Top 10 Things a CIO Must Do For Their Career
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Top 10 Things That a CIO Must Do To Advance

For CIOs to be viewed as true executives they need to focus on business strategy and technology alignment...

What does the CIO have to do to be viewed as a business person versus a technologist?  There are many strategies that CIOs have followed that work. We have found some sure fired ways to have the CIO be a driver in the alignment of strategic business objectives with IT initiatives.  They are really the same today as they were back in the early days of computing.

CIO Role


  1. Look and be an executive – That not only includes speaking in business terms but all dressing and looking like the other executives. The key is to ensure the IT results are business focused and that both the CIO presents the big picture in terms of company strategy and ensuring IT and strategic business direction are aligned to it.  It is much easier to do when the CIO looks and talks the part.

  2. Have an opinion and present it – Do not go with what you think everyone wants.  Be brave and present ideas that will help the business to expand and grow.  If the CIO does not have an opinion what value are they in the executive suite?

  3. Check the ego at the door – No one wants to hear how great the CIO is.  It is much better if the other executives voice that and the CIO is humble in accepting praise.

  4. Get out of the detail – The CIO has a staff and they are the ones who do the programming and analysis.  CIOs need to focus on the big picture.

  5. Manage by mingling outside of IT – Get out of the “ivory tower” of IT.  Meet with other executives and operational staff frequently.  Invest at least 50% of the day to deal with business issues and become a key member of the executive management team and sounding board for where the organization is going.

  6. Stay within dollar and time budgets – CIO that are successful are the ones whose organizations deliver what they say, when they say it, and within budget.  That adds to creditability and makes it easier the next time around.

  7. Present a positive can do attitude – Focus on what can be done within what time frame. CIOs who say why something cannot happen often pushed aside by those how say what can be done.  It is better to implement part of a concept than say why the grand solution cannot be implemented.

  8. Management at the executive level is about selling and implementing ideas – It is not enough to present an idea, rather the CIO has to become a champion of an idea and transfer that role to the other executives in the organization.

  9. Take ownership – Not only when something succeeds, but also when it fails accept the results.  CIOs that come up with excuses and blame others do not last long in the executive suite.

  10. Innovation leads to success – CIOs who embrace new approaches gain a lot of creditability.  CIOs that hinder the use of new technologies are viewed as obstructionist and are bypassed in key decisions because they are viewed as some that the not accept change.

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