InformationWeek
Defining The Business Value Of Technology
August 24, 1998
Crossing Over
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Nevertheless, Crowther and other crossover executives are bringing a broader vision to their jobs and to the use of technology in their companies. Bert Young, who is now CIO and VP of administration at Whittman-Hart, an IT management company in Chicago, also uses his business experience to extend his staff's reach beyond the immediate impact of a decision. "He's very good at predicting what the human resources department, financial department, and senior management will think about an implementation," says Laura Fordanski, a senior project manager who works for Young. "His business and financial background helps him to sell the technology division."Staff Resistance
But the move from business into IT wasn't easy, Young says. In his previous job at Waste Management, Young encountered resistance from his new IT staffers, he says. The company had laid off a third of its IT personnel right before he took the job.
"There was low morale already," Young says. "Then this new guy comes in who they didn't know and who they thought didn't know the issues."
With hindsight, however, Young says he's better off having come from business. "What businesses do we have today that don't run on technology?" he asks. "The more a businessperson can understand the value of IT and vice versa, the better off you'll be."
In addition to enhancements to productivity, customer relationships, and IT's reputation, there is yet another benefit to crossing over: happier employees. "I'm enjoying myself more now than I have in a long time," says Cummins' Crowther, who never planned on IT being a part of his career. "This is a complete new challenge and learning experience."
For the topped-out CIO, moving into the business side means career advancement without having to leave the company.
"This gives you a multidimensional work environment," explains Owens Corning's Radcliff, who encourages employees to cross over. "In terms of long-term careers and employee retention, this type of change is about as good as it can get."
The new VP, having just come from the user side, was able to speak for users. Crowther's emphasis on communication was noticed by the IT staff, says Rich Dlesk, an executive director at Cummins who works for Crowther. "It comes from his marketing background," Dlesk says. "It's an area he's championing that's different from a person with an IT background."
While Crowther's business ties and tenure in the company work to his IT organization's advantage, there's a downside to having an IT chief with limited technical knowledge. He must turn to others with more experience when there's no clear, easy answer to a problem, Dlesk says.
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Illustration by Grey Ivor Morris
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