The issue: Business skills needed as IT leader moves up
the corporate ladder
The question: A management restructure means that I now
report direct to our chief executive. This is not a change I sought
as I still feel more comfortable as a provider of technical
services. I feel exposed but also wish to make the most of my new
position in the hierarchy. Should I ask the CEO for mentoring in
the ways of business, or just bluff it out until I feel more at
ease?
Use the chance to get over to the business what IT can
do for it
To find yourself in this situation suggests that the CEO feels
that IT is sufficiently important to warrant their personal
attention.
Although this can seem a bit alarming to a technically oriented
IT director, it is a great opportunity to get a better
understanding of how the organisation works and what the business
drivers are. It should help you to get over the message of what IT
can do for the business, and ultimately the new structure should
help ensure that IT is better matched to business requirements.
To get started, I would explain to the CEO that previously you
have had a technical role, but that you are enthusiastic about
moving to a more strategic position. As this is something new, you
will need some help and mentoring.
I would not recommend bluffing it out as most CEOs are finely
attuned to detecting flannel.
This may feel a bit uncomfortable to start with, and this type
of position is not for everyone. Hopefully, though, you will grow
into the job and it will give you much sought after business skills
to complement your technical and managerial knowledge.
Ben Booth, BCS Elite
Ben Booth is chairman of BCS Elite, a forum for IT directors
and senior managers to discuss how to manage IT to achieve business
objectives.
Strike your own reciprocal mentoring deal with another
CIO
I would not recommend either of the options you suggest.
You need to take a proactive stance and arrange meetings with
your peers and colleagues within the business. Ask them about their
departments and what they are looking for from technical services.
Listen, learn and ask questions while at the same time building
relationships and allies.
Do not make any major decisions for at least two months until
you have improved your knowledge and understanding of the business.
You are currently in your honeymoon period - make the most of
it.
Get a mentor but do not expect your CEO to provide one for you.
Find a fellow IT director/CIO in another organisation and arrange a
reciprocal mentoring arrangement. It can be lonely at the top, so
your offer is likely to be appreciated.
And remember: at your level it is better to ask for forgiveness
than to seek permission.
Robina Chatham, Cranfield School of
Management
Robina Chatham is a visiting fellow in information systems
at Cranfield School of Management, which has strong links to
industry and business.
The fact that you feel exposed can be turned into a
positive
Your CEO will have approved the restructure (and indeed may have
been the architect) and so will be supportive of this change. You
are comfortable with the provision of technical services, but your
new reporting line makes you more accountable to the business for
those services.
This means that you need to communicate with your CEO in a
suitable language, translating technical issues to business needs
and issues, and identifying how IT can provide solutions to current
and future business needs.
Book some time with your CEO and ask what the expectations are
from you in terms of reporting and style. Use this opportunity to
ask for help if needed, but you should also show initiative and
express your own thoughts on how the relationship is going to
work.
The fact that you feel exposed means you are taking the role
seriously. By demonstrating that you are keen to learn and develop,
you have a great opportunity ahead of you.
Roger Rawlinson, NCC Group
Roger Ralwinson is director IT consultancy at NCC Group, an
independent provider of IT security, assurance and consultancy
services.
Without business and interpersonal skills, you will not
survive
You are right to feel somewhat exposed, although you have taken
a big step forward in recognising that you will need more expertise
if you wish to take advantage of reporting to the chief
executive.
The size of the challenge is illustrated by research we have
done at Henley Management College on the skills of IT managers
compared with those of CIOs. An IT manager is primarily a supplier
of IT and needs a mix of technical, professional and management
skills. By contrast, the CIO is also focused on exploiting IT and
needs to display strong business and interpersonal skills in
addition to having enough of the other skills within their top IT
team.
So can you bluff it out? A more pertinent question might be how
long can you survive if you do not have the skills required of a
CIO?
Much depends on the capabilities and expectations of the CEO. If
the CEO or another board member can perform the role of a CIO, you
may be able to form an effective partnership.
However, you should sit down and have a frank discussion with
the CEO about the future. Based on this discussion you may need
support in a number of areas covering business, political and
governance themes.
This assistance may come from a combination of internal and
external development activities. An experienced mentor should be
able to guide you through this critical phase.
Sharm Manwani, Henley Management College
Sharm Manwani is head of information management at Henley
Management College. He has also held IT director roles at two
multinationals.
You should welcome this opportunity to increase your
CEO's understanding of, and involvement in, IT.
As IT becomes an ever more critical component of business
infrastructure it is only natural that it will come under the
spotlight. In most industries IT is now a significant enabler of
business strategy and IT investment decisions can be some of the
most critical business decisions. This sounds like a great
opportunity for you.
Do not try to bluff it out. The fact that a chief executive
wants you to report directly could indicate two valuable things:
that they regard IT as important to the business and that they are
prepared to invest their time to ensure success in this area.
Ask the CEO for their help. Make it clear what you feel
comfortable doing and what you need help with from a business
perspective. Key things you must engage with together to establish
common understanding are likely to be: understanding the priorities
of the CEO and the business; what "view" of IT and IT investment
the CEO is looking for from you; and the CEO's opinions on how IT
adds value to the business.
Most importantly, this is an ideal opportunity for you to learn
from each other and bridge the gap often seen between IT and the
business.
Andrew Whiter, Ernst & Young
Andrew Whiter is senior manager in IT governance at
international professional services company Ernst &
Young.
You need a mentor - but make sure it is someone
independent
Don't be tempted to bluff it out as your CEO will see through
that very quickly. Rather than ask the CEO for mentoring, sort out
in your own mind what specific aspects of business you want
mentoring in and track down the person in each case you consider
best placed to help.
You may want to mention to the CEO that you are doing this, but
having the person to whom you are accountable also being your
mentor is likely to result in a major conflict of interests.
If you have not had mentoring before, here is what to look for
in each person you choose, in no particular order: knowledge and
experience of the subject; trust; candidness; a willingness to
challenge you, with rationale; commitment to your personal agenda;
no conflicts of interest; experience in mentoring. They do not need
to have been in your role - it is much more important to have a
track record of helping others like you.
Scanning this list, I hope you will see why your CEO and
executive colleagues should not be your mentors. By all means turn
to them for input and guidance on their specific subject area -
something a good mentor will probably encourage you to do anyway -
but recognise this is not same as mentoring.
Chris Potts, Dominic Barrow
Chris Potts is director of Dominic Barrow, which specialises
in helping businesses focus IT management on maximising business
value.
Talk to your CEO - they may be wondering about your
silence
Many IT directors are obsessed with getting a reporting line
direct to the CEO. It is the most powerful position the IT director
can get without actually being on the board. It puts them almost on
a par with the functional directors, although this in itself can
pose some hazards.
It is quite certain that the re-structuring did not dump you
into a "doesn't fit anywhere so let's make him report to the CEO
bin".
CEOs really don't want that sort of encumbrance. The reality is
that the CEO appreciates just how important IT is to the success of
the business and wants direct control of it.
Also, it is reasonable to assume that your CEO does not blithely
believe that suddenly you will be imbued with lots of knowledge of
business in general and your company's business in particular.
Do not try to bluff it out - you will be eaten alive.
Yes, you do need mentoring. I have to declare that one of my
business activities is mentoring, so it is fairly safe to assume I
would say that. But I undertake mentoring because it is useful and
sometimes vital for the success or survival of the person being
mentored. They have to want it, not have it thrust upon them: you
sound receptive.
Your mentoring should not just embrace "the ways of business"
you mention, but also provide you with an environment in which you
can discuss issues, frustrations, peer relationship problems, and
so on, outside the normal reporting and relationship structure.
Proper mentoring does not have a feedback by the mentor to the
boss. Any feedback is up to the person being mentored, so all your
concerns, issues and so on stay confidential.
I am sure your CEO is aware of the need for you to get some
assistance and will be familiar with the training and experience
you have received so far. It may well be in the CEO's mind to act
in some ways as your mentor personally, but they will not be able
to assist in the offline discussions I described earlier. External
mentoring is likely to be most beneficial to you.
Do talk to your CEO, who may well be sitting there, wondering
why you aren't.
Robin Laidlaw, Computer Weekly 500 Club
Robin Laidlaw is president of the Computer Weekly 500 Club,
a networking forum for CIOs, and was formerly IT director at
British Gas.
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