The Director’s Cut: This is how you work together properly

In times of apparent uncertainty we must form trusted relationships with external partners around a shared vision, build stronger internal cross-departmental co-operation and ensure our own teams in IT work well together.

Great stuff, I hear you shout, but how?

External collaboration

I have long written about powerful ways to build rapport and reach shared understanding of other people and teams. The most effective of these is to understand what the other party wants, what they really, really want, and help them to achieve it. With this in mind, these are the four top requirements that external suppliers need from their customers and vice versa. Put these in place and all will run smoothly.

Suppliers want, above all - in this order:

- Endorsements from customers - To be paid on time or, as an incentive, to be paid early if the work is completed early - Clarity of role and purpose - To be valued and involved in the decision-making process

And customers want, in this order:

- Freedom to fly by their own wings / skill transfer - Trust, honesty and integrity - Information and advice on the market out there - Flexibility in service support / supply

Internal collaboration

Many organisations I go into are, quite frankly, at war with themselves. They are more intent on one-upmanship against another departments or, more frequently, a particular person, than they are about achieving a common purpose.

This is a huge topic but it provides IT with a huge opportunity to be at the heart of a company.

Do this by becoming a facilitator, bringing together all relevant departments for a project. This does not mean taking over. It does mean inviting all relevant groups together from across your organisation and taking an active role in helping the group move forward. I have seen this work, so powerfully, so often.

To do this, you must never, that’s never again use two terms – 'user' or 'the business'.

'User' is one of the most disparaging terms I have ever heard – indeed, there is only one other industry that uses this term, the drugs industry. So, use partners, internal customers, peers or whatever you wish.

'The business' is perhaps the most complained about term by IT directors and yet it is a label WE invented! Funnily enough when I speak at finance, marketing and HR conferences, they all refer to everyone else in their organisations as 'the business'.

So who is this business then?

It is you. IT leaders are better placed than anyone to truly understand all aspects of any organisation, its purpose, people and processes.

Finally, one critical success factor: Make sure you all work to an agreed, common purpose.

And so to your team's co-operation, a subject that is in vogue at present. In my view there are three ways above all others to foster a spirit of unstoppable teams.

- Ensure your vision/purpose is the same as your organisation's (if your company's purpose is to "Be the world's most successful car rental company" then so must yours - Embark on a programme of cultural transformation around a clear set of values, the strongest of which, by far, is openness - Recognise and value the unique strengths, differences and personalities of individuals, and encourage them to be free, within a clear framework of success and common purpose.

In challenging and in good economic times close collaboration and working together are absolutely critical. Of course you are at work for your 'organisation', and for your 'department' but those are entities without personality. Take on a belief that you are fundamentally doing what you do, for each other, and co-operation will happen automatically.

David Taylor is the author of The Naked Leader and founder of IT director organisation Certus.