Make The Leap From Director To CIO

Transitioning from director to CIO means moving from a role as manager to one of leader. And although logically we all know that, the realities of what that means are a different story.

As we rise in scope of responsibility, our focus needs to shift in a number of ways. We need to increasingly focus on strategy in addition to tactics. We need to shift from getting tasks done to getting others to get those tasks done. And we need to inspire and motivate, instead of being inspired and getting motivated by others.

Let me offer some tips on how to develop the skills you'll need, not only to do well as CIO, but also to be considered for the promotion:

Delegate effectively

Delegating to direct reports is a great way to both improve productivity and develop others. But if it's done wrong it causes problems. Poor delegation habits cause deadlines to be missed, mistakes to be made, effort to be wasted, and people to disengage.

In order to delegate effectively, you need to choose the right tasks, choose the right people, communicate effectively, hold people accountable, and provide useful feedback. Good delegation requires practice. Start now. An effective CIO should be masterful at delegating or he/she will get bogged down in managing rather than leading.

Think Strategically

Strategies address specific problems or challenges and offer a general direction. Tactics are the specific steps to take in order to execute those strategies.

In order to develop strategies, a CIO needs to first identify the problem (so you don't end up "solving" a symptom). The challenge is that if we're always busy in our day-to-day activities, we never get to step back and see the bigger picture. The key to achieving this perspective is taking the time to reflect.

You need to get away from the demands of everyday tasks so you can more clearly see the situation, gain insight, and develop vision. An effective CIO must take time to reflect and to develop strategies. An effective CIO knows that he/she can be productive even when they're away from their desk.

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