The BRM Role in a Digital World
Kirt Mead, Senior Consultant, Leading Edge Forum
This summary discusses my presentation from BRMConnect – May 27, 2015
Traditionally, Enterprise IT controlled the choice and supply of information technology within the firm, and CIOs deployed Business Relationship Managers (BRMs) out to ‘the business’ as essentially a salesforce to understand requirements and define new IT solutions. The astute BRM aspired to be a full member of the business management team as an active participant in discussions about strategy and business change, not just about IT.
But today, most innovation in technology is occurring not within the firm, but in the larger technology ‘ecosystem.’ New apps and capabilities, often designed to work on mobile devices, are raining down on the organization from outside the firewall. In some cases, Enterprise IT is losing control of IT within the firm, as businesses learn to access functionality and IT services directly from vendors in the ecosystem. Sales, marketing, engineering, and product development are growing and ‘owning’ their own technology, often independently of Enterprise IT.
These developments, which we at the LEF collectively refer to as ‘outside in,’ represent a major transformation of the technology landscape that threatens to push Enterprise IT to the sidelines. If Enterprise IT is to maintain a central, front-of-the-firm role going forward, its BRMs will have to step up their game and learn to operate effectively in an outside-in world
BRMs must become well-versed in the new ‘disruptor’ business models that are emerging in Silicon Valley, among other places. They must also depend heavily on leveraging capabilities in the ecosystem. How does Lending Club outperform commercial banks? How does Uber operate its taxi service? How do the new models work technically? Even more importantly, how can the new models be leveraged and implemented within more traditional firms?
But this is not all. BRMs must also understand that their job is a personal performance, and that business value lies in the experience they create in their business partner’s mind BRMs must ‘show up’ as a powerful businessperson who is comfortable with the emerging outside-in world, has good business sense, and is able to form strong, empathetic relationships with their business partners. LEF research confirms that these ‘soft skills’ are just as important as technical understanding and capabilities when it comes to business impact and gaining a seat at the table.
For more information on our research, download our Summaries, and learn more about how our BRM education courses can drive greater business value across your IT agenda.
If you would like a copy of my presentation, please contact Kate Taylor at [email protected].