It also requires information systems that have the right metrics and analytics, and organization designs and practices that link HR managers to business units.

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Today, the organization has 23 separate programs and more than 50 mobile medical units in major metropolitan cities like Austin, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

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Indeed, in a larger organization, when a new team is coming together (for example a reorganization combining new units), it is a great time to define a shared view of the customer.

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Step one is articulating a story that exemplifies what you stand for as an organization, and step two (winning) takes a total team effort across functions and business units.

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In that role, I have been responsible for IT across the organization regardless of the business unit, making sure IT is aligned with the priorities and strategies of all business units in the company and that we are servicing their needs.

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Individual business units make big strategic decisions too: a major systems upgrade is clearly a critical decision for the IT organization.

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Lots of corporations are still sectioning off digital and social media functions as separate units, making it more difficult to tie their work back to the bigger-picture strategy of the organization.

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