Yesterday, I was part of an all-day planning session with my team. One of the exercises was to revisit why and what we do at CIO Mastermind. Specifically, we were called to identify afresh our passion, purpose and capacity.
I found myself saying this:
“I ache with the divide between CEOs and CIOs. I can no longer tolerate the lack of technology’s voice or the fear of technology among executives or the poor quality of technology forced upon employees or the misalignment that exists between business and IT.
I started CIO Mastermind six years ago because CIOs were isolated and they weren’t positioned well in the organization. The isolation isn’t as much, the position is improving, the overwhelm is real, but the distance between the CEO and technology leaders is still too great. Perspectives are off; plans are misguided, and people are confused.
We are committed as ever to help business turn technology from a cost to an investment, and to do so by building up key technology leaders. I do not understand how IT is still perceived as a cost center, or why even some CIOs treat IT as a cost center. But I will not rest until the movement from cost and into investment is irresistible.
We will come alongside CEOs and advocate for their IT leadership. We will provide the trusted insight that has defined us. We will continue to reject cookie cutter solutions when every CEO and their IT leadership deserves our best energies to customize exactly the solutions that they need.
This is not a new vision. This is a clearer vision. Our CIOs and technology leaders are too great and have opportunities too great for business to not understand the value they bring and the vision they possess, and moreso, for CEOs to not partner with them, consult with them and make strategic decisions with them.
Our CIOs and technology leaders must know without doubt that they are not alone, that we are their advocate, that we are driven to build them up, that we are relationally invested in them as well as professionally driven to meet their needs.
We will not be distracted. We will not chase shiny objects. We will not say yes to good causes that weaken our holy mission.
We have always been about CIOs and technology leaders. We will always be about them. Our unwavering why is their growth.
I will do more this year to engage with CEOs. What will you do to build up our tech leaders? This team must bridge the gap between CEO and IT! This is my heart. I believe it is our heart. How will we make it happen?”
The people in the room looked at each other. All of a sudden, the logic of planning had been wed with the passion of what we really do. The excitement was palpable (and the rest of the day’s planning very profitable).
My friends, we are for you. We do not rest on what we have done. We are grateful for the years we’ve had, and yet we are only just beginning. No matter what your relationship is with us, we are for you as you, too, work with your business to turn IT into the valuable investment that it is.
