7 Leadership Traits Major Enterprises Look for in a CIO

Pink News Editor | June 28, 2022 Industry News Leadership

In his CIO article, 7 Leadership Traits Major Enterprises Look for in a CIO, contributing writer John Edwards says, “IT chiefs at the largest enterprises are typically expected to possess knowledge and skills that may be minor, or even completely unnecessary, as compared to the talents required by smaller organizations… Understanding exactly what top-tier enterprises are looking for in a CIO candidate is essential for any IT leader who’s hoping to make the leap to the majors.”

John interviewed numerous senior IT professionals for this article, and we have summarized the seven leadership traits in this blog. Click here to read the full article and to review the specific quotes and details attributed to the senior leaders who were interviewed.

7 Leadership Traits Major Enterprises Look for in a CIO:

  1. Transformational leadership – Transformational leaders inspire their teams to embrace change, innovate, and shape the future of the entire organizational structure. The most important attribute for the success of the CIO would be their ability to articulate their vision and gain support of key stakeholders… The CIO interviewed recommends that people register for an executive skills development program to obtain training from experts.
     
  2. Business acumen – These days, all major enterprises require a technology blueprint that can be fully integrated into the master business strategy. A CIO is a business leader through technology. …Regardless of where an enterprise is in its transformation journey, it’s technology that drives customer experience, efficiency, productivity, and – ultimately – growth.
     
  3. Resourcefulness – A resourceful CIO is able to blend prior experience with multiple variables such as accepted frameworks, methodologies, and cultural and political landscapes. Top enterprises expect that their new CIO will possess the knowledge and creativity to overcome even the most challenging barriers.
     
  4. Adaptability and resilience – CIOs must be able to lead diverse teams. They should be able to communicate effectively with highly technical employees as well as with individuals with little or no technical knowledge. Having the ability to understand and work alongside other top executives to create opportunities and solve problems that benefit the entire organization is also crucial to a CIO’s effectiveness at a major enterprise.
     
  5. A data-centric mindset – Data and data-harnessing technology form the fabric that enables major enterprises to produce game-changing outcomes. Whether it’s developing and deploying strategies, selecting vendors, or rolling out new enablement efforts, top-tier CIOs must keep asking themselves a single, critical question: How will this decision support and further the goal of getting more data into the hands of more people, when they need it, to ensure a positive business outcome?
     
  6. Emotional intelligence – Emotional intelligence, or emotional quotient (EQ), is the ability to understand, use, and manage personal emotions in positive ways to communicate effectively, reduce stress, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and prevent conflict. Today’s CIO must collaborate across all business units and coordinate infrastructure, security, and disaster recovery functions while also managing expectations and receiving direction from the board… EQ can be improved over time with study and practice.
     
  7. Communication skills – All IT leaders must be exceptional communicators, yet CIOs at major enterprises operate at a far higher level than their smaller-organization counterparts. A major enterprise CIO must be prepared to communicate effectively with management, clients, shareholders, media, market analysts, and government officials… The CIO interviewed recommends that you participate in activities that might be out of your comfort zone to help develop your skills and broaden your knowledge – and continue learning to keep your mind sharp and your skills up to date.

The above-mentioned leadership traits can enable all leaders or aspiring leaders to enhance their value to any size organization. Pink Elephant offers content-rich, comprehensive, and in-depth leadership certification courses that provide the requisite knowledge and skills to help you develop many of these desired leadership traits…

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