It is not pretty to find mention in the chapter next to dinosaurs but that is what some would have you believe. Are you really out the door?
What happens when you give a monkey a sword? It swings it of course! The only thing you can do is to save your head.
Journalism is a sword that is really dangerous in the hands of…well, you get the point. I am not sure how this article got into a reputable publication such as Financial Times but here it is in its full glory proclaiming the demise of the CIO.
Here’s the gem to pick up from the article: CIOs were not around 30 years ago and will disappear over the next decade. It’s all over for all of you so please pack up and don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
The rationale – and we use the term loosely – for this imminent demise of the CIO? Well, because CIOs were created to teach CEOs about technology and now that the CEO and the board are slowly getting well versed in technology there is no need for the CIO. This process will take a decade or so to give them time to pick up speed and you, the CIO, time to pack up and sell your house and get your lemonade stand ready for business.
How can an article be wrong when it has quotes from, well, so many CIOs? Are you with me, so far?
Well, there is only problem with the logic – or lack thereof! Is the CFO hired to teach the CEO finance? Is the CMO hired to teach CEO marketing? When are these titles projected to expire? Perhaps they can band together with the CIO for that lemonade stand!
The good news is that the CIO role was created to address the critical technology item on the CEO’s agenda: how to leverage technology to create business value? That objective hasn’t gone out of fashion yet and will not till technology and business exist.
The CIOs came from technology and for a long time could only do technology. As they have matured they have understood their role better and learnt how to perform it better. The latter requires balancing the need for strategy with the imperative for implementing technology. Now, the CIOs are, finally, performing the responsibilities of their role. CIOs are just starting to do their jobs.
No, CIOs are not going anywhere. This would be a really cruel and unusual punishment to them for taking the pains to learn their role and build capability. It would be a real whammy for CEOs to finally get what they ordered and then see it disappear.
Now if only the pundits caught on to this great game…
