Many IT workforce members and leaders hope to finally grow to be a chief data officer. Sadly, most aspiring CIOs fail to grasp that becoming a member of the C-suite requires data that extends far past technical and workforce administration expertise.
Folks come to the CIO position from all walks of life; there isn’t any one-size-fits-all path, says Sharon Mandell, CIO at Juniper Networks. “Some have technical levels, others do not,” she noticed in an internet interview. “What all of them have in frequent is expertise, adaptability, and — most significantly — a robust sense of management.”
Those that need to grow to be a CIO ought to take the next steps to ensure they develop the ability units wanted for each the enterprise and technical points of the job.
Undertake Enterprise Deal with the CIO Path
Study enterprise operations, advises Mike Vance, government vice chairman, skilled companies at information and know-how consulting companies agency Resultant, in an e-mail interview. He’s additionally a veteran CIO at Steak ‘n Shake, purse designer Vera Bradley, and Matilda Jane Clothes.
“The trail to turning into a CIO is about shifting your mindset from asking ‘How do I construct this?’ to ‘Why does the enterprise want this, and the way can know-how allow it?’” Vance says.
He believes the earlier aspiring CIOs start practising a business-focused mindset, the higher they are going to match right into a C-level IT position. “Kind relationships, ask questions, and observe how every division contributes to the corporate’s general technique,” he suggests. This strategy is efficient as a result of it expands the person’s perspective past a core technical skillset, Vance says. “CIO hopefuls will then achieve a deeper understanding of how the enterprise operates, its strategic aims, and the way their position can contribute to these objectives.”
Mid-career professionals can start their journey to the C-level by shifting their focus from technical execution to extra strategic contributions, says James L. Norrie, a college member and peer mentor at Leaders Past, an IT skilled studying group the place he heads IT skilled growth packages.
“Hunt down cross-functional tasks, particularly these involving capabilities like finance, operations, or threat administration,” he advises in an e-mail interview.
Broaden Important Abilities
For a CIO, understanding a single know-how space is not sufficient, Juniper’s Mandell says. “The CIO position requires you to function throughout a large spectrum — networking, safety, infrastructure, functions, and information.” In the meantime, understanding the enterprise will assist skilled staffers prioritize extra successfully.
Potential CIOs additionally have to sharpen their communication expertise and achieve a command of organizational dynamics, Norrie says. He recommends growing a deliberate management posture that is aligned with the prevailing inside company tradition.
“Insights into find out how to obtain this purpose could be discovered by attending superior government schooling periods, discovering an government mentor, and mastering the context of inside politics,” he says.
Understanding enterprise finance wants and operations is crucial, Mandell says. “Whereas you do not have to be a CFO, you do want to grasp how IT’s finances matches into the bigger firm image,” she states. “The CIO sits on the intersection of know-how, enterprise technique, and other people management, so it’s not nearly realizing the tech, it is about serving to the corporate succeed.”
Networking is important for anybody who hopes to maneuver right into a C-suite position, says Jon Hill, CEO at The Energists, an vitality business recruiting agency. “On the senior management stage, openings typically aren’t posted to job boards,” he notes in an e-mail interview. “As a substitute, it is by way of skilled connections or government search corporations, so connecting with different leaders within the business could be extremely useful.”
Attending government management conferences generally is a notably sensible transfer, Hill says. “They offer you an opportunity to have interaction face-to-face with executives and different key gamers in your business.” Together with making connections, such occasions additionally give budding CIOs a chance to be taught in regards to the job’s enterprise aspect.
Avoiding Widespread Errors
The largest mistake novice CIO job seekers make is focusing an excessive amount of on know-how on the expense of the larger enterprise image, Vance says. “With out that broader perspective, it’s laborious to step right into a CIO position efficiently.”
Overemphasizing technical credentials whereas underplaying management expertise is one other frequent mistake. Getting employed on the government stage is about telling a compelling story reflective of your individual strategic considering, enterprise affect, and understanding find out how to remodel IT successfully, Norrie says.
Remaining Ideas
Don’t chase a title, chase affect, Norrie advises. “The simplest CIOs are strategic companions, not inside service suppliers.”
At all times keep in mind that CIO is a management position, Mandell says. “This implies reflecting on what does or would not make you an efficient chief, then working to shut these gaps and getting clear on why you need the job.”
