I was once told that CIO actually stood for “Career Is Over”. Who in their right mind would want to be held accountable for all technology decisions anyway? I did or do, I should say. CIO was/is my long term career goal. I’ve had to pivot a little bit on this goal over the last 5 years. Let me boldly claim an opinion that I have. The CIO is a dying C-Suite role. I would contend that over the last 20 years, the value of the CIO title has fallen. The things the CIO used to be responsible for are still there, but those things are table stakes now. I see VP of Digital, VP of IT & Digital becoming much more prevalent, all reporting to a C-Suite role of Chief Digital Officer or Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer. C-Suite roles have to and are expected to provide a lot of value. Evidenced by the amount of money they make! The role of technology in the C-Suite is much more than making sure it is reliable, performs, etc. The expectation of the Board is that the key technologist in the C-Suite must turn technology into a competitive advantage and monetize the investments the company is making in technology. This means getting very engrained in the business. If your long term career goal is the C-Suite, don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and jump head first into the business. Learn it. Take on a role where technology is not the primary focus. Every time I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone, I’m glad that I did it. Opportunity always equates to personal growth.
-Cheers
