| What's Happening To All Of The CIOs? | | | | IT at least needs to do a better job of getting the |
| You and I both know that a well run IT department is | | | | message across to the CIO about IT actually does. |
| what can make one company more successful than | | | | Langer makes a good point when he states that he |
| its competitors. That must mean that the IT | | | | believes that there is no question that CEOs value |
| department is important, and therefore the CIO must | | | | what an IT department does. It's just that what we do |
| also be important, right? If that's true, then why are | | | | is so far removed from what he understands, that |
| some of the really big companies like News Corp, | | | | CEOs really have no clear idea how to manage their |
| Harrah's, ConocoPhillips, etc. getting rid of their CIO and | | | | IT resources. |
| then choosing to not replace him / her? What are they | | | | Ultimately, this is what is currently missing: an IT best |
| thinking? | | | | practices organization that can provide CEOs with this |
| What's The Problem Here? | | | | kind of management guidance. Sure we've got the ITIL |
| If firms feel comfortable getting rid of their head of IT | | | | standards, but those are far too detailed. What's |
| (the CIO) and not replacing that person, then clearly | | | | missing is that top-level "here's how you run an IT |
| there must be a crisis here. It sure looks like today's | | | | department" type of guidance. |
| CIOs have not done a good job of advertising just | | | | What All Of This Means For You |
| how valuable they are to the rest of the company's | | | | Even though you may not yet be a CIO, you need to |
| executive leadership team. | | | | start thinking about how you are going to effectively |
| This is pretty easy to understand. However, there's a | | | | deal with this issue. The last thing that you want to |
| problem with this explanation. You would think that all | | | | have happen is for you to finally become the CIO only |
| of the upper management positions would be faced | | | | to lose your job because the job itself was seen as |
| with this same challenge of conveying their value to | | | | being not all that important. |
| the company. However, it seems like the CIO is the | | | | As CIO what you are going to have to do is 1) do a |
| only position that companies feel comfortable leaving | | | | good job of running your IT department, and 2) do a |
| either open or in the hands of a less senior member of | | | | good job of educating your CEO on how to manage |
| staff. You can't say the same for operations, finance, | | | | his / her IT assets. This means that you're going to |
| human resources, etc. | | | | have to do a lot of different tasks: create IT best |
| What Could We Do To Solve This Problem? | | | | practices for your company, collect industry research |
| Arthur Langer has been researching this issue and he | | | | and show it to your CEO, create management guides |
| believes that the problem that IT has is that we're | | | | to instruct your CEO on what you need him / her to |
| lacking support. If we worked in accounting, then we'd | | | | do for IT. Congratulations - when you become CIO, |
| all be CPAs and everyone would agree on the way | | | | you also become a teacher! |
| that things needed to be done. | | | | Although this may seem like it would take up a lot of |
| IT has no equivalent accreditation system. Langer | | | | your precious CIO time that could be spent forging |
| points out that the field of IT is lacking any sort of | | | | strategy and harnessing new technology, think again. |
| professional body that could provide its stamp of | | | | Teaching your CEO how to manage the CIO and |
| approval for how an IT department is run or what | | | | showing how to use IT to make the company more |
| goals it chooses to focus on. Although such an | | | | successful just might be the best thing that you've |
| organization may be a long way off, in the near term | | | | ever done - it could even save your job! |