The Evolution of IT Leadership: Info-Tech Research Group Unveils Insights on People-First Strategies in the Exponential IT Era

Info-Tech's latest blueprint delves into the significant transformation of people management and leadership in the era of Exponential IT. The research highlights a shift toward a more empathetic, people-first approach as key to driving organizational innovation and adaptability in a fast-changing technological world.

TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - With rapid technological advancements and shifting workforce dynamics, the approach to people management and leadership within IT must also transform. As organizations begin to navigate the implications of these changes for their teams and the coming year, technology is increasingly becoming the core driver of success. IT leaders must fundamentally rethink their operational models and leadership strategies. Addressing a critical shift in technology and employee needs, global IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has released its latest blueprint, Exponential IT for People and Leadership.

This comprehensive blueprint provides a roadmap and an integrated set of principles across nine domains to help IT leaders change the trajectory of their organizations in the era of Exponential IT. For organizational leaders, the firm's recommended roadmap reflects and addresses the evolving expectations of a diverse and technologically adept workforce.

"IT departments have been focusing on how to acquire and retain critical IT talent for some time now. Traditionally, we have viewed people transactionally and believed measuring engagement was enough to ensure that employee productivity remained high," says Heather Leier-Murray, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "However, as we look at the direction of progression of IT in the next five to ten years, centering on the employee experience will become crucial to ensure positive customer experiences. To achieve this, we must break IT silos, coach employees over managing them, and take a human-centered design approach to how we work."

Info-Tech's research emphasizes the critical shift in IT departments toward a more empathetic and human-centered approach to leadership and people management. This shift, driven by the principles of Exponential IT, moves away from traditional transactional methods toward fostering environments where employee experience is paramount. The firm's analysis highlights the need for IT leaders to adopt strategies that break down silos and prioritize coaching and development over traditional management. By doing so, IT leaders can create a workforce that is not only more engaged and productive but also more aligned with the evolving technological landscape, ensuring that both employee and customer experiences are positively transformed in the coming years.

"The impact for IT departments is the need to emphasize employee experience with a people-first focus, including adopting a federated and hybrid IT operating model and creating new ways of working that do not rely on organizational charts and traditional hierarchy," says Brittany Lutes, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "IT leaders can successfully adopt the Exponential IT framework by focusing first on the people and then on technology. Enabling people to use technology well will ensure favorable outcomes in this next industrial revolution."

The blueprint further highlights a transformative shift in IT leadership and people management, as outlined in the firm's Exponential IT Framework. This shift goes beyond mere technological adaptation, advocating for a people-first strategy that reshapes the very fabric of IT operations.

Info-Tech's Exponential IT for People and Leadership blueprint presents three key actions for IT leaders to effectively lean into the curve and manage this change:

1. Evolve by Embracing Federated and Hybrid IT Operating Models: As emerging technologies permeate every area of an organization, a next-generation IT operating model will be required. This model is visually represented by three distinct functional areas. The first embeds strategy and data technology capabilities at an enterprise level. The second shifts how services are designed and delivered to optimize the customer experience. The third centralizes select capabilities that focus on technology and security architecture and support for enterprise-wide digital and IT services.
2. Design an Outcome-Based, Intelligent Delivery Network: Organizations need to break from traditional hierarchical organizational charts and move beyond matrixed organizations to fully networked delivery. To do this, leaders will need to seamlessly orchestrate the omniresourcing of capabilities using a blend of internal talent, external partners, and AI.
3. Prioritize Human-Centered IT Leadership and Create Autonomous Employee Experiences: It's essential to prioritize the employee experience. As technology continues to reshape people's livelihoods, it falls upon leaders to empathetically guide them on well-defined pathways for adapting to these changes. Organizations must look at automation not to reduce labor costs but to scale human experiences.

The research and advisory insights from the blueprint underscore the essential need for a strategic and empathetic approach to people management and leadership in the era of Exponential IT. Info-Tech encourages IT leaders to fully embrace this transformative framework, focusing on fostering a people-first culture that is adaptable, empathetic, and collaborative.

Embracing the principles of Exponential IT enables IT leaders and their teams to transition from traditional roles to become catalysts for growth, innovation, and a competitive edge, ensuring that both employee and customer experiences are enhanced in this new industrial revolution.

For exclusive media commentary from Heather Leier-Murray and Brittany Lutes, experts in IT leadership and people management, or to access the complete Exponential IT for People and Leadership research, please contact [email protected]. 

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to view the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group