What's in a CIO?

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is an increasingly critical position at the top of most companies these days. In simple terms, the CIO is the person who can merge technology with business. But when you dig a bit deeper into the role, it becomes increasingly clear that the CIO is a key contributor to identifying, creating and supporting strategic business goals across your organization.

Most CIOs report to the Chief Executive Officer and often have an active place on the executive board. Although detailed technical decisions are delegated to other employees, the CIO's job is to guide the overall plan, budget and ultimate execution of the IT department.

Visionary CIOs, then, run IT as a services business that focuses on the continuing goals of maximizing efficiency and minimizing user frustrations. Because the CIO always balances business needs with these goals, a key success factor in the position requires the ability to see the big picture at all times.

What makes the CIO position unique in many ways is not necessarily the integration of technology into overall business execution, but the ability to sell solutions to the rest of the executive team. Most executives don't really understand or care how IT gets the job done, they just want it done — and they want it done as inexpensively as possible.

A savvy CIO, as a result, is a good salesperson: She understands the technology well enough to translate it into plain English for other executives and demonstrate its benefits to the organization as a whole. When large IT investments are required, the CIO is the one who must convince top management that the return on the investment justifies the expense.

Efficiency is a key factor for any successful CIO, too. Because the job requires a combination of both business and IT knowledge, it's one that changes hats multiple times in a given day. Organizational skills are essential to getting everything done and to staying on top of the constant crises that crop up in IT. And when things go wrong — as they so often can when technology is involved — the CIO is the one held accountable for every last high-tech detail.

For the CIO, leadership is more than being in a position of power. It involves using critical knowledge to lead others toward an improved business direction. At the same time, a great leader knows how to positively motivate employees to help them accomplish the business mission.

Multiple leadership skills that are crucial for any CIO include:

• Passion
• Integrity
• Vision
• Flexibility
• Adaptability
• Ability to execute, influence and persuade

A truly great CIO understands that IT is not an island but a key player in any organization. When that core understanding is spread across an organization, a business can make exponential leaps ahead of the competition.

Are you looking for a great CIO? Contact Jackie Connors at 201-537-0006 or jackie@theconnorsgroup.com to learn how The Connors Group can help you find the perfect person for the job.