Most CIOs are failing to market their achievements
effectively even though most see it as essential to their
careers.
A survey of 1,000 UK and other European IT executives by
recruitment firm
Harvey Nash found that 75% admit they are not doing enough to
market themselves.
"Rarely does a CIO fail because of not having a good enough grip
ontechnology, it is more often because that person did not have
good influencing skills," says
Cathy Holley, a partner at executive search specialist
Boyden.
CIOs have done a good job in pushing themselves forward in terms
of what benefit they can add to the business.
But they need good standing and influence with the board to
fulfil this redefined CIO role, says John Whiting, managing
director of UK IT business at Harvey Nash.
"If CIOs are going to influence what a board spends, when they
are presenting a business plan they need the recognition and
confidence of the board that they can carry it through," he
says.
In a recession, CIOs need to prove to the board that they have
an IT team that is fit for purpose and will help the business
survive, says Holley.
"If the CIO is going to take that message to the board and be
heard, they must already have a strong brand establishing them as
someone the board can trust," she says.
Despite high levels of awareness, relatively few CIOs are using
the large variety of tools available to raise their profile within
and outside their organisations.
The gap between the high level of awareness and the low level of
action is a time management issue for many, says Whiting.
CIOs are still not that good at putting aside the time necessary
to raise their personal and departmental profiles, he says.
But, lack of action also stems from the widely-held belief that
success will come purely from "doing a good job in IT", says
Holley.
Many are brilliant at things such as analytics and
problem-solving, she says, but do not have the emotional
intelligence they need to be great leaders and win hearts and
minds.
The CIO role now demands a lot more non-IT skills such as being
able to influence and manage various stakeholders in the
business.
"CIOs need to understand what makes people tick, who the key
decision-makers are, and be able to alter their personal style to
influence those people," says Holley.
CIOs who are inflexible and do not know how to adapt their style
to get the best out of their team, peers and the board are doomed
to fail.
Legendary CIOs are typically charismatic and take the time to
invest in themselves and personal development.
"They take time to network and do not dabble in technical stuff.
They empower their teams to do that. They hire the best people
available and concentrate on being an ambassador for the IT
function," says Holley.
Survey findings
- 63% said there was a direct correlation between a CIO having a
strong personal brand and the success of the IT department
- 90% said that investing time in improving what peers and
associates think about a CIO is very important
- 75% admit they are not doing enough to market themselves
- 14% maintain blogs regular blogs or represent their
organisation externally
- 40% do not keep their LinkedIn profiles up to date
- 65% are getting out the office to ensure they are seen
- 39% have researched how others in the business perceive
them
How CIOs can improve their personal brand
- Recognise its importance: Good personal branding is an
important part of IT strategy that can help the whole IT department
succeed.
- Become an ambassador: Tell the world what you and your team are
doing. Become a media contact for your company.
- Research your brand: Know what it is and where it needs to be.
Work out who needs to know about you and make a plan to
communicate.
- Get the message out internally: Make it a goal to meet people
in the business and let them know how IT can support their
goals.
- Get the message out externally: Be one of the few CIOs that
speak at conferences regularly or write blogs. Attend conferences
and make a point of networking.
- Get the message out consistently: Brand building takes time and
needs to be consistent.