4 Competing CIO Roles- Managing the Inherent Tension

Each of us plays multiple roles and many of these roles compete with each other for our attention. How successfully do we manage them together determines our effectiveness.  CIOs too play multiple roles and more often than not, a few of these roles take more attention than a few others. This means CIOs do certain things better than certain other things. In the current changing scenario, managing the various roles together is an important determinant of overall success.

Through this blog, I would like to share a framework I have developed based upon extensive research. Though a lot has been written about CIO roles, a framework which puts them in a perspective and explains the inherent difficulties in managing them has been missing. I intend to address that gap through my CIO Role Framework.

The CIO role framework (given below in the form of a matrix) is built upon two dimensions-

1. The focus of the CIO’s role (internal on the IT function or department and external on the larger organization).

2. The CIO actions (influencing others to convince or motivate and doing the operations tasks)

CIO ROLE FRAMEWORK

Influencing	Motivator -Building self through learning -Supporting, caring for & developing IT staff		Vision Setter or Aligner -Aligning with the apex/ power centers -Managing the passive yet important senior management
CIO’s Actions
	Task Master -Designing the right IT infra & IT management processes -Interacting with the IT vendors, building relationships & getting the right services		Communicator -Sensing the opportunities to create positive user experience -Identifying spokespersons, managing perceptions, building upon success
Doing
	Internal	CIO’s Role Focus		External

Source- Coeus Age (www.coeusage.com)

The extreme values for the two dimensions explain the first level of tension- focussing more on internal means focussing less on external or focussing more on operational tasks means focussing less on influencing.

The second level of tension is inherent between the diagonal quadrants. For example, focussing more on influencing external stakeholders means focussing less on doing internal tasks. Similarly focussing more on influencing internal team members means focussing less on doing external tasks. 

The tension is explained by the fact that different approaches, skills and competencies are required for each quadrant and there is limited availability of time and other resources.

The two extreme values for each of the two dimensions provide us with four role categories.

1.     CIO as a motivator-focussing on the human aspects of motivating, caring, supporting and developing both self and others in the CIO’s team.

Critical Competency Required- A Human Orientation and Understanding of Human Behaviour

2.     CIO as a task master- focussing on various day to day decisions regarding the IT Infrastructure.

Critical Competency Required- Technical Knowledge, Project Management Skills

3.     CIO as a Vision Setter- focussing on spending time with the CEO and other top management team members, understanding their needs, creating win win propositions, getting critical buy-ins etc.

Critical Competency Required-Strategic Thinking, Understanding of Dealing with Power, Ability to Persuade

4.     CIO as a Communicator- focussing  on communicating IT success, sensing the needs of the people, getting feedbacks etc.

Critical Competency Required- Ability to communicate, Ability to Sense and Take Feedback

Very often it has been noted that the CIO focuses more on one or two of these competing roles, thus compromising on the other roles. And more often than not, the CIO focuses on the internal IT function and within that may be only on the people development, motivation side or on the internal operational tasks. I have observed that many CIOs find that comfortable and hence difficult to move out of their comfort zone.

So how does a CIO deal with the demands of these competing roles?

I present three ways, which may help the CIO do so.

1.     Self Assessment and development- understanding one’s current role focus, determine if its skewed towards few roles, introspecting to gauge the reasons and focusing on skill development

2.     Time Spacing- synchronizing the roles to focus on all the four roles over time, if not simultaneously

3.     Delegating- developing second in command individuals in the team, who can focus on different roles at the same time. This will ensure that all the four roles are addressed and CIO can focus on the more strategic ones.

It is pertinent to ask oneself

Which of these four roles am I playing more than the others?

What implications does it have on my role effectiveness?

What is the reason for skewed focus on certain roles? What can I do about it?

What specific skills, I need to learn?

How shall I do that?

Do I need external help to self assess and develop?

I urge you to ponder on these points with respect to your own experience as a CIO. You may write to me at kds@kdsnext.com if you have a personal query regarding this.