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How CIOs and CTOs Are Bridging Cross-Functional Collaboration
IT necessarily works across departments, but now, CIOs and CTOs are driving greater collaboration across the business.
8 Min Read
Brain light via Alamy Stock
IT’s role continues to evolve and so do the everyday things CIOs and CTOs do. Order taking is out, cross-functional problem-solving and innovation are in. At the tip of the spear is IT leadership, building stronger and more collaborative relationships with other leaders in the organization.
“Everything we do is in the service of the business, and I mean every function across the company. What I find interesting is that there aren’t too many other functions within an organization that have the kind of vantage point that we have,” says Saket Srivastava, chief information officer at work management platform Asana. “We work with everyone, so we see what their priorities are and what they are working on. We play that group that’s connecting the dots and guiding behavior or change in behavior, because we can see things like no one else.”
Even without IT’s involvement, work has become more collaborative for both social and technological reasons. Younger generations expect it and there are more channels than ever in which to communicate -- email, Slack, Zoom, Asana, and more.
“Employee experience used to be thought of as an HR thing, but you cannot build a delightful, frictionless digital experience without the CIO and CHRO,” says Srivastava. “When I started in IT, there was a big conversation around how IT organizations need to be service oriented, which is still important, but we’ve been thinking more from a product-minded shift where we want to build a capability and workforce that has deeper domain understanding on the business side.”
IT also needs to talk to the business in business terms versus IT terms, which not only involves a less technical language but also a discussion of benefits, challenges, and other matters that affect business concerns such as risk management, profitability, process efficiency, cost savings, customer loyalty, and more.
Saket Srivastava, Asana
Srivastava says the shift is an important one because IT is partnering with the business as opposed to having a series of meetings and then building something, hoping it will be acceptable. When there’s a lack of communication on both sides, those on the business side tend to lack empathy when something on the technology side breaks. But when an IT leader is brainstorming on business issues or strategy, the CIO or CTO are more likely to be involved in moving the business forward from the ground floor up.
Mike Stawchansky, chief technology innovation officer at global financial services software company Finastra, says it takes significant effort to translate technical goals and projects into accessible formats without coming across as patronizing.
“Accessible analogies around shared experiences work well -- food and media centricity are common themes for me. Even when language barriers are present, having the genuine intent and desire to communicate something you are passionate about to another person can overcome many obstacles,” says Stawchansky. “Shared experience and shared language are core to being able to move initiatives forward. Even if departments outside of technology aren't 100% clear on the nitty gritty of what is being done, they must be clear on the expected outcomes and benefits.”
By explaining in simple terms how a technology will benefit day-to-day work, people are naturally more curious about the work being done in more depth.
“As a technology leader, I view my role as primarily being an evangelist for the work my teams are doing. This includes highlighting and explaining the value of their work,” Stawchansky says. “If we don't take the time to do this properly, we may not be given adequate time to ‘bake the cake.’”
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Sumit Johar, CIO of CFO software company BlackLine, was hired specifically to transform how IT collaborates with the rest of the business.
“I’ve always believed that technology leadership requires more than just technical expertise. It requires the ability to connect with different parts of the organization in meaningful ways,” says Johar. “[A]s CIOs, we need to fluently translate technical initiatives into business language that resonates with the CEO, CFO, board members, and other executives. This takes the conversation from operational efficiency to growth.”
An example of that is working with the CFO and emphasizing growth and ROI across departments.
“Historically, the CIO was an innovator, and the CFO was in place to enforce guardrails. Together, we’ve built a relationship that looks beyond margins and toward using technology as a lever for continued industry leadership,” says Johar.
Johar has also insisted on employee roundtables and having an internal “Tech Council,” comprised of members of different teams to come and review new technology initiatives. These forums ensure that every department has a voice when it comes to the technology roadmap, so IT is not working in isolation.
“I’ve found that technical jargon can often alienate business stakeholders, making it harder to get buy-in for projects. To overcome this, I focused on making technical discussions relatable. Rather than dive into the nitty-gritty of IT infrastructure, I frame our initiatives around the business impact,” says Johar. “For example, instead of only discussing how an investment will alleviate technical debt, I explain how an investment will improve operational efficiency and cut costs down the road.”
Sumit Johar, Blackline
All departments at Blackline are expected to think more strategically and over the long term. Historically, they worked in silos, which resulted in major planning initiative disconnects. It didn’t help that internal weekly meetings were the easiest to cancel, but keeping those meetings in place led to a mindset shift. Now, those meetings have become future focused on what the company wants to achieve, where it’s headed, and how to build the right infrastructure and teams to support it.
“In the past, CIOs were often brought into conversation only after key decisions were made. That’s not going to work out well for anybody. Whether it’s about security posture, data architecture, or automation, my role is to help define how technology can support and even drive these long-term goals, so I need a seat at that table when these discussions are happening,” says Johar.
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Acceldata holds regular cross-functional meetings and organizational leaders collaboratively decide the best way forward. The outcome has resulted in better cross-departmental communication and the company is able to harness diverse perspectives that lead to increased communication.
“The impact has been significant,” says Ashwin Rajeeva, co-founder and CTO at enterprise data observability company Acceldata. “We’ve become a more agile organization, able to respond quickly to market changes and customer needs. This collaborative culture has enabled us to develop and launch products and features [faster], establishing us as a leader in our field and fostering a stronger sense of community across departments.”
As the company grew and more specialized functions were added, the group established a shared vocabulary and aligned on common goals through discussions with key stakeholders and leaders. Regular feedback loops have also helped ensure that everyone feels heard and valued and is committed to shared objectives.
Thus far, the organization has improved productivity, enabled faster decision-making, and increased innovation. In addition, the collaborative culture has also boosted employee engagement and morale, leading to more successful project outcomes, faster response to shifting market demands and growth in a highly competitive market.
“Every company is unique, but I recommend prioritizing transparency and inclusivity from the start. Encourage teams to share their ideas and concerns and create structured opportunities for collaboration,” says Rajeeva. “Cultivating an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute is crucial for unlocking the best ideas. This culture not only drives innovation but also builds a vibrant community that can propel your organization toward lasting success.”
More Collaboration Yields Higher Levels of Success
Ashwin Ballal, CIO at software company Freshworks, believes that the organizations that fail to collaborate well across departments are leaving money on the table.
“Siloed communications create inefficiencies, leading to duplicative work, poor performance, and a negative employee experience. In my experience as a CIO, prioritizing cross-departmental communication has been essential to overcoming these challenges,” says Ballal.
His team continually reevaluates the tech stack, collaborating with leaders and users to confirm that the organization is only investing in software that adds value. This approach saves money and helps keep employees engaged by minimizing their interactions with outdated technology. He also uses employees as product beta testers, and their feedback impacts the product roadmap.
“The best companies thrive on constant innovation and collaboration, where all departments operate as a cohesive unit. By breaking down silos, we enhance our overall performance and create a more unified organization,” Ballal says. “My recommendation for other CIOs and CTOs is to regularly meet with departmental leaders to understand how technology interacts across the organization. Sending out regular surveys can yield candid feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. Additionally fostering an environment where employees can experiment with new technologies encourages innovation and problem-solving.”
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