Perhaps IT service partners, vendors and analysts still have too much to lose if their primary economic buyer is converted from being a technology leader to being a business leader? Hence they encourage him/her strongly to keep one foot, if not both feet, firmly in the technology space.

Whatever the reason, CIOs need to diminish their technology focus and maximise their business understanding & contribution if they are to avoid being evolved out of the business world altogether, becoming an interesting fossil for future generations to examine

Co creation of Bizz and IT strategy is the way forward, because Bizz is on the demand side and IT ion the supply side.

Whilst I watched and listened to Manish Bahl's video, I was struck that little has changed in the last five years or more when considering either the ideal role of the CIO or his/her potential to advance to even higher executive office.

When I was with IBM, I launched a series of research papers entitled 'The Evolving Role of the CIO' which examines both how & why the role needs to evolve, the factors that play a part in the evolution, and what might lie beyond for the CIO who fulfils the requirements.

Five years on, little appears to have changed - with a few notable exceptions today's incumbent and aspiring CIOs set their agendas driven by technology, rather than by what they can do to devise and deliver their organisation's goals.

Meet each other halfway.



That’s my message to both CEOs and CIOs. The business users should at least have some functional understanding of innovative technologies whereas the IT guys should understand the dynamics of the business strategy process.



CIOs become CEOs as soon as the Board understands IT is a strategic asset; this has been the case for decades in the mail order business and awareness is gradually growing in other areas. Maybe the business intelligence developments are helping to create this awareness.

This is a very relevant subject and ideas shared by Manish are highly useful. Business Transformation through implementation of unconventional innovation strategies that are relevant to the business would certainly help CIO to make to a much higher level. Compliment Shipra for brining up this story.