The New Role of the CIO through Technology Innovation
James is the CIO of a growing software company in Minnesota. He’s been in this role for 3 years. So far, his primary responsibilities have surrounded IT-related scenarios and solutions. However, he is beginning to see a major shift in his responsibilities.
For the past six months, James has received increased attention from the executive team as a leader. Before he was mainly responsible for selecting and managing the company’s technology solutions. Today, he has been called to attend a staff meeting and the CEO has a host of questions ready to ask him about IT strategies in relation to business growth.
While James wasn’t quite prepared for the change, he is beginning to see how his role has shifted from mainly focusing on IT to broadly supporting enterprise strategies through technology.
The CIO plays a pivotal role in every organization, and the role a CIO plays is far more dynamic than what it used to be just a decade ago. CIOs are now responsible for strategically helping to drive innovation through technology while ensuring the business runs smoothly and effectively.
CIOs today act as a liaison between business and technology. Identifying the best mix of innovative technologies falls to the CIO, but now they must carry out that role at a higher level, but ensuring their decision-making is done in a way that the organization grows.
To break down the new role of a CIO, let’s consider three key identifiers:
#1…A major role that CIOs and any C-level executive must play is to grow business. CIOs will increasingly be responsible for implementing the right technologies that will serve as a foundation for growth.
#2…The rate of change is so fast that some organizations find it difficult to keep up. Therefore, the CIO is charged with being the “champion of disruption” and he or she must embrace these changes and help to carve out a new path for the organization.
#3…CIOs must focus on the “digital” path ahead and bring the benefits of digital transformation and innovation to both the IT department and the business teams.
CIOs are no longer just involved with technology, security, and information processing. They must also wear the hat of being a business executive to ensure that growth is achieved. The technology foundation must support a mindset of growth, must be optimized for flexibility, and ensure security of the organization’s assets.
If you want to know more about the changing role of the CIO, click the link below for more information.
