We are all aware of the challenges faced by a CIO in his work place. Skills demanded of him are many. He is expected to have a good knowledge of business, he has to be good at systems analysis, understanding new technologies, selling and networking within the organization, negotiating with vendors, project management, change management, team handling etc.
He also slogs, working at unearthly hours either to complete a crucial project on time or to attend to emergencies relating to disruption of system. Yet, he is often blamed for shortcomings and sometimes considered lesser than other functional heads.
The CIO may have to be blamed on some occasions, but not so in many other cases. He works within the constraints of the organizational functioning and is subject to the work culture practiced in the organization.
There are quite a few companies that are forward looking and have an enlightened group of management personnel. It is truer of specific sectors like Telecom, Banking & Financial companies, Airlines, Railways, Travel or other such services sector organizations where the businesses are primarily IT driven. Companies in other sectors, however, may or may not be endowed with these benefits. This is where the poor CIO is at his wits end.
All organizations are not alike; some are more informed than the others. I will, however, list down some adverse factors that affect many a CIO from carrying on their good tasks. Let me describe a few of them:
1. Ignorance: Many organizations neither specify their expectations from the CIO nor do they have any formal demands on him with respect to deliveries. The CIO has to fend for himself. In many cases, the CIO defines his own role and charts a path for himself. He goes on to demonstrate his usefulness and tries to increase his acceptability. He may succeed in some cases but if he is not senior enough, he may have a big challenge on his hands.
2. Indifference: In many organizations, IT is not given a priority and budgets are not adequately allocated. IT is considered a cost center and in times of resource crunch, IT budget is usually the first to be blocked. The CIO sure can fight his way through and make IT count, but by that time, a half of his work life would have been consumed.
3. Position / Reporting: For historical reasons, many companies consider IT a sub-function and the CIO reports to the CFO. That reduces his authority and independence. Struggle to whatever level he may, he still cannot break free and make his mark.
4. Management Support but no Participation: Managements often support only by words but do no more than just sanctioning budgets and monitoring spends. How many times have they stepped out to meet the IT team or the users to review projects and send a message that IT is important? Such a management thinks it has played its part and it is the CIO who is responsible for everything else.
5. No Acknowledgement: If any organization is serious about IT, it would acknowledge and felicitate the CIO for playing his role in the success of an important project. That sure would encourage the CIO to do better. However, the CIO is remembered only when there is a server breakdown, network disruption, mail failure and the like but forgotten soon thereafter.
In my long career and stint with various companies, I have encountered both good and bad organizations, but lesser number of good ones. During conversations, many CIOs and IT vendors have the same story to tell. We may have better times in the years ahead as young people ascend the throne and give a newer and meaningful thrust to IT.
Bala, I cannot agree more. You have actually written the essence and the current plight of most of the CIOs. Problem is that nobody accepts it and/or nobody raises the voice at the right time.
Thanks Rahul for initiating a debate. The problem that I have highlighted is common across many sectors and I therefore suspect that we have learnt to live with it. It is perhaps risky to fight such situations and the easier way out is to change jobs. A debate on this topic may therefore be infructuous as can be seen from the lack of participation.
Bala, you have aptly summed up what we have all seen happening to CIOs the world over. A few months ago, I came across a survey of CEOs of 100 top global companies and they were unanimous in listing IT as one of their top 4 priorities - and without a single exception! With such fierce ownership, the weak CEO-CIO relationship is truly an enigma.
On numerous occasions, when a CIO tried to highlight certain concerns, that went beyond IT but were instrumental to the success of the company, I have witnessed the CEO trying to make light of the issue and sidetracking it, only to hand it over to another CxO (CFO or Strategy Chief etc.) later on. Was the CIO not deemed good enough as a partner in strategizing a solution(sic)? Or, were they not confident of the CIO’s abilities in leading cross-departmental teams to rollout the solution?
Surprisingly, the entrusted CxO was always the one with a good access to the Board! Do CEOs simply have an agenda in hiding the CIO from the Board? Do the Boards want to consult only the CFO/CSO instead of CIO? Or, is the CEO more comfortable not adding another window (with a view across the departments)to the Board?
Looking between the lines, clearly there is a link to the power trickling down from the Board and the effectiveness of a CxO in successfully acquiring a cross-departmental leadership position that is so essential for driving complex changes and resolving conflicts inherent in such endeavours.
I think it is time we raised our telescopes a little and focus on how the CIO’s relationship with the Board is evolving. We may find the answers we are looking for. And without prejudice to the CEO, CFO etc. We may find a whole new panorama unfolding.