CIO opinion
much can be saved. In addition to this, the
board will need to foster a bigger appetite
for risk, as CIOs need patience, backing and
autonomy so that they feel motivated to
remain in their role for longer.
Our research suggests that many CIOs
have confidence in their own abilities
but express frustration at the capabilities
and digital maturity of the organisations
they are supporting. To bridge that gap,
ambitious CIOs must find a way to make an
impact – requiring them to navigate all the
complexities with fluency to get things done,
while balancing competing agendas and
priorities across the business. To achieve this,
CIOs should consider these three steps to
drive digital change within their organisation:
1. Identify potential board advocates
Every CIO has a feel for the agenda of
a company and its board in relation
to technology investment and Digital
Transformation. Whether or not a fresh
approach to digital is needed now,
take the time to identify and work with
“
THE CIO ROLE HAS
A RELATIVELY
SHORT LIFE
EXPECTANCY,
WITH HALF OF
IT LEADERS
SPENDING LESS
THAN FIVE YEARS
IN THEIR LAST JOB
AND EXPECTED
TO FOLLOW
A SIMILAR
TIMEFRAME
IN THEIR
CURRENT POST.
48
INTELLIGENTCIO
those on the board who embrace and
understand what is at stake.
2. Find a mentor
Transformation is never easy and most
CIOs will benefit from having others
to turn to for advice, insight and moral
support. If a mentor or two is missing,
take the time and trouble to seek them
out. Pick the right person and you’ll see
immediate benefit from the relationship.
3. Communicate your vision
Digital Transformation needs a vision that
others can believe in. The CIO is uniquely
qualified to drive change, but it needs
to be communicated well for others to
understand and embrace it – so make
excellent communication a priority.
Looking ahead
The role of the CIO is changing
dramatically and what was once central
to the job has made way for the pursuit
of Digital Transformation. Providing a
personalised, configurable and convenient
business model that can be accessed by
customers anytime, anywhere is now seen
as a requirement.
We expect that same ease and simplicity
when using technology at work, as we
do in our personal lives – and the CIO is
largely responsible for making this happen.
Yet, many CIOs feel hamstrung by the
infrastructure they inherited and report
being denied the time and organisational
structure to put it right, resulting in them
leaving their roles without having achieved
what they had set out to do.
This results in a ‘CIO cycle’ which can leave
businesses uncertain on their digital strategy,
holding back productivity, restraining growth
and putting businesses under increasing
threat from competitors.
Given the importance of technology and IT
in Digital Transformation, the CIO role will
become ever more critical in the year ahead
and it is important we understand and
support them properly. Moving forward, CIOs
will need business backing in order to feel
inspired to turn their digital aspirations into
a reality. Patience, support and autonomy
from the board will be critical to tackle the
vicious cycle that is the ‘CIO cycle’ once and
for all. n
www.intelligentcio.com