Gartner Advises CIOs: Flip Your Focus
Higher Levels of Risk
89% of CIOs surveyed agree that in addition to opportunities supported by digitalization, they face vastly different and higher levels of risk. 69% say risk management is not keeping up.
CIOs No Longer on Sidelines
41% of CIOs report to their CEO, a return to one of the highest levels ever seen. This is due to the digital narrative gaining prominence in the boardroom and on the executive committee.
CEOs More Confident in CIOs
CEOs expect CIOs to lead the digital charge during this transition. This indicates that opportunities for CIOs are increasing.
Budgets Increase Marginally
IT budgets are not growing “exuberantly,” according to the report. The average IT budget will grow by only 1% between 2014 and 2015.
Inside Spending
CIOs estimate that 79% of IT’s spending will be inside the IT budget (a slight increase over last year), but much digital innovation will be funded outside planned IT spending.
CIOs’ Challenges
One hurdle CIOs face is the fact that IT has developed with behaviors and beliefs ill-suited to exploiting digital opportunities and responding to threats.
Opportunities at Risk
Most enterprises think of innovation in terms of the “technology paradigm,” the report says, and warns that if this continues, opportunities may be lost.
Key Recommendations
Prioritize digital by assuming that all solutions will be cloud-based, designed for mobile and highly contextualized. CIOs should exploit unstructured data and run data-led experiments.
Flip Your Focus
Most enterprises and CIOs focus on what is most easily measured, rather than on what’s most valuable or requires the most attention. Flip that.
Starting to Flip
73% of those surveyed have changed their leadership style during the last three years, and 75% say they must change it during the next three years and plan to shift from “control first” to “vision first.”
