Sadin on Digital episodes explore the fast-changing and high-stakes world of digital business. Wayne Sadin focuses in particular on what CXOs and boards must do to lead their companies successfully into the Digital Age. In today’s episode, Wayne and Bob discuss the evolving role of the modern CIO, as Wayne looks to begin a new chapter as a CIO in mid-2023.
Episode 46 | The Profile of the Modern CIO
The Big Themes:
- Co-creation and business relationships: The relationship between an IT function and a non-IT organization has to build on a foundation of co-creation; IT functions must engage with the business.
- CIOs are a part of the business: Gone are the days when the role of a CIO was to simply “support the business.” The modern CIO is now part of the business and must build parallel connections across all business functions. “We engage at the bottom and we engage at the top,” says Wayne.
- The mindset of the modern CIO: Wayne says he looks for two things in a CIO: the ability to listen and curiosity. With the change in the tech landscape and business world, CIOs must not miss an opportunity to learn. Similarly, “if IT folks are talking about technology, versus listening for the business problems, the business opportunities, we’re not getting the full value from IT.”
The Big Quote: “If the CIO cannot sit on the earnings call and explain the earnings to an analyst, if they can’t go on a sales call and help the sales department close the deal, if they don’t know how we make our money, if they don’t know how we sell, and bill, and create and deliver and support, then the modern CIO is disconnected. And that doesn’t work. You’ve got to be in the business. And I’ve got to be able to serve as a proxy for any other business executive, just like I’d like them to be able to serve as my proxy.”
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