In this Newsletter
- How to Succeed as a CIO in a new company
- CIO's Role Has Changed
- IT Infrastructure Impacted by Technology Changes
- Security Policies and Procedures Compliant with Mandated Requirements
How to succeed as a CIO in a new company
The first 90 days are the most critical for new CIOs
Long term success is based on what the CIO does first
The success of the CIO is based on results. Too often new CIOs try to do too much before they know enough. Six things that a new CIO should do are:
Find an Internal Ally - It is crucial to quickly get to know the new company. But since no one can be everywhere at once, it’s good to have an observant adviser within the company.
Find someone in the company to “be your counselor, letting you know if the troops need more attention or if they’re confused.” An ally does not have to be a peer or a direct report; it can be junior colleague who is attuned to the workforce and unafraid to share their observations. Often people who needed help rarely came directly to you and ask for help.
Hire a Strong Ally - Hire someone who know how you work and what your strengths and weakness are. They can be a sounding board and at the same time another ally who is totally loyal to you.
Get Things under Control - A CIO who wants to position himself as a strategic partner to executive management should avoid getting bogged down in detail tasks. A new CIO should establish a strong leadership persona, whether that means adding positions, hiring people, or reorganizing. The new company needs the new CIO to have a team and processes in place that support the new CIO's success. That’s not going to happen in 90 days, but the CIO needs to have the commitment in place to support them going forward.
Focus on the Right Issues - CIOs want to control costs and processes, and what better way to do that than tightening the purse strings or project initiatives of the IT department. CIOs often think they’ve got to set an example and that is often the wrong issue to focus on.Doing something solely to be a model for the company can be a mistake because it may send the wrong message. And more than anything, a new CIO needs to be viewed as a team player.
Be a Collaborator - When it comes to strategy, it’s easiest to forge ahead if executives across the company are on board. Particularly for a new CIO, it’s important to vet plans with the right people, whether launching an IT transformation or introducing a new initiative. Keep them updated on where things stand so that they’re hearing how the project is advancing. That way you’re constantly winning buy-in for the next move.
A new CIO should also look for informal support and feedback on how to make projects more efficient and less disruptive to the business. Many of the things the CIO do have a big impact on the other business functions. It’s critical for the CIO to gather input and make sure that he is doing what he can to make it as easy as possible.
Listen - A new CIO should spend lots of time listening. Many CIO spend too much time talking and not enough time taking notes on what they hear. When you’re new, you find so much information and get so many ideas, but it’s not wise to act on those ideas immediately. Rather, the first 90 days are an opportunity to determine which strategies, people, and processes are healthy and which need improvement.
Even if you try to make a change in an organization and it makes sense on paper, there may be things in the way. Understanding such potential obstacles will smooth the way when it is time to start making big decisions.
CIO's Role Has Changed
The CIO is now faced with new challenges - no longer just a technologist now a business partner
Business strategy and technology drive new direction
The role of the CIO and CTO is changing as more enterprises more towards a "Value Added" role for the Information Technology function (see detail job descriptions that have been created for all of the functions with IT -- especially for the CIO and CTO).
The job of overseeing technology at corporations is changing as fast as the technology itself. No longer is the chief information officer the “nerd-in-chief,” merely chasing after viruses and ordering new mouse pads. Now the CIO is finding ways to utilize hardware and software for strategic business purposes, such as discerning market opportunities and improving customer service. The high-tech tools of choice can include sophisticated data mining like social networking, and enhancements to the company website.
In today’s environment the CIO has to look at the enterprise and be able to apply technology as a strategic weapon. The forces that are driving the CIO are:
- Business systems management - Linking business context with mobile systems and other services
- Mobile Devices - Access to enterprise information from multiple disparate sources
- Project and portfolio management - Tracking multiple investment priorities and project performance against objectives, often short-term
- Vendor management - Automating functions such as contracting, evaluation, market analysis, contingency planning, and dispute resolution
- Integration - Orchestrating interactions across the company, including from cloud-source channels
- Security - Protecting corporate assets and meeting mandated compliance requirements
IT Infrastructure Impacted by Technology Changes
iPads and Tablets Challenge CIOs
As Users Acquire New Technologies Existing IT Infrastructure is Pushed to its Limits
With the explosion of technology into every facet of the day-to-day business environment there is a need to define an effective infrastructure to support operating environment; have a strategy for the deployment and technology; and clearly define responsibility and accountability for the use and application of technology.
In most companies, CEOs need a CIO who can be a true business partner, someone who can not only drive out costs from day-to-day operations, but strategically manage IT to enhance revenue and profits.
If the CIO is stuck in tunnel vision they may be scrambling to buy and implement one application after another and execute on programs and projects without a clear sense of strategic priorities; wasting resources on applications and projects that are redundant; and carefully depreciating hardware to keep the accountants happy.
Managing Critical Steps in Infrastructue Definition
Defining Your Optimal IT Infrastructure is a critical task that can no longer wait with all of the changes mandated by Sarbanes-Oxley and changes to your operating environment. The template helps you:
- Understand and explain what infrastructure is, enabling you, your constituents, and the executive team to manage the organization's technology environment more effectively.
- Analyze the current state of your infrastructure so you know where it works well and where to focus improvement efforts.
- Justify infrastructure spending, using the template's comprehensive definitions and ready to use examples to link IT infrastructure and your company's bottom line.
- Prioritize your resources with a prescriptive tool-set that lets you focus your efforts.
Security Policies and Procedures Come in Standard - Premium - Gold Editions
Not only can you get the template in easily modifiable Microsoft WORD but you can get full multi-page job descriptions when you order the Premium or Gold Editions. Read on...
