How IT Leaders Can Regain The C-Suite’s Confidence

A 2024 study by the IBM Institute for Business Value revealed that, while C-level executives believe technology executives will be crucial partners over the next three years, fewer than half of the C-level executives surveyed believe their current IT organizations are effectively delivering basic services. It’s essential for IT leaders to proactively work to reestablish their colleagues’ trust and deepen their understanding of the value added by technology services and initiatives.

Industry experts stress that needed change must start with tech leaders themselves. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council share their insights and advice to help IT leaders regain the C-suite’s confidence and get collaborative relationships with their colleagues back on track.

1. Invest In Initiatives With ROI And Value In Mind

The key tussle between technology executives and C-level leaders is always about alignment with business needs and funding allocation. Technology executives often go overboard with experiments without considering the ROI. C-level executives look for ROI and value with every investment. Once technology executives align to these goals, everything will work out well in the team. – Ramanakar Danda, CNH Industrial

2. Streamline IT Through AI

One specific action technology executives can take to regain C-level confidence is strategically integrating AI to streamline basic IT services. By leveraging AI for predictive maintenance, automated issue resolution and improved system reliability, IT leaders can not only enhance operational efficiency, but also demonstrate their ability to drive innovation, directly addressing C-level concerns. – Mandar Khoje, Moveworks

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3. Deliver Data Initiatives That Drive Business Value

To gain the trust of the C-suite, IT leaders must first deliver successful data projects that drive business value. Data initiatives fail when IT fails to build a proper data foundation. A platform with data prep tools that ensure accuracy, consistency and governance is the first step. Equally important is developing a strong relationship and clear communication between business and IT. – Armon Petrossian, Coalesce

4. Pair A Robust IT Service Strategy With Consistent Updates

Technology executives can rebuild trust with C-level colleagues by aligning IT goals with business objectives through measurable value delivery. A robust IT service strategy—with key KPIs that demonstrate contributions like improved efficiency, customer satisfaction or faster time to market—paired with consistent progress updates reinforces IT’s strategic role in achieving organizational success. – Jayapal Reddy Vummadi, ZF North America

5. Work To Understand Leaders’ Priorities And Goals

The lack of confidence is due to the perception that IT teams are not contributing to revenue growth, cost reduction, customer satisfaction and market share goals at pace. IT leaders can address this by engaging with fellow leaders to understand their priorities and goals, defining tangible goals to address them, and focusing on delivering large programs in small, measurable increments. – Abu Mathew, Amazon

6. Identify How IT Can Drive Revenue And Results

Technology executives must align IT strategies directly with business outcomes. This means going beyond just delivering services—instead, tech leaders must proactively identify how IT can drive revenue, improve efficiency or create competitive advantages. – Ismail Karankin, Oli Robotics

7. Show How Tech Investments Contribute To Goals

IT leaders must ensure strategic alignment between technology initiatives and business outcomes. They must show how tech investments directly contribute to business goals, revenue growth, cost efficiency and an improved customer experience. – Balaji Soundararajan, Adroitts

8. Prioritize Cost-Effectiveness And Faster Turnaround Times

Technology executives need to find cost-effective, cutting-edge solutions with faster turnaround times and maximum business value. Try to leverage technical partnerships with data- and AI-driven solutions or products to add value with minimal implementation costs. – Viral Hirpara, Softweb Solutions Inc.

9. Demonstrate Your Direct Impact

It’s essential to demonstrate direct impact. For example, technology executives in healthcare should prioritize aligning digital health solutions with measurable clinical outcomes, such as improved patient safety, reduced hospital readmissions or enhanced care coordination. Demonstrating the direct impact of technology on quality metrics, regulatory compliance and patient satisfaction can rebuild trust and confidence among clinical C-level leaders. – Trisha Swift, Mula Integrative Health & Wellness

10. Improve Core IT Service Reliability

Technology executives must prioritize and demonstrably improve core IT service reliability, including uptime, security and support. It’s important to have clear, simplified metrics that are meaningful and regularly reported to the C-suite. Mastering the basics builds trust. – Kaushik Sathupadi, Google

11. Take The Lead On AI Initiatives Across The Organization

In the age of generative AI, it’s time for technology executives to lead the rest of the leadership team and the organization. Generally, the issue has been that IT teams are usually in a shared services mode. One action you can take is providing some quick wins by developing AI solutions for each of your fellow business leaders’ teams, rather than waiting for them to ask! – Ganesh Padmanabhan, Autonomize Inc.

12. Pivot From Tech-First Thinking

Technology executives must pivot from tech-first thinking to developing deep business acumen. By understanding core business challenges before proposing technical solutions, tech leaders can transform from service providers into strategic partners. This shift in mindset is crucial for rebuilding C-suite confidence and ensuring technology investments deliver meaningful business value. – Sunil Mallya, CollectiveHealth

13. Implement A Value-Driven Framework

Prioritize measurable alignment between IT initiatives and business outcomes. Implement a value-driven framework that translates technical achievements into business impact. NASA’s Artemis program exemplifies this: Engineers designed lunar technologies aligned with NASA’s mission to foster partnerships and inspire innovation. Trust and credibility can be rebuilt by showcasing how IT drives strategic goals. – Shelli Brunswick, SB Global LLC

14. Adopt A Balanced Scorecard

Adopt a balanced scorecard—track and share metrics on IT performance (like uptime and resolution times), the customer experience (via satisfaction scores), value creation (by demonstrating project ROI) and financials (highlighting cost efficiency). Regularly update your C-level peers, aligning IT outcomes with business goals to rebuild trust and ensure accountability. – Ganesh Ariyur, Gainwell Technologies

15. Set Up A Clear SLA Framework

Based on my experience in building trust with leadership teams, I’d recommend setting up a clear service-level agreement framework that ties IT performance to business goals. Focus on metrics that matter, keep improving processes with ITIL or DevOps, and share regular updates. Engaging leaders in these conversations shows IT is not just delivering, but actively driving the company forward. – Omar Turner, Microsoft

16. Gamify Learning And Innovation To Accelerate AI Adoption

Gamify AI learning and innovation initiatives to accelerate adoption and showcase measurable business value. By creating engaging, gamelike platforms or competitions—such as hackathons, simulation challenges or score-based skill-building modules—around AI solutions, technology executives can foster continuous upskilling, engage stakeholders and showcase rapid results. – Pawan Gaargi, Monumental

17. Prove Measurable Impact For Every IT Initiative

Technology executives must prove measurable, transparent impact for every IT initiative. We tie projects to cost savings, revenue gains and customer satisfaction via shared scorecards. This data-driven approach cements IT’s standing as a strategic partner. By aligning IT with tangible outcomes, leaders regain credibility and show unwavering commitment. – John Jordan, BetterWorld Technology

18. Build High-Performing IT Teams

Technology leaders are skilled in technology but may lack the people skills needed to align IT initiatives with business goals and deliver a seamless user experience. By building high-performing IT teams focused on exceptional delivery, they can demonstrate the critical role technology leaders play in driving business success, regaining C-level confidence. – Shrushti Kenekar, Global Partners

19. Prioritize Clear Communication (Without Jargon)

Technology executives must prioritize clear communication, linking IT challenges to business goals without jargon. Highlight shared challenges like budgets and scalability to build trust, and define basic services, such as cybersecurity, uptime and system reliability, to highlight their value and risks if overlooked. Focus on relatable messaging to reshape perceptions and rebuild confidence. – Matthew Jones, Greenhous Group (Holdings) Limited

20. Get Back To Basics

Forget the tech and get back to basics. Take the time to understand the business. You have a seat at the table; make sure you use it wisely. Understand what challenges your C-level colleagues are facing and the pain points they are experiencing. If they feel IT is not effective in delivering basic services, it means you don’t have a good understanding of the business and its challenges. – Robert Reynolds, Orange County Government, North Carolina