Now is unquestionably the best time to be a technology leader. Analysts and experts agree that technology is driving strong economic growth and fueling prosperity. This is our moment, and we are truly fortunate.
As a search professional, not a week goes by when executives do not tell me they wish to change their career paths. If it is not a shift from that of CIO to another role in the C-suite, it is a shift within IT from one specialization to another, such as from corporate systems management to omnichannel development or to BI.
These days, more than ever, CIOs at top-tier companies are taking on greater and greater responsibilities.
In the early 1990s when I was working with Gartner, I had a vision for creating a peer-to-peer network for CIOs to share their advice and best practices with one another.
The race for all businesses to become 'digital' or to 'execute a digital transformation' is well underway, with some organizations demonstrating the cultural adaptability required to see the results and success
I am asked this question frequently. It is valid, and hard to pick a single quality, but let me give it a shot.
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Depending on the research source, the shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals entering the U.S. labor market ranges somewhere between acute and dire.
It wasn't that long ago that people were questioning whether the role of the CIO was still needed in enterprise companies. A lot has changed in recent years. Digital skills and digital capital now constitute 22.5% of the global economy, according to Accenture. Companies have only just begun to unlock the potential for digital and need tech-savvy CIOs who understand how digital technologies can be applied to generate business value.
Digital disruption is forcing companies to support new ways to communicate with customers and CIOs to harness new IT skills and capabilities from their workforces. For CIOs, Millennials represent a sizeable portion of IT staffers who either already have these skills or require additional training to strengthen these skill sets.
High-performing CIOs aren't always recognized for the breadth of their achievements. CEOs and other C-level executives who are stretched thin and have multiple direct reports and responsibilities can't keep track of everything that the CIO accomplishes.
According to a 2015 study conducted by Harvey Nash and KPMG titled "CIO Survey 2015: Into an Age of Disruption," the majority of CIOs and other business leaders who were polled believe that not only will their organizations be impacted by digital disruption over the next 10 years, but that the transformation that's taking place will provide their organizations with a competitive advantage.
I had a recent conversation with Gregory Roberts, Managing Director in Accenture's Communications, Media and Technology practice which inspired a fascinating exchange: What if CIOs and CFOs had similar career trajectories?
For CIOs, gaining a seat at the table among other C-level executives isn't a destination: it's a journey. Securing a place among the executive team that makes the major strategic decisions for the enterprise is an enormous accomplishment for any IT leader.
Not all CIOs aspire to run a company. But for those that do, there are a number of steps that can be taken to become more attractive CEO candidates. One recommendation is by taking steps to shift the view of IT as a cost center to one that provides innovation and financial value to the enterprise.
Today’s technology executive plays a pivotal role in helping his or her organization respond to these forces of change. In essence, they serve as conductors to orchestrate the three pillars of organizational success – people, processes, and technology – and to draw upon their unique view of the enterprise to bring these elements into harmony.
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