From CIO to CINO?

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.

  Innovation   Strategy  

Is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) the right person within an organization to take on the role of Chief Innovation Officer (CINO)? The answer to that question is, “It depends.” Specifically it depends on the answer to a number of questions, the following two of which we will explore:

1. Does the organization support an innovation culture?
2. Does the CIO have the traits of an innovator?

Does the organization support an innovation culture?
For innovation to have a chance within an organization, the culture of the organization needs to be one that supports the innovation process. Most executives embrace the idea of being innovative but few have the will to support the process: culturally, emotionally, financially, etc.

Most executives want to invest in “sure things”, and that alone virtually eliminates key aspects of innovation such as experimentation, open-ended timelines, trial and error, etc. Leaders will assuredly reward an innovative idea that happens to emerge and help the organization achieve its objectives. But few will commission efforts to “find” an innovative approach or solution to problems without a potentially material reward.

Clearly, industries steep in science, engineering and invention understand and embrace the innovation process; but most others do not. These organizations don’t want to …

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