A persistent challenge highlighted in the 2023 State of DevOps Report is the alignment gap between IT and business teams. Silos continue to hinder shared goals and outcomes. As leaders in the modern digital landscape, how can we build bridges across functional divides?
The Costs of Misalignment
When IT and business units operate in silos, costs stack up:
Wasted time from miscommunications and rework across disconnected teams
Duplicated efforts on redundant tools/solutions due to lack of coordination
Delayed or deprecated solutions from unclear requirements and poor partnerships
Customer experience issues from poorly integrated systems
Slowed innovation without shared vision and accountability
Culture issues like blame and mistrust across organizational splits
Leaders play a key role in cultivating connections and cooperation that enable the smooth flow of information, transparent priorities, and unified mission.
Strategies for Strengthening Bonds
Here are some ways leaders can bridge the IT/business divide:
Implement cross-functional teams that blend both technology and business experts. Shared goals and knowledge unify.
Increase transparency between teams by providing visibility into systems, data, projects. Eliminate black boxes.
Develop shared services vs siloed functions. Common tools and practices unite.
Foster an empathetic, psychologically safe culture across the org. Take down walls.
Coach integrated product teams - don't just mandate solutions. Customize to constraints.
Prioritize improving collaboration and relationships over mandating adoption. Change takes trust.
The bottom line is that while specialized expertise has advantages, we must thoughtfully weave cross-disciplinary connections. Silos drain potential. Leaders should consciously role model empathy, transparency, and cooperation.
The challenge of bridging divides persists, but is surmountable through care, courage and commitment. If you would like to discuss further how we can coach your organization toward greater alignment, please don't hesitate to reach out. Now is the time for bridge building.