If you are a business owner or executive you are no doubt bombarded with messaging telling you that you need to embrace a “change mindset.” That means, in essence, that you should always be looking for the next improvement or evolution in business.
The constant development of new technology is often given as a reason why. The thinking is sound. There is always a new app or device to learn; the more flexible you are when it comes to your approach, the easier it is to integrate the improvements.
With all that being said, however, it’s important to note that having a change mindset doesn’t always work when it comes to IT. There are limitations to this philosophy (or any other). To help you understand why, let’s look at both sides of the issue.
You Should Never Be Too Attached to One Tool or Strategy
The classic mistake, when it comes to technology, is to think that the tool or solution you’re using now is the one you should always be using. That just doesn’t hold up.
New products come and go, software is developed and improved, and entire technologies (like mobile computing) can spring up. If you get too stuck in your ways, then you might miss out on something important. That can put you at a huge disadvantage to your competition.
Change Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum
It’s sometimes the case that business owners and executives have a more visionary mindset than their employees. In other words, they can see the future, or least future possibilities, faster than anyone else.
You should recognize that and make allowances. Don’t change tools or tactics so frequently that your team gets lost and can’t keep up. Every major IT change requires training and implementation. If you are a more flexible thinker than your employees or managers, then you might risk changing things too quickly for them to adapt.
Constantly Changing Your IT Plan Can Get Expensive
The other reason to have some consistency within your IT plan is that changes in direction can get expensive. As you probably realize, buying one new set of apps or workstations can lead to other investments (compatible printers, software add-ons, etc.).
For that reason, you should have a good long-term IT strategy that is flexible, but also shorter-term plans and budgets that you adhere to unless things change drastically. That’s a good way to walk the line between progress and practicality.
Look for Consistency in Strategy, Not Tactics
When trying to formulate a workable strategy for your business, it’s important to have principles that you stick to month after month and year after year. Otherwise, your focus will always be drifting, your team won’t understand your vision, and you’ll never follow through on any of your plans. At the same time, you might need to switch tools and tactics now and then. There is always more than one way to accomplish a task and you should be looking for the easiest, most effective, or least expensive option.
Looking for an IT partner who can help you make the right judgments? Contact our team today to schedule a free consultation and see what we can do for your company.