Why IT Managers Fall Short (And How to Fix It)
Information technology managers seeking to excel in their roles must master critical thinking, business acumen, innovation, collaboration, and leadership rather than relying solely on technical abilities. According to research from the Society for Information Management (SIM), many IT managers fall short in these leadership skills. As a result, many managers struggle to sell a technology vision, cultivate crucial partnerships, and drive execution effectively.
Why Manager Training Deficits Impact IT Performance
Many IT managers earn their leadership positions by proving themselves as individual technical contributors, leaving them with little to no formal training on how to manage workers. Thomas Phelps, chief information officer at Esri and Innovate@UCLA chief strategist, notes that professionals are often not adequately readied for these operational roles. This professional gap is widespread across industries. A survey of European professionals by global recruitment firm Robert Walters found that 35% of managers received no managerial training, while the Chartered Management Institute reported that 82% of its studied managers stepped into their jobs without formal preparation. Bev Kaye, founder and CEO of BevKaye&Co, explains that these leaders are not fully equipped to perform exceptionally. Formal training, mentoring from senior leaders, and temporary managerial assignments can help bridge this gap.
Addressing Interpersonal Deficits and Role Alignment
Beyond formal instruction, many technology leaders lack soft skills and emotional intelligence. Mark Taylor, CEO of SIM, states that these interpersonal attributes are critical for rallying resources, presenting a vision, communicating effectively, and steering teams through complex situations. Furthermore, Steve Agnoli, lead instructor and coach with the CIO Executive Program at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College, points out that professionals are sometimes placed in management roles that do not fit their specific strengths. Agnoli advises senior leaders to analyze the distinct demands of each position and match candidates accordingly, while supporting them with ongoing mentoring to help them meet expectations.
Clarifying Expectations and Managing Workload Priorities
Performance issues also arise from unclear expectations. Kevin Earnest, co-founder and president of advisory firm Manageable, emphasizes that leaders must establish precise quality metrics and comprehensive job descriptions that link tasks directly to organizational goals. On the operational side, research firm Gartner indicates that managers currently juggle 51% more responsibilities than they can properly handle. Agnoli notes that chief information officers must help managers prioritize tasks by communicating corporate strategy clearly and preventing side projects from overwhelming core duties. Nyariana Maiko, chief information officer for the Port of Long Beach, California, resolved similar career path challenges at a prior company by creating distinct advancement tracks for technical specialists, project managers, and people managers.
Shifting Focus Toward Broad Business Outcomes
New technology managers frequently focus exclusively on delivering technical solutions without solving underlying business problems. Phelps illustrates this distinction by noting that a good service desk manager ensures tickets are closed quickly, whereas a great manager trains staff to verify that users can access applications seamlessly across multiple devices, such as laptops and smartphones, preventing repeated user disruption. Phelps and Maiko both stress that chief information officers must train managers to understand the broader enterprise vision and operational goals required for future success.