Leaders understand that the most critical component of a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic is the leader. Tough circumstances call for tough conditions but tough conditions do not diminish tougher character and commitment.

Collaboration takes shape as IT possesses a comprehensive understanding of business vision and can act as an internal consultant, driving business and IT as a learning community with mutual understanding and mutual expectations.

Adoption of technology is now in the fabric of how you operate. Best practices of leveraging technology require a shift: strategic initiative, high-impact outcomes, implementation wisdom, financial justification and training completeness.

The effective CEO and CIO realize that digital transformation isn’t about business processes but about customer experience. The best technology enhances the values, communication and emotions of the business-customer relationship.

This is why you have risen to the top of the pack. In particular, the CEO, CIO and C-Suite are hyper-sensitive to being distracted from what matters most. Especially, the CEO and CIO have moved into a working relationship different than before and more essential than ever.

The CIO is both the most crucial and most volatile expert to companies today. Navigating change and crafting transformation require the CIO expertise. Yet, there are still questions being resolved as to place and function.