5 Surefire Ways to Bring Your Business Objectives Full Circle with Technology

All small to mid-sized company owners want to know where their dollar is being spent when it comes to computer technology in their organization. The challenge is for them to get the information they need to make the right purchasing decisions. 'Tell me in English why you think we need this technology in our company?' That question goes through every company owner's mind and mouth. Getting the answer that makes sense to them is another story. How can the people in charge of your company understand what the value is of specific technology if their computer support people cannot articulate why it is so important?

This guide will assist every company owner in understanding how to communicate with your technical consultant so technical recommendations are applied, understood and the full potential of technology is realized throughout the company. After all, your technical consultant wants you to appreciate what they do. And you will not be able to appreciate it until you understand how it effectively applies to you.

Company Objectives- Understanding your company objectives is not a one way street. This information cannot be kept with upper management. Share it with your technical consultant. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Big picture- Your technical consultant must understand how the company functions as a whole. They must understand the duties of the different departments. How else will the company be able to apply technology to the business's everyday processes if those processes are never articulated?

Changing with the times- Just because a technical consultant has worked in an environment for 'a couple years' does not automatically mean they are aware of changes to the intricacies of the company's business functions. Just like technology, business strategies change. It's important to consistently keep them in the know when these changes occur at the business level.

A picture is worth a thousand words- Tell you're technical consultant to chart out why they recommend a specific technology. Managers love colors and charts. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Define; Measure; Analyze; Improve; Control. As long as every project is measurably articulated in the following order, upper management will have no issues understanding what is being recommended and how to proceed in the future. None of the steps above should be skipped. This is very important. The clearer the projects are defined quantitatively, the easier it will be to control processes going forward.

Anthony Licate is the President of Spidernet Technical Consulting, LLC (http://www.spidernetconsulting.com). The company provides technical computer network, ecommerce and wireless enterprise data services in and around the Philadelphia area. He has worked with multiple types of businesses to strategize, re-align and implement technology. He can be reached at aj@spidernetconsulting.com or by phone at 215.508.1036.

---

Truth or Consequences: How to Give Employee Feedback

In the bestseller, Good to Great, Jim Collins discovered that,... Read More

Hiring and Retaining Good Employees

Hiring good employees is not only important to business, it's... Read More

Key Control ? Who Has the Keys to Your Kingdom?

Key control, or more accurately the lack of key control... Read More

Four Corners of a Triangle: Why Organizations Succeed or Fail

When we want to hire people for a corporation or... Read More

Making Assumptions - A Critical Communication Mistake In Business And In Your Personal Life!

We draw conclusions about people through observation, their behavior, past... Read More

Survival of the Fittest: The Road to Human Extinction

I was watching a TV program some months ago about... Read More

Creating a Team Working Environment

TEAM DECISION MAKING: Managers who invite participation believe that people... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Become An Effective Executive

In his book, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker pointed out... Read More

Influencing Change - A Guide for Sellers, Coaches, and Supervisors

When people or groups make a decision to purchase something,... Read More

Cheat Sheet; Understanding The MSDS and Your Obligations In The Workplace To Employees

MSDS SHEETSMSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheets. MSDS sheets... Read More

Project Heroes

Project heroes. We've all heard of them. Some of us... Read More

Towards Intercultural Understanding

An individual's ability to forge effective relationships across cultures is... Read More

Take Control of Your Paper in 3 Easy Steps

Do you have piles of paper on your desk. Many... Read More

A Management Strategy

I witnessed some interesting behaviour from one of our premier... Read More

Innovation Management ? some ideas are better than others

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

A Tricky Supervision Challenge

Many managers believe that treating their team members as responsible... Read More

Collaboration: 3 Keys to Keeping Your Documents from Getting Lost in the Shuffle

Often, collaborating documents in a team or in a business... Read More

How to Say No

Rejection hurts. No one likes to give it or to... Read More

Employee Success! - 7 Ways Feedback Works

By sharing how well you are doing and how well... Read More

Innovation Management and Brainstorming Management ? why people hate to brainstorm!

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

The Communications Myth

Living in the 21st Century is truly marvelous, isn't it?... Read More

If You Build It, Investors Will Come

When you begin to write your business plan or a... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Improving Workplace Safety

This article relates to the Safety and Working Environment competency... Read More

Got A Meeting Planned? Ask This Question

Meetings ? they are a fact of our business lives.... Read More

Uncommon Common Sense ? Know What is the Most Important Thing in Your Business

Over 3 of my meetings with 3 business owners last... Read More

Sharing the Reins: 10 Reasons To Sell Your Company To Your Employees

In 1987 I sold my business, South Mountain Company, to... Read More

Thoughts on Empowerment

People are empowered when they are given the authority and... Read More

Forecasting Support Costs

Did you know that maintenance accounts for 50% to 80%... Read More

Will a Workplace Bully Bankrupt Your Company?

Safeguard Your Company Against Harrassment ClaimsTwenty-five percent of employees suffer... Read More

Inventory Management 101

Inventory management may seem complicated to some, but if one... Read More

Four Employee Behaviors That Can Kill Your Business

I found it important to clarify for employees what "deal-breaker"... Read More

Dealing with Marginal Performers: The Therapeutic Approach

--PREPARATION: The purpose of the therapeutic approach is to spark... Read More

Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk Part 3

To develop and deliver a great Leadership Talk, you must... Read More