Last week I asked for input on your major challenges working within the C-Suite. Without question, the number one issue was communication between tech and business. 

Specifically:

• How do you translate tech speak to business impact speak?
• How do you match business needs and objectives to technology initiatives - understanding what the business needs, their goals and their challenges?
• How does IT become a trusted and strategic partner and gain leadership support and buy-in?
• How do you convey that you understand the business challenges faced, can translate them into a roadmap and can tell the story that supports the required journey?
• How do you help non-technical executives get to the “aha” moment where they recognize the value technology holds for their business?
• How do you get leadership to understand that tech cannot be invoked but must be consistently nurtured and invested in?

Let’s Answer The Question

Over the next several weeks, I will post articles on “How To Communicate For A Change.” They may not be back to back to back (we have other issues to address too), but they will result in a series of teachings over the summer that help you incorporate skills in translation, need match and buy-in.

A couple articles ago, I advised helping LOB communicate business in a way that technology understands. We will tackle that too.

To enhance our articles, I am looking for a volunteer. The only qualification is that the issue of tech and business speak is real for you. If so, I want to talk with you about receiving some free coaching sessions. You will receive valuable help. I will get to use the notes as “live” talking points within the articles. You will remain anonymous. I promise to keep our time efficient.

Whether you volunteer or remain a reader and commenter, here will be the takeaways:

• The number one effective way to connect with the business.
• How to engage business leaders early and continually in what you have to learn and to say.
• The most likely reason you are being unheard (and it’s because you are following long-term, popularly held but very bad advice on how to explain technology).
• The one-skill set and the best way to apply it that elevates your influence
• Common conversational mistakes that derail your arguments and quiet your voice
• Why you fail to get commitments and suffer procrastination of others

This will be a massive undertaking on my part, and I am happy to do it because the theme is recurring, addressed only on surface levels, and is critical for your future. I’m tired of your upstream swim. Aren’t you?

Comment below to volunteer or message me on LinkedIn and we will coordinate from there.

In The Meantime

Food for thought: To connect with anyone, it is more important to be relatable rather than likable. Likable is good, but if you make it your focus you will lose clarity in your communication.

Relatability is based on both parties having a shared need, a common enemy and a mutual benefit. Once you establish that, you have the groundwork for others to listen to you.

And you still need to keep things simple. Relatable requires being understandable. 

According to Louis Grenier of Everyone Hates Marketers, ancient Rome established the taberna, roadside places where travelers could rest, eat and drink. Ireland and the UK translated those into public houses, what we call pubs.

If there is one thing you find in pubs, it is what you don’t find in pubs: talking around the problem, confusing words, and obfuscates (see what I did there).

Pubs are where the talk is honest and the language is clear. Clear beats clever every time. 

So, let’s spend a summer together becoming clear on how to translate tech speak to biz speak, on how to connect, engage, be heard, align and gain commitments that both technology and business desperately need. 

Volunteers anyone?

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