Changing roles of CIOs

The role of the chief information officer (CIO) is often seen as the go-to person when trouble arises involving the IT infrastructure of an organization. But CIO today are finding themselves in unfamiliar territory as increased key performance indicators and overlapping responsibilities challenge their traditional roles.

A business strategist
One of changes in expectations for the CIO is the need to foster a more business mindset and play role in strategic management. The 2008 CIO annual magazine research The State of the CIO defines the CIO into three characteristics: the function head, the transformational leader, and the business strategist.

Based on the 542 respondents' choices of activities that their primary focus, only 12 percent spend their time being a business strategist, 37 per cent as function head, and 51 per cent as transformational leaders.

So, it was concluded that for the position to be viable long term, CIOs need to be more of the business strategist. In fact, CIOs today are more involved not just in providing information, but creating business strategies for the company by providing direct counsel to chief executive officer (CEO).

The CEO wingman
A CEO needs the advice of the CIO, especially in these difficult times. The question CIOs should ask themselves is "How can I be of greater value to my CEO?"

CEOs are under tremendous pressure to survive the recession and need the CIO's help in providing ideas on cutting costs in IT spending. CIOs can start by finding creative ways and implementing them to raise efficiency in the IT department's operations, allowing for savings and the ability to direct investments elsewhere in the organization.

A visionary
Another change in the expectations is the role CIOs have in initiating innovation. They need to find ways to show value in their IT investments, including the ability to foresee how IT can shape and benefit their business. CIOs may need to take drastic steps within their department to inspire change within an organization, which will prove to be a vital step towards their progress today.

For CIOs, it's really about changing performance expectations and moving from controllers and data managers towards being agents of change, working together with chief financial officer. CIOs need to avoid stagnating in their current roles and develop their areas of expertise and practice dialogue among the C-level executives, particularly when the relevance of their roles being questioned.

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