that information-driven and data-driven organizations can demonstrate better policy-making and provide better services. But, the path to achieving this is not easy, nor is it a straight line.

What is certain is that you will not succeed if you keep doing what you have always done in the same way you’ve always done it. You have to step out of your comfort zone, to take a step back. And, the CEO or minister has to set a good example. That requires both boldness and curiosity; research and experimentation – not running round like a headless chicken, but with well-thought-out policy, a clear sense of direction and with IT in a central place. Data is the new gold, it is often said, but then you have to know how to find it, how to mine it and by melting it down and reshaping it, how to realize its full potential value.

Board of Technology

It is therefore essential to bring the right expertise on board, the goldsmiths of IT – for example, an external committee or, as we do with HonorIT, a Board of Technology. This board is composed of a broad range of specialists and is always geared to what really matters. Sometimes it’s an acute problem, sometimes a strategic vision of the future.

It’s okay to be critical, but, above all, transformation requires trust, so make sure that you buy or hire quality – because one thing is certain: If you gather the wrong people around you, you will end up making the wrong decisions.