A Roadmap and an IT Support Specialist.They are two examples of the tangible value IT Director Kasper Strømme Andersen has gained from his EGN membership.
For him, a strong network is not just about inspiration, sparring and good conversations. It is also about getting things done faster, making better decisions and, sometimes, saving both time and money.
“The value of my membership can be measured in hard cash. Things are moving so fast in the field of AI, so it’s great to be able to exchange ideas with my peer group about business development and AI security,” he says.
Kasper is a member of one of EGN’s groups for IT leaders and has been a member for seven of the past ten years, with a three-year break while working as a consultant.
According to Kasper, a key part of the value lies in the trust within the group – having the confidence to share both successes and failures, and to reach out when you are facing something difficult.
“If you don’t give something, including socially, you won’t get anything back either.”
He has experienced this value several times.
One example is an IT security roadmap that Kasper was preparing to present to the management team. Rather than developing and validating it on his own, he brought his draft to a meeting with his peer group.
“IT is remarkably similar across industries, for example when it comes to security and ERP. Especially because Microsoft solutions are so widely used by Danish companies. This means that experience and knowledge from Company A can easily be transferred to Company B.”
The group provided both input and validation of his roadmap. It gave him a validated plan and, importantly, greater confidence when it came time to present it to management.
Another example involves recruiting an IT support specialist.
One of Kasper’s fellow members mentioned that he unfortunately did not have the opportunity to hire an IT support specialist who was about to graduate. Kasper happened to be looking for someone with exactly that profile.
“I hired him shortly afterwards.”
For Kasper, however, the value of the network is not limited to these tangible gains. It is also very much about maintaining strong relationships and reaching out to fellow members between meetings.
“Sometimes it’s five minutes that saves us money. Other times it’s about making better decisions, avoiding mistakes or moving faster,” he concludes.
