10 Must-Have Professional Skills for CIOs
10 Must-Have Professional Skills for CIOs
In today’s world of constant technology and business changes, CIOs must develop a wide range of talents and skills to get the most out of their teams.
Think Proactively
Disruptive technology is happening at this very moment, so you must constantly seek to stay ahead of the intersection of business and innovation to take full advantage of the technology.
Learn to Communicate
You must be able to talk “tech talk” with IT staff and vendors, while engaging in business dialogue with the C-suite, board members, and line-of-business managers and executives.
Attract Talent
There’s a lot of competition for IT talent, so you need to sell your department and company by highlighting areas that matter, including dynamic culture, intriguing tech assignments, unique perks and professional growth.
Assemble the Team
A successful IT department requires all types of employees, but you have to know which ones make for the perfect fit for which roles, and assign their jobs accordingly.
Kindle Motivation
It’s not enough to assign roles. You must constantly find new ways to inspire your staff with new challenges, innovative opportunities and leadership by example.
Build Trust
Your reputation depends on meeting expectations and exhibiting professional integrity. More than seven out of 10 CIOs rate the need to secure trust with internal stakeholders as “highly important.”
Be Adaptable
Nearly 75% of CIOs said change management skills are critical in their role. It helps to take an analytical, anticipatory approach so that your team pursues change as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Develop Skills
You can direct your staff to pursue this through external sources (outside training and/or IT certifications) or internal ones (cross-departmental exposure and mentorships).
Stay Cool
The tech “kitchen” can get pretty hot. When your employees see that you’re staying cool under pressure, they’ll respond in kind.
Be a Contributor
None of these qualities matter if they don’t translate into business success. The question is, “How are you and your IT team contributing ROI to your company?”
