Top-performing chief information officers (CIOs) focus more on business leadership rather than on technology operations, according to the research ‘The CIO Inflection Point’ from ServiceNow.

The research by the California-based cloud-computing firm is based on a global survey of CIOs conducted by Oxford Economics – a quantitative analysis firm. The survey involved 516 CIOs and examined the most important capabilities necessary for the role today. It found that nearly two-thirds of CIOs (63 percent) believe business and leadership skills are more important than technology acumen.

“Earlier, the CIO was an organisation’s top technologist, but today the most successful CIOs are those who are thought leaders, innovators and business visionaries,” said Chris Bedi, CIO of ServiceNow.

The survey identified the following 10 major capabilities for effective modern CIOs:

  • Focusing on business and leadership skills
  • Positioning as business visionaries
  • Building C-suite influence
  • Focusing externally on customers
  • Digitising workflows to drive improved outcomes
  • Focusing more on strategy versus operations
  • Aligning the goals of IT with the goals of the business
  • Educating other members of the C-suite on digital technologies
  • Collaborating with the CEO on setting organisational roadmaps
  • Working with the CHRO on talent strategies

The survey further noted that the most effective CIOs also report higher levels of productivity, innovation and customer satisfaction in their organisation and have the strongest relationships with other business leaders, in particular the CEO and chief human resources officer (CHRO).

The role of the chief information officer has evolved since it was first defined in 1981 by academics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in the United States. Today, there is a consensus amongst most CIOs that establishing partnerships and cross-team projects at C-level is a critical part of their role, according to the research by ServiceNow.

(Reporting by Atique Naqvi, editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@refinitiv.com)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.

© ZAWYA 2019