The leadership in IT has evolved over time since the conception of the title CIO (Chief Information Officer) in the 1980’s.The responsibilities of the CIO must go hand in hand with the information rising fundamental economic value of information. New technologies, organizational models and business models in the 21st century have been key in influencing the CIO responsibilities.
A CIO is perceived as a security patron whose responsibility is to ensure protection of organizational intellectual assets. This is crucial in the wake of increased threats to cyber security. The Chief Information Officer acts as a link between the government and an organization in order to achieve compliance and corporate governance across a number of countries and jurisdictions. The officer also has the role of an outfitter, understanding each job description within the company. This is key in crafting technological solutions in order to meet the needs of an organization’s employees. The 21st CIO is expected to act as a matchmaker tasked with the role of bringing different minds together that can strategize for an organization. The officer navigates through this by knowledge networks within the office locations and departments.
A successful CIO must exhibit several characteristics. He or she must be tech savvy or well versed in technological matters. A visionary outlook is an element he or she should possess in order to implement their technological intellectual knowledge. A good information officer is expected to be a skilled communicator in order to impart needed information to all stakeholders in an organization effectively. A successful CIO should also be innovative and a possessor of business expertise. The two elements are significant in the achievement of organizational goals.
Works Cited
Russell, Lou. IT leadership. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR, 2003.
