Building Plastics

Brian D. Walters

Business Technology Integrator

Start with Assessment, Then Strategy

Good IT strategy starts with an honest assessment. Before defining a roadmap, I evaluate process weaknesses, technical debt, security gaps and opportunities for improvement. Benchmarking against similarly sized companies and industry standards can reveal gaps you might otherwise miss.

Before selecting an MFA solution, for example, our assessment revealed that our Apple device management software was no longer supported and couldn't deploy the certificates required for device-bound MFA. We enrolled those devices in Intune first, resolving the dependency before deployment. Finding the gap early kept the project on track.

At the same time, I’m learning the business at both operational and executive levels. What drives revenue? Where are the bottlenecks? What frustrates employees and customers? IT strategy must align with the company's mission, values and business goals. The better you understand the business, the better you can prioritize investments.

Finally, define metrics that demonstrate progress, from system availability and ticket resolution times to process efficiency and user adoption. IT must make its contribution to business outcomes visible.

Modernize Through Transformation, Not Refresh

Successful modernization starts with leadership buy-in. Executive sponsorship is earned by connecting initiatives to business needs and goals. When projects get difficult, that support helps keep them moving.

But executive approval alone isn't enough. An initiative can be approved at an all-hands meeting and quietly die in hallway conversations afterward. Managers and employees need to understand the why and see how the change benefits their work. Change management isn't an afterthought; it's part of the transformation.

Infrastructure is the foundation. When it fails, applications become unavailable and operations suffer. In distribution, that can mean delayed shipments or lost inventory visibility. In manufacturing, it can mean production downtime. You can't modernize everything at once, so prioritize based on business impact, risk and dependencies.

  Technology exists to serve the business, whatever it makes or moves.  

Most importantly, don't treat a technology project as a refresh. Treat it as a business transformation. The goal isn't newer systems; it's better tools, greater reliability, streamlined processes and improved business visibility. A successful implementation delivers a working system. A successful transformation changes how the business operates for the better.

Balance Innovation, Security and Continuity

Innovation and protection belong in the same conversation from day one. CIOs shouldn't have to choose between enabling the business and protecting it.

My approach is straightforward:

• Align innovation to value. Evaluate business benefits, risk, return on investment and available resources. A compelling technology demo isn't a business case.

• Build security into the design. Address identity, access and data protection before implementation, not afterward.

• Protect data while enabling the business. Give employees the access they need while applying appropriate controls. Security that ignores how people work can encourage risky workarounds.

• Plan for failure. Test backups, document recovery procedures and establish recovery priorities. Prevention matters, but so does resilience.

• Modernize incrementally. Use pilots and measurable success criteria to validate assumptions and limit disruption.

The goal isn't to eliminate every risk. It's to understand the risks, make informed decisions and keep the business operating when something goes wrong.

AI: Business Value Before Hype

It wouldn't be an IT leadership article in 2026 without mentioning AI. Joking aside, the real question isn't how quickly we can adopt it, but where it can create measurable business value.

In distribution, opportunities include demand forecasting, inventory optimization, customer service and automating repetitive tasks. Manufacturing offers possibilities in predictive maintenance, quality control and production planning.

But use cases alone aren't enough. Governance must keep pace with adoption, with clear guardrails around data, access and approved use. CIOs must also evaluate licensing, consumption-based pricing, integration and ongoing oversight.

AI is subject to the same discipline as any technology investment: identify a business problem, define success, manage risk and validate results. Adoption matters, too. Even promising technology delivers little value if employees don't understand it or incorporate it into their work.

The objective isn't to adopt AI to keep up. It's to use it deliberately where it makes the business better.

Lead People, Not Just Technology

The most valuable lesson I've learned is humility. I don't have all the answers, and I'm only as good as the team around me. My job is to leverage people's strengths and create a culture where they can share ideas, challenge assumptions and communicate openly.

Four rules have served me well:

1. Build relationships before you need them. Assume everyone matters. How you treat people today can shape your opportunities tomorrow.

2. Never elevate yourself at someone else's expense. You don't need to diminish others to demonstrate your value.

3. Be willing to help and find a path forward. Take initiative, communicate risks honestly and bring solutions rather than defaulting to no.

4. No surprises. Communicate significant issues early. Your boss should hear them from you first, along with potential solutions.

IT leaders also need a seat at the table. Too often, IT is held accountable for decisions it wasn't involved in making. We earn that seat by understanding the business, speaking its language and contributing before technology requirements become an afterthought.

Finally, don't just lead; teach. I explain why I make decisions and choose particular approaches so my team can develop its own judgment and prepare to lead others.

The Bigger Picture

Technology will keep changing. The fundamentals of effective IT leadership won't: understand the business, prioritize thoughtfully, manage risk and invest in people.

IT earns its place as a strategic partner not by how much technology it deploys, but by how effectively it helps the business achieve its goals. Technology may be the tool, but business value and people are the point.