Every manager in baseball learns the value of the players who "ride the pine" waiting for a moment of glory late in the game. Having bench strength often is the difference between postseason success and an early date with the golf clubs.

It's the same in IT management. Successful IT leaders consciously develop bench strength to take their organizations through challenges that appear unexpectedly and that require something beyond the usual mix of skills.

Bench strength is related to succession planning. A great set of players offers choices for succession -- but their real value is in dealing with changed circumstances. Here are some examples to consider:

In an organization that's suddenly under market pressure, all free resources will go to meet the business challenge. Managers will have an advantage if they can call on team members with the ability to quickly analyze IT's cost structure, propose infrastructure projects that have near-guaranteed returns and prune low-value activities. Do you have team members ready to use such capabilities along with their day-to-day skills?

Perhaps in another company the challenge is innovation. How flexible are your systems? How easily could you create combinations that would create new products or services? While normal times call for the standard user-sponsored project, a key bench strength is the ability to clearly articulate the art of the possible. Alongside this is the ability to prepare for more rapid change by incremental rearchitecturing efforts. A consultative approach will be needed that may not be a normal course of affairs. Who on your team is up to this?

A third organization may be entering a consolidation phase. Who on the team has the skills to institutionalize controls, management processes and practices to hone what has been built into a smoothly operating entity? The improvement work may not be as glamorous as bringing home a major project, but it's just as essential for the IT organization's long-term health.

Each of these examples reveals the need for different personal styles. Leadership team members should be chosen to reflect a variety of approaches that can be used as circumstances change. A healthy bench is built on knowing the difference between a manager's area of competence (which are based in experience and knowledge) and his key style skills (which are based in who the manager is). There is nothing wrong - and a good deal right - about tapping the "wrong" manager in organizational terms to lead an effort that he's stylistically suited to carry out.

So how do you develop a bench? Start with yourself. What is your style? Which types of challenges would be most rewarding for you, and why? How could you prepare to be called upon? Baseball pinch hitters and utility players must keep up their skills even while waiting days for the chance to play -- often for a single at-bat. IT leaders looking to build their reputations when called from the bench must constantly prepare as well. A stream of warm-up projects can help in this preparation.

Most of us are fortunate enough to work in predictable settings. But careers are made when our bench skills are brought into action. Build your bench - and be ready with the right person when a challenge hits you.

Bruce A. Stewart is a former CEO and onetime senior vice president and director of executive services at Meta Group. He is now an executive adviser in Vancouver, British Columbia. He can be contacted at bruce@bastewart.com.