Bridging the generation gap

Bridging the generation gap

Today's CIO may be the most senior--and oldest--person in the office. This puts CIOs in the position of being the "old guard," while the much younger generation are seen as "newbies." This mix of talent and experience is essential these days. The younger tech personnel may not have worked with Atex or COBOL, but they may have their own ideas--often better ones--about how to tackle a problem.

Bridging the generation gap may be one of the most important issues facing a CIO. It is no easy challenge for either side. Just remember that the IT industry is only about 40 years old, young enough for many top executives to have started their professional careers someplace else before they moved on to IT. Generation Y is bringing important new ideas to the table. It is an ever-changing landscape for everyone. Today's CIO must make sure to be up-to-date on the current times and culture as much as Gen Y needs to know about IT legacies. - Judi