I recently presented at my company’s Board of Advisors meeting. After I shared several technical slides on progress, challenges, and next steps, a trusted board member observed that, while the information was good, I am not an IT leader: I am a “Business Leader who just happens to lead the IT function.” What a valuable and validating reminder! Valuable, because you should always deliver messaging from IT using a business framework—a fact I temporarily forgot in my excitement to share the impressive work my team had accomplished. Validating, because I don't have deep technical knowledge; but, while IT knowledge is important, you can be a great IT leader without knowing how to build a server or develop an application. 

I have spent most of my corporate career leading enterprise project management offices (ePMOs).While most of those projects had an IT component, and somewhere wholly focused on IT, leading an IT group is another task entirely. By nature, the ePMO is controlled and predictable (I'm very good at planning and controlling—I often say that I am a control enthusiast ;)). But good planning and control will only take you so far in IT. The rest of the journey requires that you build a clear strategy, foster a strong leadership team, and stay aligned to the business’s mission. 

When I was offered the VP of IT position at LION, I was excited about the role and knew that I could do it well. I must admit, though, that I didn't sleep much the first few months. There are many things that weigh heavily in IT: the seeming inevitability of cyber-attacks, being responsible for reliable and secure infrastructure, simply ensuring that every employee can do their job every day, and that's before the forward-looking innovation and AI activities expected from any business-focused IT group! When it comes to leadership, it is unreasonable to think that a single person would, or could, have a deep understanding of it all. 

Perhaps because of this, it’s becoming common for IT leaders to have a general technical background but proven success leading teams. I believe that is due, in part, to the breadth of IT topics and the pace at which technology changes. So, while I'm still learning new things every day, I'm sleeping better at night. Here are a few things that have helped and that I would recommend to others. 

• Find awesome mentors: First and foremost, ask for help in the early days. Find mentors you trust, preferably outside of your organization like board members or people from your network. Take folks to lunch and ask them to share their own experiences. Listen intently and ask clarifying questions but recognize when you’ve heard enough. It’s easy to become paralyzed by a large amount of advice from great mentors, so once your brain is at capacity, trust your gut to create a cohesive strategy that meets the needs of your department. It doesn’t have to be perfect; your plan will evolve over time.  

• Identify your leaders: In the beginning, spend a good deal of time listening to your team. You’ll quickly learn who the natural leaders are and who is interested in a leadership position. Make a distinction between technical and people leadership, communicate the importance of both, and be sure people are in the right roles. More than anything else, identify great leaders who balance your own skills, put them in place, and trust them to do their job.  

• Become a deep generalist: To compensate for a lack of deep technological background, embark on a journey to become a deep generalist in all things IT. Join professional networks like Technology First, keep in touch with your mentors, read industry related articles, and sign up for newsletters that will keep you up to date on technology trends.    

• Focus on the foundation: Be sure you have a solid foundation on which to build your IT future. In today’s world, security is a key priority. Make sure that you have a robust cyber security posture that includes user training and awareness. If you don’t, or are unsure, hire someone to do an assessment. In addition, be sure your IT Service Management (ITSM) tool meets your needs and provides the data necessary for informed decisions. Finally, to achieve business goals, it is important to have a flexible and scalable infrastructure. Consider cloud solutions, integration software, and a data architecture that will help you quickly meet business needs. 

• Prioritize the work: As any good leader knows, there will always be twice as many things that you want to do than what you have the capacity, time, and money for! Prioritize the work and communicate the plan to your team so everyone stays focused on the most important things. I’m lucky enough to have a strong ePMO that helps us develop the project list and prioritize with consideration for business requests and overall strategy. If you aren’t as lucky, be sure to develop and communicate your own priority standard to set expectations across the board. 

Stepping into the IT leadership role has been both challenging and rewarding. It has required me to shift my perspective to a broader business narrative, ensuring that IT's contributions align with the company's strategic goals. By embracing the mindset of a business leader, I've learned that successful IT leadership isn't about mastering every technical detail. It’s about guiding the team with a clear vision, fostering strong leadership within the team, and ensuring that our IT initiatives support the business's growth and resilience. Though IT is at the heart of modern business, the most important function of any IT leader is to connect the dots between technology and the business outcomes that drive success. 

Author Bio: Apryl Van Oss joined LION in May 2019 and accepted the position of Vice President of Information Technology in August of 2023. In this role, Apryl is committed to building a strong team that is ready to optimize LION systems and processes for organizational growth, efficiency, and innovation. Prior to joining LION, Apryl spent over 20 years working in diverse environments and has established several successful enterprise-wide Project and Portfolio Management Offices across various industries including legal, business, healthcare, insurance, and manufacturing.