Can a CIO just be a CIO?

 By Laura Madsen        Business Intelligence

I read a blog recently that stated the kiss of death for CIO’s was when they tried to align themselves with business. The theory was stated that if you only align you will fail, that as a CIO you need to know just as much as your business does about the business. I am not sure if I agree or disagree with this position. What I do know is that it seems that in today’s corporate environment you need to have an edge; it’s no longer enough to have excellent skills in the area which is your responsibility. So, as a CIO you are now expected to not only know and understand your business, but meet with customers as frequently as your peers do.

In theory, I think that’s a valid position. But theory and practice are two different things. I think it’s dangerous to de-value the skills that good CIO’s bring to the table. The skills that help manage a very complex technical environment to ensure value for the organization as a whole. Those skills are generally not shared by your average business person. That’s why companies have CIO’s in the first place.

I have never been a CIO. I know that it’s a very difficult job, to continually balance the needs of the organization against what is attainable and feasible to do with constraints like time and money. For my money, I want my CIO have the opportunity to focus on the role they have in the organization. I would also offer this thought; perhaps it’s the responsibility of both the CIO and his or her peers to create something more than alignment, to create a synergy between IT and business for the good of the organization.

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