The Next Leap in Productivity: What Top Managers Really Need to Know about Information Technology

3.4. Great Expectations

Now that we have raised the level of what IT should expect from the CEO, it is fair to ask: what should the CEO expect from his or her IT department?

"I think what a CEO should expect from IT is not to be let down, not to be disappointed and not to be surprised by failures such as poor execution or inconsistent quality," says Magner. "It's just a terrible thing to be in that breakdown mode, when nothing happens the way it should, when services aren't available to the customer or when there are errors. You've got to have 'industrial strength' IT and it's got to be dependable."

Any manager or executive who has ever been forced to deal with a network crash or a buggy Web application can agree with that easily enough. But please read her next comment carefully:

"The other fundamental issue is that IT should be imbedded into the thought process of the business. IT is part and parcel of everything you do. IT must be integrated into the way you think about the delivery of your business, the infrastructure of your business and how you're going to accomplish the goals of your business."

Magner also believes that IT should play a role in helping the CEO prepare for whatever is happening next. "IT should be a place where ideas come from, where opportunities are identified, where new stuff and novel concepts are discussed. IT should be thinking about the future."