All posts by jjones

Today’s business challenges aren’t getting any easier. Markets are complicated, competition is fierce, and technology is constantly changing. An expert management consultant can help you navigate rough waters, but how do you find the right one for your needs? Here are some basic traits to look for in your ideal match.

Ability to Listen

Your initial few minutes with a consultant can be very telling. Observe their ability to listen and understand your unique objectives, issues, and pain points. The ideal candidate will elicit communication, extrapolate key obstacles, and encourage collaboration among staff, peers, and executive leadership. This process will help get to the root of your challenges before problem-solving even begins.

Creative Problem-Solving Skills

It’s often easier to diagnose a problem than it is to truly solve it. The best consultants can describe how they’ve applied creative thinking to solve issues similar to yours. Candidates should be able to clearly articulate how they approach a variety of challenges and design innovative, pragmatic solutions that advance their clients’ business goals.

Values that Reflect Your Enterprise

As in any profession, management consultants have a wide range of business and personal values. When you bring in an expert from outside your company, you’ll want to make sure they embody the traits you admire. Do they value quality of service as much as the bottom line? Do they take employee satisfaction seriously? Talk to their references and read between the lines as they describe their role in previous engagements. It should soon become clear whether you would be proud to have this person set an example for your staff.

Excellent Interpersonal Skills

The best consultants not only solve problems, but also communicate effectively, build relationships, and maintain trust. Make sure you will feel comfortable discussing confidential information about your business with every candidate. Also consider whether your staff will relate well to their approach and disposition. These relationships can significantly impact the success of your engagement, and ultimately, your organization’s future.

To learn more about the qualities of a great management consultant, I recommend this article in ConsultingFact.com. To find out if iSeek is the match you’re looking for, call or e-mail us today!

The role of the business solutions architect is emerging as a critical force in the transformation of today’s enterprise. If the term is new to you, you’re probably wondering what it means and how such an expert can move your business forward. Let’s explore.

WHAT DOES A BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT DO?
A business solutions architect, also known as a business architect, works with organizational executives to develop structures, processes, and technology plans for continuous improvement within an enterprise. Responsibilities may include:

Analyze the effectiveness of existing organizational structures, systems, and workflows
Create business capability maps that model what your business will do to reach its objectives
Work closely with the IT organization to ensure technology aligns with business strategy
Help determine whether to insource or outsource a capability, or whether to undertake a specific investment or acquisition
Provide risk assessments and compliance recommendations
Identify cost reduction and revenue-generation opportunities
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS ARE NEEDED?
So why is it important to view this role as both an art and a science? According to Computer Weekly, “Business architects have a rare combination of business domain knowledge, process experience, transformation talents, methodology skills, and a winning personality that helps with communication and business change management.”

Sound like a tall order? It can be! Add that to the fact the position is often best suited to someone looking for a limited-term commitment. That’s why more businesses are choosing to hire an experienced consultant to help them navigate 21st century business imperatives.

Want to know more? Sources such as the Architectures Center of Excellence serve as a hub for information and collaboration to advance this growing profession.

Can your business benefit from a business solutions architect? E-mail or call us and let’s discuss! If you like this post, please let us know, subscribe and share using the buttons below!

Business imperatives can become urgent quickly, tempting decision-makers to chase the latest hardware or software they believe will accelerate their success. However, after years of piecing together disparate devices and applications, savvy executives understand that adding technology for its own sake will not grow your organization. When deployed haphazardly, even the latest technical innovations can impede your progress.

The bottom line is, you cannot meet business goals through technology alone. Instead, you need a carefully planned strategy that aligns the right technology with your business goals and objectives. In an era of increasing competition, strained budgets, and high customer expectations, aligning strategy and technology is vital to today’s enterprise.

Benefits of Alignment

The goal of aligning business processes with carefully chosen technology is to optimize and build on the value of each. An organization with a thoughtfully crafted alignment plan enjoys:

· Streamlined workflows resulting from the implementation of appropriate and complementary technologies.

· Strong working relationships between IT-focused employees, product and services specialists, and other staff.

· Innovative solutions that heighten productivity, increase efficiency, and improve business workflows across all departments.

· Support from key company executives for further implementation of technology solutions

· Company-wide appreciation and support for how technology contributes to the success of the company.

Developing Your Plan

When aligning your business processes with new or updated technology solutions, ensure that your plan includes these critical elements:

· Have a detailed understanding of all your business processes and workflows.

· Discuss and decide on your organization’s technology imperatives, as well as a “wish list.”

· Scour the market for interoperable technologies with the potential to optimize resources.

· Develop a technology vision and mission that will help you meet your business goals.

· Set conditions and measurements that will determine when alignment goals are met.

Cloud Computing

One of today’s biggest technology drivers – and greatest business challenges – is the escalation of cloud-based services. Employees expect the same easy access to data at the office as they have on their smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, budgets are limited and expenses must be justified. That’s why it’s important to clearly articulate the business opportunities afforded by hosted services, interoperable applications, and data mobility. This article in Forbes magazine online offers interesting information about benefits, risks, and other considerations related to aligning business and IT in the age of cloud computing.

After Your Alignment

Once you’ve achieved alignment, don’t just sit back! It is important to reevaluate your alignment strategy at least once a year, and any time the company reorganizes or changes course. Remaining in alignment can make the difference between realizing your organization’s potential or falling behind due to negligence.

At iSeek Solutions, we specialize in guiding companies through the business strategy / technology alignment process. Regardless of your industry, whether corporate or nonprofit, our staff has the experience and expertise to conduct an evaluation, make recommendations, and work closely with your employees throughout the process. Let us know if we can help!

Annie Allen is President and CEO at iSeek Solutions, Inc.

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