Technology is here to serve the business, not the other way around. Few would argue otherwise. So it only makes sense that when managing technology, we should focus on business objectives.

Of course, in Corporate reality, this all sound easier than it actually is. There’s definitely a disconnect between the “business” side and the “technology” side in many organization, not dissimilar to the disconnect between marketing and sales – a disconnect that happens because of lack of communication, and each side using a different vocabulary.

So the task is to bridge that gap. To have the technology people – the CIO and her team – sit with the business people – the CEO and the CFO, and talk. The conversation needs to take place in the same language though, and since the business outcome is what matters here, it is up to the technology people to learn how to speak the language of the business people – not the other way around.

The goal is to manage business and technology together, to achieve true alignment, and to bring technology to a place where it not only enables the execution of business strategy, but pushes the business forward, anticipating – even suggesting – possible business strategies and goals.

As I discussed before, getting into this mindset might be challenging for all parties involved including the CIO and her team, but it is very doable and is also very rewarding in terms of finally being where the interesting things happen, taking part in directing the company’s future.

In today’s super competitive business environment, technology is where more and more smart business leaders will turn to as a way to stay ahead of the competition. Any enterprise that attains true alignment between technology and business will be able to experience marked improvement in execution and profitability.

If economy experts are correct, and we’re facing a decade of great economic instability and constant changes, the only way to survive – and thrive – in this environment is to push forward and keep growing and innovating. There’s no better way to innovate than to allow technology to serve the business, making it an integral part of the business decision making process.