The Chief Information Officer (CIO) oversees the people working within the company's IT department and coordinates processes and technologies to ensure that the IT department operates in support of business goals.
The CIO has to deal with many challenges at the same time. It is not enough that following the continuous changes in IT functions and technologies requires almost up-to-date knowledge, he must be aware of the current technological trends, but he must also cope with the challenges of business life and even the management role at the same time.
For this reason, the CIO must develop a very complex competency structure, which cannot be limited to IT skills, but must also include effective leadership qualities and a good team player attitude.
So what skills should a CIO have? The list would be long, so now we list the ten most important competencies that are the identification marks of a successful CIO.
1. The skill of explain az IT concepts
How do we explain IT ideas to a senior manager who is not that well versed in the world of IT? It is very important for the CIO to learn to translate IT ideas and plans into non-IT languages as well.
2. Project communication skill
How do we communicate the status of the project with stakeholders? It is a very important competency for the CIO to be able to communicate with all stakeholders in the right style and with the right language about the current phase of the project.
3. The skill of persuade
How can you convince management that you should invest in a non-trivial IT project? A very useful skill for a CIO. For example, testing, and especially testautomation, is still among the non-evidence IT projects in some companies, even though it should be part of successful IT governance. The CIO sometimes has to talk the management into more expensive IT investments, and this also requires the development of appropriate competence.
4. The skill of obtain information informally
An IT manager must also master the use of appropriate informal information systems. The key question for this competence is how to obtain information about what is actually happening at the company, within the IT department, what colleagues are gossiping about; and how we connect to the internal communication network.
5. The skill of give and receive negative feedback
How do we tell a colleague he is wrong without shaming him? Perhaps the most effective way is to confront the employee with his mistake face to face, while highlighting his strengths and the merits of his work so far. This ability also includes how the CIO receives negative feedback.
6. Professional multitasking and time management skills
How to write a planning document, put together an IT strategy, receive feedback, hold meetings, etc. almost simultaneously, within a short period of time? Continuously improving the ability to multitask and manage time is very useful for a CIO.
7. Mentoring and building a team skills
How to mentor a career IT professional, a new manager who needs IT/technical advice? How to help colleagues in their work? How to choose team members? How to form cohesive and well-functioning teams that represent the interests of the company?
8. The skill of get our ideas accepted
How can you get IT colleagues to listen and accept your ideas without feeling threatened in their own position? This is also a skill that a CIO needs to practice.
9. The skill of accept foreign ideas
How can we listen to the ideas of other engineers and IT professionals without feeling threatened by our own position? Our professional skills are not impaired by considering or incorporating different ideas for the success of a project.
10. The skill of conduct a meeting
How to run a meeting effectively? In the post-Covid period, it is not only necessary to know the tricks of conducting a personal meeting, but also to be aware of the technique of conducting a successful online meeting.
If the CIO continuously develops the above ten key competencies, it will be easier for him to cope with the challenges caused by the leadership role.
