“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

— Henry Ford

As CEOs and CIOs work together more, there must be clear communication and recognition of what the one seeks from the other. Today, there are four critical areas that the CEO needs from the CIO and that the CIO needs from the CEO.

Risk

CEOs often court risk. CIOs often shy away from risk. The CEO needs the CIO to grow in risk-perspective, to rise above IT, scout the landscape, and recommend a course that may entail unforeseen, un-forecasted elements. The CIO needs risk-parameters:

What are the business strategies I am to effect? What are the non-negotiable factors, costs and consequences? What will cost me my position?

Risk is a strategic posture, and the acumen is acquired through both sense and experience. The CEO needs to see if the CIO has a sense for it; the CIO needs the CEO to give the right terrain for it.

Networks

The CEO needs a CIO who knows how to build professional networks. The CEO has networks, and is likely a CEO because of networks. The CIO needs the CEO to open networks, both external and internal.

In order to be a strategic partner, the CIO needs to be working with business unit Presidents, and be in the mix of decision-making stakeholders and business influencers.

The CEO understands that leadership is a constant and that technology is a rapid revolution. (S)he needs the CIO to be developing as a leader through networks with other leaders, and then leading as a revolutionary within the internal networks of the company.

The CIO needs the CEO to be a patron: Connect, resource and promote network opportunities. (This, by the way, is what CIO Mastermind offers to CEOs: The professional network your CIO needs to develop as a leader and as a revolutionary).

Business Exchange

The CEO wants the CIO to be informed. The CIO wants the CEO to be involved.

The CEO wants the CIO to understand business strategy, and to relate IT initiatives to business outcomes. The CIO wants the CEO to not be removed from the “technology movement” IT is working within.

Given that IT is driving much of the business value, CEO presence is critical for the affirmation, communication and morale IT requires.

The CEO wants the CIO to educate. The CIO wants to report to the CIO. Given that over half of CIOs do report to the CEO, it’s now become an issue of competitive advantage.

The CEO wants the CIO to understand the business narrative, elements working together over time in a developmental arc. The CIO wants the CEO to know the IT story.

Team Mastery

The CEO wants a CIO who knows how to build a team. Talent acquisition and leadership development are high-premium skills.

The CIO wants the CEO to be on the team, offering support across the organization.

The critical distinction of leadership is team mastery. CIOs must master developing teams; CEOs must master honoring teams.

The leadership landscape continues to change, but the tenets do not. CEOs need C-Suite professionals who work to be the best. CIOs need CEOs who seek to draw out the best in their leaders.

Risk, networks, business exchange and team mastery are often overlooked dynamics in executive leadership, but are as important as the usual suspects of planning, communication and management.

Even more, they strike at the core of significant behaviors often not addressed or intentionally implemented.

In the end, what the CEO wants and what the CIO wants are complementary, and better, sharpen the competitive edge a business seeks.