Survival skills for CIOs

Having a full grasp of technology is crucial for every CIO, but these days it's not enough. Hans Brechbühl, executive director of the Center for Digital Strategies at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, tells Forbes.com that CIOs "need to be deeply rooted and connected to all aspects of the business.'' He says this means not leading with technology and compliance requirements, but understanding company and business needs, and then getting out in front to help shape them.

Moreover, Brechbühl said CIOs must be ready to move with the shift in technology, including Web 2.0 and virtualization, and be prepared to handle all of the inevitable demands of globalization that include a widely scattered workforce. And then there's security, a task he said involves dealing with a hostile environment while maintaining appropriate access.

For more advice:
 - see this Forbes article