IT directors have to expand on their role to become
business leaders, but how does someone who only knows the technical
aspects of IT make that transition?
Informal networking organisations such as the British Computer
Society's Elite Group, CIO-Connect and the Impact Programme can
provide help and advice.
"Elite is made up of about 350 IT directors and senior managers,"
said Jason Barretto of the BCS.
"Its primary function is to provide networking through forums and
regular meetings, but it also runs conferences, such as September's
Effective Leadership conference. You need to be an IT manager or
director to join and you must be approved by the membership
committee."
CIO-Connect, set up by John Handby, former head of IT at
GlaxoSmithKline and the Royal Mail, also provides a forum for
senior IT directors and chief information officers. But a new
venture launched this year, IT-Connect, focuses on the next level
down in corporate IT.
"IT-Connect is specifically designed for the managers who report
directly to the CIO," said Handby. It offers a series of leadership
briefings aimed at those who CIOs typically rely on for news on
technology and what they need to learn next.
"What is fascinating is that we have got enormous enthusiasm for
the course from our CIOs, who see those who report to them on
technical matters as their responsibility."
An IT-Connect conference entitled Getting Ready for Leadership is
planned for spring 2004, where a panel of senior CIOs will pass on
their top tips.
Handby said, "The core message is that CIOs need to spend time with
business colleagues outside the comfort zone of IT. They need to
get out more and understand the power map of the organisation and
its culture, get involved in committees and understand that, to the
rest of the firm, IT is below the waterline."
The Impact Programme works with the top three layers of IT
management from each of its 80 corporate members.
Chris Young, Impact's managing director, said IT chiefs receive
personal leadership development on the programme. "We give each
member a customised programme to help them understand their issues
and also the issues and values of their organisation. We then
measure their effectiveness and compare it with CIOs from the FTSE
100."
At pre-CIO level, the focus is on grooming the attendees on the
challenges they will face, such as the relationship with the chief
executive and how to demonstrate the value of IT to the rest of the
business.
For those wanting a more formal or academically-oriented induction
into business culture, there is a wide range of course options
depending on seniority, time and cost. The BCS course on business
and management skills leads to a certificate from the Information
Systems Examinations Board. It is designed, said the BCS, for new
managers whose career development has been largely or exclusively
in a technical environ-ment.
Business essentials such as balance sheets, proposals, negotiation
skills and business planning are taught on the course, which lasts
for one week and costs £2,000.
At a more senior level, the Cranfield School of Management's
week-long Organisation and Politics for IT course runs four times a
year and costs £2,500. Chris Edwards, professor of management
information systems, said the course is aimed at the "heir
apparent" who has just become second in command.
"We tell them they have got to where they are because they were,
say, brilliant project managers, but the next step is different.
Now it is all about politics. They have to recognise that, but it
is hard to let go," said Edwards.
To break down that technology-oriented mindset, the course is based
on case studies and role playing. Although one week's immersion can
be very helpful, Edwards said, "It is not an overnight transition.
It can take months for IT chiefs to assimilate the new skills they
have learned into their job." To help with this, Cranfield offers
post-course mentoring to provide guidance and advice on the
job.
However, perhaps the classic method of becoming a bona-fide
businessperson is to do an MBA.
"It is getting to the stage where it is a passport," said Edwards.
"It can be difficult to become a senior person in business without
one."
An MBA requires considerable financial commitment. Cranfield's
full-time MBA course costs £24,000 and requires one year away from
work. Part-time MBAs can be done in four blocks of two weeks for
three years, or study for an executive MBA can be done in the
evenings for two years.
At the pinnacle of the self-help agenda, those with at least 10
years' international career experience, 10 months to spare and more
than £38,000 can take the London Business School's Sloan
fellowship. This should put you on par with the likes of Lord
Browne of BP and Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina.
The course is not beyond the reach of CIOs, said Sloan programme
manager Fiona LennoxSmith. About 9% of attendees have an IT job
function and this year one was from the IT department of a large
finance company.
' www1.bcs.org.uk
' www.cio-connect.com
' www.impact-sharing.com
' www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som
' www.london.edu