by Graham Waller | November 15, 2010 | Comments Off
“This session alone has paid for my trip to Orlando Symposium”. Such was the reaction of one South American based CIO after attending the presentation entitled ‘Combine Strategy and Leadership to Maximize IT’s Contribution’.
As I reflect on ‘The CIO Edge’ book launch at the recent Symposia events, I’m invigorated by the numerous times people made a point of telling me how they personally related to the core messages of the book. Soft skills yield hard results. It is people leadership skills that distinguish, and enable the success, of high performing CIOs.
A CIO from a major European city who is tackling a tough transformation agenda, came alive as she embraced how changing her approach to emphasize the human dynamics, rather than procedural steps such as governance, was the key to achieving the desired business outcomes. A CIO from transportation sector immediately connected how specific skills, such as a ‘Social and Participative’ leadership style, would make or break the success of the next phase of his IT strategy. He now plans to in incorporate these specific skills into upcoming talent reviews.
During workshops I asked attendees to conduct a simple self assessment to identify which of the seven skills has the potential to most positively impact their future success. In Orlando the clear number one was ‘Being a Leader First and Everything Else Second’. The workshop attendees readily embraced its importance, however simultaneously acknowledged just how hard it is to live this as their primary role everyday. While in Cannes the skill of ‘Forging Right Relationships’, particularly with horizontal business partners, was the skill ranked number one by those attendees.
At both Orlando and Cannes attendees continually stopped me to say just how much they enjoyed the candor and perspectives from the great CIOs on the panels I had the privilege to moderate. I cannot do justice in the short space here to the wealth of leadership insight the CIO panelists kindly shared, so therefore plan to make this the focus of upcoming blog posts.
Having worked for nearly three years, along with my co-authors of ‘The CIO Edge’, it is immensely fulfilling to witness the connection people had to our research findings. If you attended any of the sessions at a Symposium event, or have had the opportunity to read the book, I would love to hear which aspects connected with you and why.
‘Carpe diem’ my friends, Graham
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by Graham Waller | September 17, 2010 | 1 Comment
After three years of research, a pattern and mental model we observed in high performing CIOs was a passionate belief that their primary role is people leadership. As Filippo Passerini (President of Business Services & CIO – P&G), explained to us when we interviewed him as part of our research:
“No amount of technology can replace the power of motivated and energized people. That’s particularly true if your mission is to make a real difference as CIO, to create value via applying IT, to becoming a true strategic partner for the company versus having IT be relegated to a ‘commodity’ function. If that’s your goal—and it is mine—people are central to transforming the way we do business. IT becomes more of a people business than a technology one. That’s why my first focus is on people.”
However from our experience this is not a universally held belief. While just about everyone we spoke to agreed people leadership (and the requisite soft skills) are important, the skeptics’ view is that these are subordinate to the ‘real job’ of a CIO to drive results. In contrast, a pattern we saw in the highest performing leaders was a fundamental belief that their role is all about people leadership, and through that lens they will be able to achieve far greater results via people, by people and through people.
While this distinction may appear subtle, our research indicates it is pivotal to a modern CIO’s success. I would love to hear your views on this point:
Is people leadership the primary way you define your role? Should it be? What advice would you give aspiring CIOs on this topic?
This is all the result of extensive research that I’ve been working on along with fellow co-authors George Hallenbeck (Director, Intellectual Property Development, for Korn/Ferry Leadership and Talent Consulting) and Karen Rubenstrunk, that will result in a book to be published in November by Harvard Business Review Press – The CIO Edge: Seven Leadership Skills You Need to Drive Results .
It has been a true privilege to have worked on this research along with my co-authors, numerous wonderful colleagues across Gartner and to have the opportunity to interview and get to know so many high performing CIOs. I plan to utilize this blog to share on-going insights into leadership in the CIO role and to keep the research process alive with your help. I sincerely hope that you will find this of interest and would value your feedback, ideas, opinions and engagement on the topic of leadership in the CIO role.
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