Digital change has become an essential step for business growth, placing new responsibilities on leaders of organizations. Top executives of a company are making key decisions to implement digital transformation. To avoid missing out on potential opportunities, these leaders are taking up initiatives that help their businesses gain pace during their digital journey.
Among these executives, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the main leader involved in driving digital transformation. Since digital technologies use data, CIOs have the power of enabling this business data for transformation. In 2021, CIOs will play a significant role in the adoption of digital technologies across different business areas. From marketing and hybrid IT operations to manufacturing and business experience, they will lead their organization in gaining a new digital value.
The Role of CIO in Digital Transformation
The role of the CIO is complex as it involves high spending and directly impacts the outcome of the business. Every CIO initiates digital transformation by investigating where the organization lacks technological prowess.
Key decisions on bringing speed to time-consuming operations and improving customer service to outperform competitors are taken by CIOs. These executives are typically involved in creating a digital platform for the business and upgrading its operating model. A CIO is a key person leading an organization’s digital transformation.
Today, they are addressed as Chief Innovation Officers or Technology Directors. Their approach determines the future of the company in the hands of digital innovations.
CIO Tips for Digital Transformation Led By Business Experience
Taking decisions on these matters, however, is a continuous challenge. One ineffective adoption could cost the organization a loss and disrupt its digital framework. New digital technologies are introduced every year, creating further challenges for CIOs in the adoption of IT innovations.
To make this process easy, here are the five pro CIO tips to take up during the digital transformation of their business.
#1 Refocusing on Operations
To begin with, the CIO should demonstrate their skills in understanding the changing operational requirements of the organization. Before incorporating any digital innovation, the CIO should see the scope of upgrades for each business operation. The focus must be shifted from high profitability to meeting the expectations of business counterparts. To avoid getting pulled back by pre-transformation priorities, CIOs should take up basic digital transformations such as process automation and mobility solutions.
#2 Eliminating routine work problems
If the IT processes of an organization are unable to run error-free, CIOs should find ways to stop the draining of resources. They should lead IT teams in the process of removing manual tasks with full-automation or semi-automation. Repeatable processes can be consolidated while the speed of mundane tasks should be increased. CIOs and their team should also focus on increasing resources for tasks that demand creativity and imagination. This will help them deliver a better business value.
#3 Implementing company-wide changes
Some CIOs can face difficulties in communicating the changes with other executives and leaders across the organization. Nonetheless, it is important to implement some digital changes throughout the company. Strategic communications with marketing, customer service, and finance executives can foster this process. Making changes in product development is the toughest task. CIOs should be able to explain why the change is necessary to the product developers. In this process, CIOs are answerable to the technical queries of the development teams. CIOs also need to garner support from other C-suite executives for driving the digital transformation towards completion.
#4 Rebuilding teams
To lead digital transformation, CIOs should build new teams and balance their workforce. A progressive CIO always takes charge of such transformations. By coupling technical skills with collaborative expertise, they should unify small teams into a larger team. They should create a flat structure wherever needed, and a hierarchy wherever necessary. CIOs should implement initiatives for reskilling and upskilling of the teams on digital technologies. Employees with similar mindset yet distinct skill sets can be synced together.
#5 Mastering new capabilities
Among the new CIO tips, it is also important for the business leaders to define new roles and responsibilities for their business divisions. CIOs can increase the outcomes of their business by integrating new capabilities within their organization. They can enable a better understanding of the business by developing capabilities before future challenges arise.
Final Thoughts
These five CIO tips are not aimed to make the digital transformation for CIO easy. They are designed to help CIOs save time and resources while putting in ample effort into their work. With these CIO tips, they can make a great impact on the long-term growth of their company. Most importantly, CIOs can gain recognition for their leadership and contribution to make the business digitally proficient.
Being a CIO, you need a trusted partner that supports your business intelligence with a practical approach. With Kilowott, your skills as a CIO combined with our digital applications can deliver the results you seek, for your company. Let’s talk!
