Today's CIO operates in an entirely different environment compared to a decade ago. Back then, the tech leadership role was primarily responsible for the operational aspects of IT, and, many would argue, the CIO often resembled Dilbert's Mordac, the "Evil-hearted IS Director" whose sole goal seemed to be making computers as difficult to use as possible.
These days, pervasiveness of technology has established the CIO as the responsible party over a vital, core business function (IT) that supports all business units. This now requires the CIO to interact with other business units far more frequently and intensely than many of his peers. That's why today, for both professional and career-advancement reasons, it is essential that a CIO to be a top-notch communicator and relationship builder.
A CIO's ability to build rapport, and establish and maintain strong relationships with fellow CXOs (the whole gambit of senior management including CEO, COO, CFO, HR, and marketing), is second only to that person's ability to identify business opportunities and to lead change.
The four necessary habits
While building strong interpersonal relationships with fellow chiefs may sound easy, it's not. According to the report "Creating the CIO Executive Success Cycle," from Gartner Executive Programs (GartnerEXP), success is tied to four key habits:
- Ability to shape demand
- Ability to set expectations
- Ability to deliver
- Ability to lead
While they're not established in a specific order, Gartner's report states that these four habits are found in CIOs "who separate themselves from the pack and sustain high visibility and influence within the senior leadership team."
The report is compelling reading and provides a brief questionnaire that proves useful for a quick evaluation of a CIO's strengths.
In the context of the report, the ability to develop good working relationships falls into the leadership category. It's critical to success in the role and starts with simply being approachable. A CIO serves as a sounding board for CXOs and covertly educating the not-so-technically-savvy about how technology can help CIOs achieve their business goals.
As a leader, a CIO needs to acknowledge that fellow managers and their staff are key users of technology and therefore rely heavily on the CIO and the IT department. A CIO needs to have a good grasp of what the business problems and objectives actually are before determining what, if any, technical solution is applicable. Obviously, it's a tough task if the CIO is removed from the business units or has frosty relationships with the business managers.
CIOs can boost their business grasp by asking this simple question in their relationship with each business unit leader: "How can I help this manager meet objectives, make the person's job easier, reduce costs, etc.?"
In providing an answer, and to improve approachability, CIOs have to use plain English--it's not a good time for techie speak. CIOs need to be interpreters--to take the technical concepts and terms and demystify them for the CXO audience.
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