Management Toolkit

Local govt IT managers urged to take responsibility

Kablenet.com

Published: 13 Oct 2004 14:30 BST

Britain's local government IT specialists have been urged to equip themselves for a bigger corporate role in the years ahead.

The call has come from Sir Michael Bichard, who headed the recent inquiry into the information-sharing failures in the background of the Soham murders.

Making the closing address at the Society of IT Management conference in Edinburgh, Bichard asked whether all his audience were yet ready to wield greater influence in their organisations.

He gently suggested that many IT managers still have personal development tasks ahead of them. Among the crucial prerequisites is a deft touch in organisational politics and effective communication skills.

Bichard said it is no use complaining that chief executives do not understand the potential of better IT systems. It is the IT professionals' job to help leaders articulate their requirements, and to think themselves into a citizen's shoes, he said.

"Think about what your paymasters are interested in," he said. "E-democracy offers opportunities for the future. If you don't act soon someone just might steal the keys to your vehicle."

Bichard closed his frank but "friendly" message with the advice that IT managers should develop a "can do" approach when dealing with their council leaders or chief executives. He reminded his audience that politicians of all kinds "want answers, not explanations".