The CIO and The Digital Thread: Becoming a Trusted Partner in Digital Transformation

WHAT KIND OF CIO ARE YOU?

Many traditional CIOs aspire to be transformational CIOs. Traditional CIOs are focused on technology. They wield technology like a light saber and slay organizational dragons with their knowledge and implementation of technology. They have honed these skills over years of battling in the trenches and implementing solutions, gaining trust and credibility along the way. Traditional CIOs want to deliver on big-impact projects, but they are bogged down by legacy systems that are now deeply embedded in their company’s productivity ecosystem, bloated and stagnant in their functionality, and too expensive to upgrade.

Transformational CIOs on the other hand, think about not only technology, but also about their products and their customers’ experiences. They can untangle themselves from the day-to-day implementation issues so they can become trusted partners to the business, balancing operations and new business opportunities. They spend their days looking at business metrics, working with a multitude of departments and outside firms, speaking with and listening to customers and others in the industry. They have the trust and freedom to think business first and then to apply technology to that end.