You might expect that first meeting to revolve around a bold strategic vision for innovation, transformation, and building a world-class IT organization. Instead, the opening conversation is often far more tactical. The topics usually sound something like this:

• The network is slow
• Wi-Fi keeps dropping
• Skype or Teams meetings never work
• The VPN disconnects every hour
• The service desk is unresponsive

Not exactly the strategic dialogue most CIOs imagine as they walk into the role.

The truth is, for any incoming CIO, the first priority should be understanding the current relationship between IT and the business. More often than not, that relationship needs repair. You cannot drive strategic change until the organization trusts IT to execute on the fundamentals.

In many cases, the quickest way to build trust is by addressing the chronic issues that frustrate employees every day: poor network performance, unreliable conferencing tools, recurring outages, inconsistent service desk support, and unstable change management practices. These problems often seem small, but they have a disproportionate impact on productivity and perception.

Before presenting any visionary PowerPoint about the future state, the CIO’s first meeting should be spent listening. A pen, a notepad, and a willingness to ask thoughtful questions are far more valuable than a polished deck. Your business leaders will likely be surprised, and they will appreciate the shift from presentation to partnership.

Once you understand the real challenges people face, you can begin addressing the immediate pain points. Only then can you move the organization toward the strategic and innovative initiatives that truly transform the business.

You can read the full article here:
https://www.searchcio.techtarget.com/opinion/The-strategic-CIOs-first-day-In-search-of-IT-operational-excellence

The post The CIO’s First Day – Strategic or Operational? appeared first on Joshua Bellendir.

Whether a CIO operates in an operational or strategic capacity is not always a matter of personal choice. It is often shaped by how the business views IT. In many companies, IT is still seen primarily as a service provider rather than a strategic partner capable of driving transformation and competitive advantage.

Fortunately, this mindset is changing. Many of today’s most successful companies have embraced IT as a core part of their business model. Think about Airbnb, Uber, and Alibaba. At first glance, you might categorize them as a hospitality company, a transportation provider, and an online retailer. In reality, they are technology companies at their core.

I recall sitting in a meeting with the CEO of Fast Retailing (the parent company of Uniqlo), Tadashi Yanai, when he described Fast Retailing not as a clothing company, but as a technology company. It was the first time in my career that I worked for an organization where IT was fully integrated with the business and recognized as a key driver of change. The level of partnership, alignment, and forward-thinking strategy was unlike anything I had seen before.

More companies are now moving in this direction, recognizing that technology leadership is fundamental to innovation and growth. The question is: are there enough strategic CIOs ready to lead this shift?

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