CIOs – not CEOs – can drive business transformation, say Forrester
July 9, 2013 Leave a comment
A recent report from Forrester “The CIO’s Role in Business Transformation.” and summarised by CIOInsights
identifies that technology is usually at the heart of most business transformations and that CIOs are therefore well-positioned to lead transformation projects. Yet, not all CIOs are well-suited to such a role. The report loosely categorises CIOs into IT soldiers, leaders of IT, change consultants and transformation leaders.
The report aligns well with many of the discussions we have in our sales and business development training and maps well with how we define different types of CIO, according to their priorities and attitudes. It links well too with IBM’s Essential CIO study which categorised what business expects of its IT function from leveraging the existing IT investment through to pioneering business transformation.
What’s evident is that CIO and the business need to be clear about the role of IT, its potential to make a difference and what they expect of the IT leadership. It’s also evident that companies that see the potential of technology to drive new business opportunities are those most likely to move ahead of competitors playing the ‘wait and see’ game. Balancing risk versus reward is always key and Accenture have an interesting report on this: Strategic planning is dead, long live strategic planning.
The Forrester report will no doubt spark some interesting conversations within IT functions and boards. CIOs have long been tasked with stepping up to the business plate. As technology increasingly underpins competitive advantage, these skills will be essential in both IT leadership and in their suppliers. Are you ready to move up a gear?
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