Anyone can be a leader, be it a floor shop supervisor or a factory worker. A leader isn’t limited to a function or a cluster. A true leader will prevail in all level & environments will energise resources towards the definite vision. The term ‘IT Leader’ is suitable for a CIO. CIOs are IT leaders who are on the verge of becoming a CEO. No one can stop a leader to be a CEO down the line. CIOs are viewed to be key contributors to formulating strategic goals. A CIO needs to be part of strategy defining teams – however that’s not the end but the start. Once on the team, CIO has to demonstrate and contribute proactively in strategic discussions.

I was a CIO for 22 years in health-care and have been a CEO for 10 years now! As a CEO I would say that a CIO should add value to business using technology. He should talk business language with both non tech and tech guys as IT enables business and does not limit it. It has been identified that an understanding of just business or just IT is not sufficient as information cannot be limited to Tech or Business – it's to be a healthy mix. Playing the role of a bridge is one of the most important requisites of a CIO. Bridges are supposed to reduce the Gaps between Tech and business. Organisations can hire many CTO’s and CEO but to get a CIO is rare, as rare as CIO having the word 'Information' in between. True, CIO’s play the role of bridges, they build bridges with users and technology guys to deliver what business needs and not what Tech can give.

The biggest risk faced by a CIO is LIFE. I have seen it being lost at all ages, suddenly and many at times for stupid reasons.

So why be afraid of taking risk? Well every decision we take in business, every step we take to cross a road, both have a certain risk of failure – so do we keep sitting where we are? No we move on but before moving on we see in both direction for the coming traffics and we judge a SAFE window and walk across the road. Risk is not in the decision; its hidden in our judgement of the safe window to cross the road. So take decisions and try out of the box –just calculate the risk and take informed decisions. Not taking a decision could be the biggest risk for a CIO because taking informed decisions is one of the core responsibilities of being a CIO.

Not taking a decision could be the biggest risk for a CIO, because taking informed decisions is one of his core responsibilities.

Evolution of the Role of CIO

Gone are the days when CIOs were typically senior or middle managers in the information systems (IS) department. I started in mid of 80s as a programmer in COBOL and have seen at least three paradigm shifts in In-House IT setups. There were times when the information used to come to EDP rooms and were processed in batches and reports where circulated. Then came the era of on – line transactions and now we are living in Big data and AI. As people say that the only constant in the world is CHANGE. The role of a typical IS / EDP Manager has evolved to CIO. However in the same breath – there are individuals who can be mapped on across the spectrum of EDP Manager to CIO – and that across is long. It’s on individuals and the organisation culture which collectively impacts where the individual is on spectrum

Challenges Encountered by a CIO

A CIO of today and an EDP Manager of yester years faces the same challenges as a CEO of today and yester years faces. Be it Innovation or Technology change, Managing & Retaining of key resources, Keeping the middle line slim and managing of culture. The all go hand in hand for both CIO & CEO, one has Information Technology challenges & the other has Business related. The one biggest challenge in my view for a CIO is his own mind set. Mind Set to be a technology guy or to be a bridge to between technology and business. Those who approach the role of a bridge – deliver solutions near to business and overtime, they get into management of larger pie and those who chose to be on tech side they would continue to be in cold rooms. These are the approaches and both are correct - its more of what one wants to be.