The idea of "Business-IT Alignment" has been entrenched in enterprise architecture (EA) discussions for years. For decades, we've been told that aligning IT to business priorities is the ultimate goal. But what if this entire approach was fundamentally misguided from the start?

Let’s break down this myth clearly: For true integration, IT cannot remain separate from the enterprise—it must be inseparable from it.

Yet, frameworks like TOGAF continue to reinforce precisely the opposite.

The Myth That Keeps Us Stuck

Enterprise architects repeatedly hear that their role is to ensure that IT aligns with the business. But consider this strange scenario:

HR leaders refer to Sales as "Sales," not "the business."
Sales leaders call HR "HR," not "the business."
Customer Support calls Finance "Finance," not "the business."

Yet, IT continually refers to everyone else collectively as "the business."

This subtle language reveals a deep structural flaw: IT departments perceive themselves as external to the enterprise. Instead of integrated participants, IT professionals become outsiders trying to "align" with something they never truly see themselves as part of.