In Search of a CIO

Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.

  Strategy  

Ever wonder why the half-life of a CIO is about 18 months?  Ever wonder why there is so much written on what CEOs want in a CIO or why CIOs struggle so much with aligning IT with Corporate Strategies and Objectives?  A simple search of the internet for articles about effective CIOs returned no less than 480,000 hits spanning over a decade.  Obviously the issue of what makes an effective CIO is long lived and still much in debate.

So what lies at the heart of the problem? Is it a lack of qualified CIOs, impractical expectations or is it just a role doomed to failure?  Does CIO really stand for “Career Is Over”?

The role of the CIO and IT in companies is unique in that it requires a leader and an organization that can service and navigate across organizational silos.  Balancing competing needs and agendas can consume even the heartiest of souls as they become pulled on from every direction.  Now add to this that most CIO recruiting efforts focus more on technical skills than leadership and interpersonal skill sets and its no wonder so many CIOs fail. 

So what should a company be looking for in their CIO?  Below is a list of attributes that should resonate with CEOs.  If you are a CIO or CIO wannabe rate yourself against the list.  If you are a CEO or CIO peer (CFO, COO, EVP, etc.) think about how your CIO …

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