Being a leader in software development, being cutting edge
when things change so fast, is absolutely what you want need to stay ahead of
the pack; being a leader in business often means the opposite.
“Leadership” seems to imply leading on all fronts,
stepping into the unknown, going first. But realistically, business leaders
have wide ranging responsibilities, putting this approach at odds with good
business practice. Leaders have to hold back, watch, learn and then follow,
particularly when purchasing software.
New software is a double-edged sword in the business world;
it could give you a competitive advantage, providing additional functionality, but
there is also enormous risk involved.
Say you are the leader of a large corporate with 3000
computers and decide you want to take advantage of a new look operating system.
The vendor claims it’s faster
and networks better, however the user interface is completely different to the
environment your users are familiar with. It would be like giving a soccer team
a rugby ball and pretending everything is the same.
Imagine 3000 employees who cannot figure out how to get
anything done – your
business would stutter and then stall. Imagine then, having to uninstall and
reinstall the workable version. The time and financial repercussions of wanting
to be a “leader” in terms of software have to be
questioned.
And so, generally, the leaders of large businesses recognise
the risks and stick to tried and tested software, even if they are 2 versions
behind. They will take on “new” software
once the bugs are fixed and the updates are complete.
This is worth noting for software developers. While being a
leader in your industry requires innovation and originality, you need to
consider who your target market is.
If you’re aiming for young dynamic businesses, your products and
services can be never seen before; but if you want to work with established
businesses, you may need to reconsider. You may have designed the perfect
solution for an international conglomerate, but if it isn’t established and recognised with a
solid track record, you are fishing in the wrong waters.
Sometimes, leadership is about more than leading the way.
Instead of being the first to step into the future, it can be about being the
person who can look at the future and see both the potential and the pitfalls.
*This article first appeared in Accountancy South Africa in March 2015
No comments:
Post a comment