Leadership & Commitment APC 2008_final

8/7/2019 Leadership & Commitment APC 2008_final

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Leadership &Commitmentin ArchitectureEelco Rouw

PracticeLead EA

Getronics Consulting

EELCO ROUW PRACTICE LEAD ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE

22-10-2008


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Biography

Delft University Electrical Engineering

PhD. in Nanotechnology and Neural Networks

Consultant for PinkRoccade IT Managment

Internal business development wrt. Architecture

External services and consulting for various clients

TOGAF certified in 2006

Currently setting up a consulting practice for EA


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A simple question

Why does my company pay my salary?

a.Because they have to

b.Because I am business critical

c. Because I have to make and maintain the organizational/IT blueprint

d.Because I can help people make decisions in line with the overall strategy

e.Other reasons?


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The role of the architect

1. The architect is the trusted advisor of both highermanagement and specialists.2. The architect gives advice in line with the business

strategy and goals.


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Vision&strategy

EnterpriseArchitecture

PortfolioManagement

Engineering&sourcing

Implementation & Migration

Exploitatation & Improvement

Governance

Decision

Facilitatedecisions

Formalizedecisions

Controldecisions

Currentarchitecture

MigrationArchitecture

Targetarchitecture

The ArchitectsDomain

1. Architects talk about architecture and models (more than they should)

2. Architects facilitate, formalize and control decisions made bymanagement


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IT decision making is like buying a car


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The Architect as a trusted advisor

Who is your trusted advisor?

Someone who :

understands you

has a track record

has a good story

is objective

knows your situation and environment


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The Modern Architect

Skills

Create EA artifacts

Principles,

requirements, models

Manage EA processes

Knowledge of multiple areas

Technology, process,

information

TalentsConceptualization

Innovation

Enterprise perspective

Vision

Consensus buildingNegotiation skills

Facilitation

Leadership

Logic

CommunicationPragmatism

Prefer enterprise architects with stronger talentsSkills can be acquired


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Some of the challenges for the CIO

Unable to define and maintain priorities

Insufficient funds and resources

Lack of business knowledge in IT

Vast amount of overdue work/maintenance

Unable to define and maintain priorities

Insufficient ways to innovate

Lack of alignment within IT organisation

Unknown end-user satisfaction

Slow response of outsourcers


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Answer to the challenges : Intended Investments

Architecture & Bus. Proc. Analysis

Portfoliomgmt. & IT governance

Project and Programme mgmt.

Contract and SLA management

IT asset/lifecycle/license management

Support & Helpdesk

Procurement & Vendor Management

Financial & HRM systems for IT


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How do I become the trusted advisor?

Keep your soft skills and communicative skills in shape

Take time to talk to and understand your clients

Respect the talents and skills of your clients

Try to ask yourself the question What would I do if I?

Supply the right amount of information, not too much and not too little

Be visible on the workfloor and boardroom

Be transparant in your approach

Use principles of common leadership skills in your daily work


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Common Leadership theories - Reactive and

proactive

Left half-Ad hoc-Unplanned-Unknown

priorities-Much effort-High costs

The Allergyof most

Architects

Right half-Planned-Known priorities-Known effort

and costs

Sweet spot ofmost architects

90% of the effort/resources/time

Becoming

Proactive

Not Urgent

Im

porta

nt

No

t

Imp

orta

nt


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A common pitfall

Im

porta

nt

No

t

Imp

orta

nt

The need for

architecture mostlylies in this half....Methods provide

solutions for this half...

...does the method

actually help solving

the problem?

Becoming

Proactive

Not Urgent


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Common Leadership theories Circles of influence

and commitment

Circle of influenceEverything you can directlyinfluence by your own actions

Circle of commitmentAll things youre concerned withbut have no direct influence.

Stephen Covey:

You should focus on your circle ofinfluence. Result: The circle ofinfluence will grow.


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Architects and Leadership

No mandate No trusted advisor role,bypassed at the organisations own

convenience Claim their territory but it is notgiven Enforce standards and becomeimpopular Become frustrated with lack of

impact -> Circle of influenceshrinks

For many architects the following figure applies!


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Reactive and Proactive, a good combination...

Implement an

architecture process

(ADM)

Keeping theshop open...

..., whilerebuilding!

1. Learn to knowthe organisation2. Facilitate theorganisation

1. Make blueprints ofthe organisation2. Support policiesand strategy

Im

porta

nt

No

t

Importa

nt

Becoming

Proactive

Not Urgent

Implement an

advisory process


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The TOGAF ADM and Leadership


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Conclusions

Reflecting on purpose and effectiveness is a good start for architects.

Common leadership theories provide a good basis for effective architects.

Two dilemmas are relevant:

Facilitating vs. Enforcing

Claiming vs. Gaining

An advisory process for day to day issues builds credibility and gives insight in

actual problems/challenges.

The ADM provides many hooks for building commitment, the preliminary phase

is extremely important.

Organisational and political awareness will help architects with increasing theirefficiency.


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Questions?

[email protected]


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Architecture and Politics

Problem statement

Goal statement

Positioning and Role

Use of power and

communication

Programme of talks

How to address

Desired outcomes

Execution of talks

Politics should not be a part ofyour circle of commitment nor aspecific goal.

You should think strategicallyabout politics and their use. Tryto place some of the politics inyour circle of influence.

The following scheme could beuseful to:

Determine your goals People who can help you How to address these people

Documents

Leadership & Commitment APC 2008_final