The topic for lesson 7 was communication and the importance of having good communication lines open between IT and the business. Having good communication between IT and the business provides transparency between the two groups and helps align IT with the business strategy. Good communication allows both parties to be accountable and responsible for issues and implementing of technology to assist with business strategies. IT can no longer be disengaged in communications from the business as they become more involved in the business procedures. IT must build strong communications with its organization in order for the organization to see value from IT.

The four building blocks for IT-business relationship are what IT departments should concentrate on. IT should show that they are competent in understanding the business, build their credibility by their performance, work on their interpersonal skills by communicating in professional manner and build trust with the business leaders.

 The communication between IT and the business no only must be strong but it also must be clear and understandable. IT cannot communicate with the business in technical terms as there would be gap in the communication because the business would not understand what is being said and would lose interest and would not like dealing with the IT department. IT must take the time to understand the business side and interact with business units to get an understanding of what they do, which will help IT to communicate their recommendations. When communicating, IT should deliver a clear and understandable presentation that would instil confidence in the business to support IT on projects and build trust between the business and IT department. IT cannot just have technical skills anymore they must develop social skills to be effective communicators with the business. Creating a program to help IT individuals become better at communicating is something that should be encouraged in organizations.  This would be beneficial for both the IT and the business, as it would put them on the same level of business talk when communicating.

 Trust and confidence is an important factor that IT leaders must ensure to build upon when they are establishing communication with other business leaders. They must prove that IT has the organizations strategy in mind for every project they present and that every project that they will present will bring value for the business. IT must communicate frequently to provide updates and issues concerning the business. Communicating more frequently will build upon the trust and allows IT to be transparent. When presenting projects to the business, IT must recognize who the stakeholders are and tailor their communication to demonstrate how the stakeholders can get value from what is being proposed. Working with stakeholders will be beneficial in building trust among the business leaders and getting approval for proposed IT projects.

 Developing a strong IT-business relationship in my opinion is very important. When there is good communication and transparency the organization benefits from it. Everyone is in the loop of what the organization is trying to achieve and this is a way for IT to prove how they can help the business units in achieving there goals and how they can align the business units goals with the strategy of the enterprise. If there is a lack of communication the organization will suffer in accomplishing their strategy. IT leaders must work with organization to develop their department’s soft skills by providing tools and training. IT leaders must also consider communication skills when hiring new individuals. No longer can IT individuals just be technologically smart, they must possess soft skills in order to communicate and build trust with business leaders. As IT gets more integrated into business processes, having a strong relationship with business leaders will be key in the enterprise being competitive now and in the future.