Matthew Jamison, Principal, The Gunter Group April 2, 20254 Min ReadCharlotte Allen via Alamy StockIts never been harder to be a chief information officer. You have the demands of major digital-transformation projects that far too often fail to fully deliver on their promise. You have the give and take between user convenience and IT security in an era when, thanks to ransomware, breaches have never been more costly. You have talent gaps and budget limitations.And, you have unremitting requests from business units amid the emergence of generative AI, which has had the effect of releasing squirrels at a dog show.So, its no surprise that, while infamously short CIO tenures seem to be marginally longer than they were a few years back, their departures are often someone elses idea. How can a CIO avoid that fate?Dont try to be a technical wizard. The CIO job is mostly about communicating. You dont make it to the C-suite without proven technical skills. That background remains indispensable. But the CIOs job is to deeply understand the businesss goals and then guide the selection, implementation, and acceptance of technological solutions that best help the organization achieve those goals.The business environment is in constant flux. Technologies quickly evolve. Knowing the business requires constant dialogue with C-suite peers as well as business-unit leaders. That means taking the initiative to reach out to and drive strategic conversations with leaders across the organization to deeply understand what their functions do; what they hope to do; how theyre using technology; and how all that contributes (or may one day contribute) to the organizations overall strategic goals.Related:However, to grasp the technological state of the art, CIOs must rely on the deep dives of trusted IT architects and other specialists. Only then can CIOs serve as trusted intermediaries between business and technology experts. So, regardless of ones background, a CIOs communication skills and political savvy are vastly more prized than their technical knowledge.Also, a CIOs technical upbringing can color a worldview in unproductive ways. A CIO who came up through data-center management and infrastructure may be prone to invest in performance past the point of economic return. One who grew up in development may pour more money into custom solutions and user experience than pays off. Staying laser-focused on the companys strategy and business goals while understanding -- and communicating at a conceptual level -- how evolving technologies can meet those goals lets CIOs grow beyond their own backgrounds. Thats good for the company, and for the CIO.Related:Focus on strategy. That takes ruthless prioritization. Marketing wants a new automation platform. Finance and operations want a new security app. Product wants custom development for an R&D project. Business development wants IT due diligence for a prospective acquisition. Sales wants a new lead-generation system. Operations wants a new messaging app.Each may be a good idea in isolation. But approving them all would overwhelm the IT group even if one could budget for it all. Yet, so often, the CIO says yes, yes, and yes. Thats overpromising, which is a guaranteed path to underdelivering, disappointing and throwing the CIOs competence into question.A focus on strategy is crucial here. What is technologys role in the business? Unless youre a Spotify or a Netflix, technology is not what the business does, but rather an enabler of what the business does. For example, with a financial advisory firm, finding new customers to advise is the lifeblood, so it makes sense to invest in and support state-of-the-art analytics and lead-generation capabilities for the sales team and to hold off on that new messaging app for operations.Say no, then explain the strategic business reasons why. Vivid explanation must accompany ruthless prioritization. This takes us back to the importance of communication. Failing to deliver on too many yeses can doom a CIO. But saying no (or, with good ideas that rank as lower priorities for the time being, not yet) will disappoint, too. That can sour a business unit or administrative functions relationship with IT. At its worst, it can lead to rogue installations that bring security risks and maintenance nightmares.Related:The way a CIO avoids this is, yet again, by evangelizing the IT organizations alignment with the companys overall strategic goals. That means being firm and factual about where a rejected or waitlisted project sits on the long roster of prospective projects -- and why the ones above it are more important to the businesss success.It may mean describing the need to engage external partners or bring in outside resources. It certainly means explaining that each new system or API represents a long-term commitment of money and attention. And it could even mean reminding people that trying to deliver for everyone runs the real risk of delivering for no one.Failure to deliver due to impaired strategic vision, compounded by poor communication, is bad for the business and everyone involved. By constantly communicating, ruthlessly prioritizing, and focusing on projects that make the most strategic sense for the business, CIOs can make the right moves for their companies and help ensure that, when they do depart, they do so on their own terms.About the AuthorMatthew JamisonPrincipal, The Gunter Group Matthew Jamison is a principal at The Gunter Group, a management consultancy based in Portland, Ore. The former IT solutions architect helps CIOs and technology leaders align their efforts with enterprise strategy with a results-oriented understanding of the intersection between reality and architectural theory. With over 20 years of functional information technology experience, Matt is an expert in mapping technology solutions to business needs, with experience that spans multiple industries, including healthcare, telecommunications, and security and software.See more from Matthew JamisonWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like