Here
are 10 Commandments for CIOs in 2009
In
the ongoing economic crisis, chief information officers (CIOs) are
supposed to play an important role to leverage technology for business
gains. What should they do? Research firm Gartner suggests 10 ‘CIO
resolutions for 2009’ to help CIOs achieve better results.
“The
unfolding economic crisis of late 2008 has created a more challenging
situation than many businesses and most CIOs have ever experienced,”
said Mark Raskino, vice president and Fellow at Gartner. “Chief
executives need to cut short-term costs very quickly to cope with
volatile market sentiment in many industries and countries, but without
damaging recovery growth prospects.”
Corporate CIOs are already under pressure to deliver results at reduced
costs. Recently,
HP commissioned a global survey that reveals 84%
of technology organizations are planning to implement a data center
transformation (DCT) project in the next 12 months, primarily to lower
costs and reduce business risk.
In the
current tough times, the onus is also on
CEOs to manage their CIOs
effectively so that technology use is aligned with core business
objectives.
Gartner’s 10 CIO resolutions for 2009 are grouped into four strategic
themes:
Theme 1: Reinforce enduring strengths and assets
1.
Start building an alumni network: To maintain legacy skills and
complex experienced pools of labour, Gartner recommends CIOs establish
alumni networks. This could include a semi-official company IT alumni
association with its own web page, use of web social networking tools
and re-establishing bounty schemes, where staff are paid for recruits
they bring in.
2.
Stop being the exception that enforces the rules: In tense times,
leading by example matters more than usual – from body language to dress
code, and from vocabulary to attention-span. CIOs should design and
adopt two or three key behaviours to match the required direction they
want their reports to follow such as turning away their option to
upgrade to the glitziest new smartphone. Such signals will cause people
to comment and think about their own values and behaviours.
3.
Start scouting for key talent: As large numbers of laid-off people
flood the market, some salary-level attrition is inevitable and even
good people could find themselves without a position for months. They
should use personal networking paths to find out where talent pools are
strong. Rather than shutting the door to staffing agencies and
head-hunters, CIOs should insist on interacting only with a senior
partner to obtain just a few real talent resumes.
Theme 2: Prepare for the next change, sooner than you think
4.
Start preparing for the unexpected: Gartner analysts advise CIOs to
prepare for the unexpected. It’s important to challenge and develop the
thinking styles and frame of reference of your leadership team as well
as yourself, says Gartner.
5.
Start using social systems yourself, visibly: CIOs need to start
visibly using social networks themselves to kick-start their
participation from other staff - lurking in quiet observation is not
enough. Gartner advised CIOs to also encourage the leadership team into
using social media more openly to communicate internally and externally
to rebuild brand confidence, energise the company culture, develop ideas
and refine solutions.
6.
Start taking cloud seriously: Cloud computing is a major new stage
in the evolution of commercial IT that CIOs must take seriously but at
this stage is confusing, believes Gartner. In 10 years, it says, much of
IT will be served this way, so CIOs need to start leading their
organisations safely in this inevitable direction, or risk being
sidelined by its progress.
Theme 3: Survive in 2009 without collateral damage
7.
Stop ignoring people and opting for soft targets: CIOs will be under
pressure to be seen taking swift action. There will be temptation to cut
quickly in areas where staff is working on longer-term goals that
suddenly seem of lower relevance. However, CIOs should not lay off the
people they will need long-term.
8.
Start offering your vendors a free lunch: CIOs will require vendors
to deliver flexibility and cost savings and will need to reset the style
of the relationship. At the same time, suppliers will be keen on staying
in close touch, working hard to attract CIOs off-site for ‘face time’,
so CIOs must resolve to politely decline vendor courtesy trips in 2009.
9.
Stop fearing the future; start driving it: Internally, CIOs should
also reflect conspicuous frugality but not be defined by it. They should
resolve to occasionally and visibly splash out a little – where it
really matters to staff moral such as training courses or software
development tools.
Theme 4 and Resolution 10: Newer technologies to get experience
of in 2009: With so much work to do, Gartner reminded CIOs that they
need to protect the time to stay in touch and get ‘hands-on’ with some
key technologies in 2009:
- e-book
readers
- Google Chrome
- Building mini
cloud applications
- YouTube as a
default search engine for a day
- HD
teleconferencing
To
conclude, Raskino said: “It seems inevitable tough times will hit most
sectors at some point in 2009, so CIOs shouldn’t wait for instructions
to act. There’s plenty they can do to protect assets and thrive on the
change opportunities – but they must start planning their way out right
now.”
