​IT Leadership Evolution: From Service Provider To Strategic Partner

Innovation​IT Leadership Evolution: From Service Provider To Strategic PartnerByJackie Njoroge,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)Jun 02, 2026, 12:45pm EDTJackie Njoroge is VP, Digital Transformation and Operational Excellence at US Oncology. gettyWalk into any executive meeting , and you’ll likely hear goals about growth, operations, outcomes and customer experience—universal themes, regardless of industry. What’s harder to see, at least on the surface, is how much of that conversation is now inseparable from technology.For a long time, the relationship between IT and other parts of the business was transactional. You needed hardware, you submitted a ticket. You wanted to demo new software, IT installed it. There was a clear handoff and for a while that model served its purpose.But today, as technology becomes more deeply woven into how organizations operate, that model has given way to something more integrated. IT can no longer sit adjacent to the business and respond to predefined needs. Instead, technology leaders must be embedded in how those needs are defined, prioritized, and executed.This means a fundamental shift from service provider to strategic partner.What A 'Seat At The Table' Actually RequiresThere’s a tendency to think a seat at the table is something IT is given. In my experience, it’s something that must be built and actively maintained on both sides.On the IT side, it starts with how you show up. You have to be able to speak the language of the table at which you’re sitting, translating technical capabilities into business value and being precise on the “so what.” Why should a CFO care? What does this mean operationally? How does it impact patient or customer outcomes?That translation needs to exist across the team, not just at a leadership level. Everyone has a role in connecti...