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January 2007:
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Article: Why women don't get to the top. |
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June 2006:
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Accenture Study - The Anatomy of the Glass Ceiling |
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| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | WOMEN TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN ITC AND BUSINESS?
Failed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) projects are common and ICT solutions often do not meet the expectations of business clients. Business and IT experts often have a negative perception of each other, resulting in interpersonal relationship problems in the business-ICT interface. To create customer value and a competitive advantage in today’s technological environment, the gap between business experts (who know what must be done) and technology experts (who know how to do it) must be filled.
Research was recently done through an online survey to determine the perceptions of 127 female ICT leaders in South Africa about bridging the business-ICT gap through effective ICT leadership, service delivery and relationship building (referred to as business-ICT fusion). The women regarded the following reasons for non-fusion as significant (in descending order):
- Ineffective communication skills (e.g. no clear communication processes between business and ICT)
- Lack of knowledge transfer between ICT and the business (they don't understand each other's worlds)
- Inappropriate skills, attributes and attitudes of IT personnel (technical-, business- and especially soft skills)
- Business managers do not take enough responsibility for the business-ICT relationship
The research emphasised that many of the issues in the business-ICT interface are related to people and their behaviour, as ICT is not about technology anymore – it is about providing an effective service by solving the real business need and maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships. This demands skills such as intuition, empathy, the ability to work with ambiguity and uncertainty, where asking the right questions is more important than having all the answers.
In the modern organisation both business and technology leaders need to be learners, listeners, adapters, storytellers and nurturers[1]. Women are known to have such special attributes and characteristics and the question should be asked: “Are female ICT leaders well-suited to bridge the gap between ICT and business, and yet they are underrepresented in these positions?” I sincerely believe that it will be the women of South Africa who will thrive in leadership positions in future and restore some of the much needed balance that has been missing in the business-IT interface.
[1] Coats, K. What women want – The future of leadership.
Fortune Magazine, October 2003.
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March 2006:
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RED article on Sex Discrimination Act |
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| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Please click here to send an interesting article/piece that you would like to share with the Women in IT Community. | | |
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