FY2026 - the year IT takes its place at the leadership table

I often see IT permanently on the backburner. Everyone knows it's important. Everyone knows that when something bad happens in IT, things are going to get difficult. Yet it's still viewed in a similar regard to a utility bill. We know we have to have it; but done poorly or at a bare minimum it's just seen as a negative cost to the business and it's hard to see the benefits it can deliver. This is particularly true when IT support is in a constant cycle of putting out fires, as opposed to having the time and space to add real value.

Companies that have already elevated IT from the backburner are investing in it, quickly see the advantages. Good IT lets them grow. It lets them be better than their competitors.

Poor IT, done as an afterthought or at a bare minimum can leave your business:

• exposed to a heightened level of risk
• running slowly and inefficiently
• with unhappy and frustrated customers.

I know I'm biased but, IT really is central to running a business. It keeps the systems running, your people working and your clients connected to you. Great IT that has a voice at the leadership table not only delivers this, but also supports:

• improved efficiency
• increased productivity
• first class customer experiences.

In short, IT done well can help your business move forward, faster. Neglected IT on the other hand, can really slow your business growth down and impact negatively on your company reputation.

When IT has a voice and is a core focus (and not only when there's a problem) it removes technology blockers and relieves staff frustration. In turn, this drives internal efficiency, productivity, and employee happiness.

I think we can recall a time when we've felt let down by our IT systems or have been frustrated at what's felt like a tool or process that's hindering efficiency or collaboration. When we scratch below the surface in situations like this, we often find that the approach to IT and IT support hasn't considered crucial aspects of a business such as:

• key business objectives
• end-user experience
• balancing budget with risk and growth
• time to plan.

Often when business planning is done, it is assumed that IT will just play the role it needs to. Problems arise however, if this assumption is made without truly understanding the current IT capabilities of the business, the current availability for IT support and the actual skill level and understanding of end-users in the business. This is where having a regularly reviewed IT roadmap that's built alongside and with consideration of the broader business strategy and objectives really comes into play.

I'm not advocating fo IT to be leading all conversations or to become a gatekeeper of projects. Rather by giving a voice to IT and considering how IT support can help move a project or a business forward faster at the planning stages, a successful outcome is more likely for the business. In situations where this is the case, IT has been given a platform and time to:



• align their strategy and planning to overarching business goals and strategy
• identify gaps in user knowledge and plan around that
• understand exposure to risk and plan to mitigate where necessary.

It's easy to write about best practice but applying this in a business can be hard. An example that's relevant to most of us these days, is AI. As it's entered the mainstream many people are using AI tools such as Chat GPT and Microsoft Copilot for both personal and professional purposes. In a personal capacity, people are free to use these tools as they wish. They are their own personal IT team, there to review risk versus gain and manage their usage to a level that they feel comfortable with.

In a professional setting however, we're meeting many businesses who know AI tools are being used by employees (or they've assumed this) but haven't implemented any actual plan on AI yet. Faced with the new and unknown many either just ignore the issue (increasing their exposure to risk) or take the exact opposite approach and put a blanket ban on AI use in the workplace.

Applying the thinking of good IT empowers growth, then in my books, rolling out AI would look something like this:

Step one

The business agrees that AI needs to be a focus and forms a project team. This team includes not only staff that are empowered and impacted on a daily basis, but also an IT representative who has the capacity to guide from a technical perspective and from a practical perspective about how to get the most out of tools and effectively train people.

Step two

Collaborating as a cross-business group, the project team develops a roadmap for rolling out AI. Together they've been able to plan out:

• the best overall AI approach and any policies required
• how to get the most from the roll-out of AI
• what AI tools will be best and lead to positive ROI
• how to mitigate against the risks AI introduces
• which staff to train and empower as a pilot group
• how to track and review the real impact of AI usage.

And as all of this was worked through as a group, decisions haven't been made in isolation or without necessary technical knowledge. With group consensus and technical checks in place, the project team can quickly move forward with implementation and are less likely to encounter roadblocks during implementation.

And while most things don't roll out bump-free, taking an approach where IT is included in the project from the outset rather than entering as a gatekeeper down the track, a business is far more likely to see faster adoption rates, greater ROI and a better experience for both employees and customers alike as new tools are introduced.

If this has sparked a fire in your mind but you're not 100% sure where to start, I'd love to sit down and have a chat about practical ways to give your IT roadmap and IT support a more integrated role in your overall business strategy.

Get in touch with us here, for a no-strings attached chat or email me directly on kevin@computerculture.co.nz.