Lately, I have been hearing assertions like the CIO role will cease to exist or the CMO will become a CIO or IT departments will vanish. I find this kind of discourse immature, lopsided and damaging. I would not like to mince words. If anyone can become a CIO, many would have become one by now. Like any other function, there are specific skill sets, knowledge, experience and mind set which makes a CIO. And like any other function, CIOs also are essential part of the business today.
I feel making such negative remarks is damaging for the internal functioning of the IT user organizations. With so much of flux and uncertainty, anxiety and struggle are natural outcomes in contemporary enterprises. IT leaders know what this struggle is all about as they face it day in and day out. The elements of the marketplace are entering the boundaries of an organization with each player (the executives) wanting to control more resources, positioning himself advantageously and trying to capture higher share of decision making and organizational power. Successful CIOs are dealing with it by acting in ways which does not exacerbate the struggle, rather give out a signal that the CIO is working for others and not against them. Amidst this, making such statements outside only fuel the fire inside.
But then why do some people indulge in such conversations. We need to see where they are coming from. I would like to mention three reasons here- self interest, love for creating controversy and half knowledge.
I had read somewhere that ‘information is not innocent’. It seems to be proven right in the case of some of those who are making this kind of noise. Let’s look at some examples (which I am personally aware of, I am sure you know more of them). A research firm (of high repute) claims that CMOs will become the next CIOs. A deeper view shall reveal that bulk of their services have been traditionally bought by the IT vendors, the next growth bet is on their CMO services. Another vendor representative making such claims is busy rolling out their strategy to convince other function heads for their products and services. Creating such messages certainly makes good sense for their self interest.
The second point is also related to self interest but deserves a special mention. ‘Controversy and fear’ sells and that is what drive some in the media business. Writing a controversial piece or raising a controversy will result into readership, viewership and hence sponsorship.
‘Half knowledge is dangerous’ is a statement which is proven right by few others. Claiming that CMOs will become CIOs because they now have the capabilities of data analytics is half knowledge and can be at best termed as naive. Of course CMOs may become big users of data and data analytics, but that’s not the only thing, which makes a CIO. Bringing that data to a level where it can be analysed is a huge task and involves a lot, often skills which only CIOs have.
Yes, it’s true that amidst flux and dynamism organizations are facing today, executive roles are overlapping and subject of intense struggle for power. Hence, some CMOs or CFOs may do very well to acquire more under them; similarly some CIOs may do equally well and acquire more under them too, but is expected to remain exceptions than becoming widespread rules.
It is true that CIO’s role is new (when compared to other executive roles), vaguely defined and ambiguous but that is more a manifestation of the ‘beast’ called IT they are dealing with. Very few other things in the corporate world are so fast changing, disruptive and uncertain. Behind the colorful screen of a laptop or a smart phone is a complex mesh of hardwares, softwares, delivery channels and wired & wireless connections. Making an assertion that CIO’s role will cease and someone else can lead IT is immature. One is overlooking many aspects of the IT, where a CIO is required.
But what about those who feel it can be outsourced to a third party. Well I would suggest them that hire a good CIO as you will still need a person who can translate what business want into IT specifications and monitor those whom IT has been outsourced to.
Of course, every function has its nuances and complexities and one also cannot say that CIOs will become everything. Each function requires skills and traits unique to that function. And they deserve respect for that.
I personally know many CIOs who have created a big difference in their organization. And this difference is created by adopting a stance of a service provider. I also know many CIOs who are extending their roles into related areas like supply chain management, IT driven learning solutions etc. There are many others who are willing to learn and come up to the expectations of the contemporary organizations.
These CIOs are going to stay. And if underperforming CIOs are fired, are underperforming CMOs or CFOs or for that matter CEOs not fired? If CIO role will transform, are other roles not transforming? Why overstretch the transformation angle for CIOs alone?
If IT is going to stay, CIOs will stay too and so will others. The debate and discourse should rather be on how can they work together to create value out of the IT investments.
Organizations will create value from IT only when CEOs value IT, CFOs fund IT, CMOs exploit IT, HR heads leverage IT and CIOs build and provide IT.
That’s the true form of information leadership- a collaborative and shared form of leadership, which transcends functions but at the same time needs all functions to work harmoniously with each other.
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