Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 17 | Page 48

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