1. How to Develop and Instill a Future Focus in a Team
WEBINAR
How to Develop and Instill a Future Focus in a Team
October 2017

2. Purpose
To provide a step by step guide to identify future objectives, align team members, and maintain focus on long term goals
This document was developed from the perspective of an IT leader in a law firm. It can be applied at any level by simply sliding the categories down the organizational hierarchy.
Author
Phil Alberta
CIO – IPM

3. 4 Step Process to Set the Tone
Firm Vision
IT Mission
Team Engagement
Active Awareness
Develop, document and share the firm’s vision for long term success
Align technology and services strategy with the firm’s goals
Demonstrate how everyone’s efforts are connected to and affect the mission
Embed the future in all processes and communications

4. Engrain the future in all that you do Maintain 2 Way Communication
Map out the future
Engrain the future in all that you do
Maintain 2 Way Communication
You have to know where you are going and the role everyone plays in getting there.
Developing a roadmap and connecting the dots between the business, the department, and the individual is critical.
If team members can’t see that clearly, the will remain focused on day to day tactics.
All decision making should include assessing the situation in light of your long term goals.
Tactical thinking is for execution only. Applying strategic prioritization needs to happen on a consistent basis.
If the leader loses focus on the future, the team will also.
Perform regular reviews of progress against the strategic plan.
Team members can make it their own if they can contribute to course corrections, updates, and new initiatives.
If this plan doesn’t’ belong to everyone, everyone won’t stay committed under pressure.

5. IT Future Roadmap Framework
Business Objective
IT Strategy
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Team Members
Comments / Status
Business Objective 1
Strategic Initiative 1A
Project 1
Department X
Project 2
Member X, Y, Z
Project 3
IT management
Strategic Initiative 1B
Project 4
Project 5
Business Objective 2
Strategic Initiative 2A
Project 6
Project 7
Project 8
Strategic Initiative 2B
Project 9
Project 10
Business Objective 3
Strategic Initiative 3A
Project 11
Project 12
Project 13
Strategic Initiative 3B
Project 14
Project 15
IT Future Roadmap Framework
A chart like this provides a visual of the future.

6. Defining the Firm’s Vision
Business priorities and objectives drive this process and the priorities of IT.
Understand the what the future will look like
Ensures alignment with firm investments
Ensures support from leadership
Allows you to demonstrate success and re-inforce your team’s mindset
Defining the vision
Ask firm leadership the following questions (separately or together)
What does the firm want to be known for in 3-5 years?
What differentiates our firm and what will differentiate our firm in the future?
How will the firm operate differently in the future?
What role will technology play in delivering on questions 1-3?
Summarize what you learned at a business level into no less than 3 and no more than 5 objectives.
Ask for confirmation.
Result
Business Objective 1, 2, 3

7. Develop the IT Mission
The IT mission is to deliver on the business priorities and objectives.
The IT mission will be made of 2 to 3 strategic initiatives that are tied to each business objective.
Strategic initiatives are over arching objectives NOT projects. If they can be defined as a project, think bigger.
Example:
Update and add security appliances to minimize external threats – PROJECT
Develop consolidated and efficient Information Security framework – STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
Testing your list
Successful completion of strategic Initiatives should result in at least two things:
Achievement or acceleration of business goals and priorities
A more efficient and effective IT department
Result
Strategic Initiative 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b

8. Categorize IT projects
The projects and activities that team members engage in are the most relatable.
The IT project list is made up of technology projects, process improvements, and management activities.
All projects presented to management must include:
Identification of linkage to one or more strategic initiatives
An explanation of how they contribute to that(those) initiatives and the related business objective
The provides two important outcomes:
It allows you to complete and update the IT roadmap.
It is a vehicle that requires the team members presenting the project to consider the future and memorialize the long term benefit.
Result
A complete IT roadmap

9. EXAMPLE Section of IT Future Roadmap
Business Objective
IT Strategy
Year 1
Team Members
Year 2
Comments / Status
Provide clients superior service with an interactive experience
Strategic Initiative 1A
Project 1
Department X
Project 2
Member X, Y, Z
Project 3
IT management
Strategic Initiative 1B
Project 4
Project 5
Meet all global compliance requirements with little to no disruption
Develop efficient and effective security framework
Assess security portfolio
Security Portfolio consolidation
Implement CIRT process
Consume Security aaS for perimeter
Implement solution X
Implement solution Y
Develop Global data management Strategy
Data classification
Implement DLP
Document security plan for key controls
Implement audit function
Maximize operational efficiencies
Strategic Initiative 3A
Project 11
Project 12
Project 13
Strategic Initiative 3B
Project 14
Project 15
EXAMPLE Section of IT Future Roadmap
Note: Projects do not need to be connected in a progression. Team members can be a mix of departments, individual contributors and management.

10. Engaging the team
This starts in the planning phase and continues PAST execution.
Planning
Team members should be encouraged to present projects for consideration. Leadership will coach them through the alignment process with business objectives and strategic initiatives.
IT Future Roadmap Develop
Leadership will engage as many team members (all if possible) in connecting the dots.
TIP – Use an all hands meeting to review the project list and talk through where they connect and their importance.
IT Future Roadmap Presentation
Leadership will distribute the completed roadmap with assignments and allow project owners to present the value of each to the team as a whole.

11. Active Awareness
The future has to always be present. You must lead by example and through regular communications.
How to make this happen
The team conducts regular reviews of the IT Future Roadmap and progress reports.
Anyone with a new idea must identify how it will affect the future and the business objectives.
Leadership will consciously acknowledge when they must stray from the roadmap. When this occurs, it is time to re-evaluate the roadmap.
Leadership will recognize and reward team members when they identify areas of improvement in project planning and execution. MOST IMPORTANT
Leadership demonstrates that the IT Future Roadmap is a living document that is meant to be challenged, updated, and improved.
The IT Future Roadmap will be part of the budgeting, the change management, and performance management process.

12. Have questions? )