CIOs at a crossroads

The role of the CIO is forever changing. Are you the top IT person? Are you part of the business team? Do you report to the CEO or should you? These kinds of questions keep evolving as the job gets bigger and bigger. Once, the CIO was part of the help desk, but now the question really is, Where should the CIO be on the organizational chart? This is a debate that does not have a clear answer, just like the definition of what is it that a CIO does. And it comes at a time when there is plenty of movement on the organizational chart. CFOs are taking more interest in the world of IT management.

"The increasing prominence of the CFO in IT management signals a change in the way companies view technology strategy and deployment," senior writer Edward Cone writes in CIO Insight. It's hard to believe that every CIO has not felt this tug. Most CIOs never considered themselves business strategists. Most see their job as executing business strategy. Some CIOs see themselves as "change agents," according to Forrester research director Alex Cullen. Most see their role as focusing on operational excellence. If you feel like a ping-pong ball, don't despair. You are not alone. As technology matures and the role of the CIO changes, you must sit tight and take advantage of your multiple roles. And remember, the most important trait for a CIO at any size company is good leadership. -Judi