Subscribe in a readerWeinberg, James C., Thomas Park. CEO vs. CIO: Can This Marriage Be Saved? (CIO Magazine, Consultants' Briefing, Booz Allen Hamilton)
Often CEO's act as though they are partners in an uncomfortable relationship. Many CEOs see CIOs as experts only in technology when they can play a greater role in developing business strategy. This abstract addresses key issues presented in the original article with commentary.
Three critical areas that need the most attention in this peer relationships:
Technology in the Organization Chart
To make sure the company has the tools it needs to meet strategic business objectives, the CIO must be considered part of the advisor's and decision makers bringing the organization together. Technology selection must be made in the perspective of a companies future needs, the needs of each department must be considered.
Bridging the Communications Gap
Including the CIO in the decision-making infrastructure of your organization is a start, from this point the CEO should communicate support for the CIO and their selected technologies. The CIO functions as a bridge between executive decisions and technological implementation. Management strategies should be discussed with regular progress meetings, in the same respect the CEO meets with heads of sales, marketing, and support.
Process Management
Technology shapes business process, it can also drain budgets of much needed capital. Prioritize technology expenditures and regularly communicate with the CEO about the value of technical changes. Each technological change should bring additional value to the organization advancing it to it's goals.
A Brighter Future
CIOs are being more commonly accepted into the executive management team, and stepping forward to face the challenges of building strong relationships with the teams other members. As technology transforms business this tactical bridge improves communications and business process. Overall these steps are essential to increasing revenue, efficiencies, cost cutting, and innovation commonly made available through this type of partnership.
/ business-strategy | executive-relations /
By Justin Hitt at July 27, 2003 2:43 AM
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