The consistent factor of today is the relentless march of technologies which do not discriminate where they want to go. Similarly the savvy IT leader will be equally as pervasive when it comes to understanding not just their part of the business but all parts of the business. As a result all C suite members have to polish their knowledge of what their peers do and how it impacts the overall picture. How do the parts affect the sum and in this case the bottom line. Data is the byproduct of increased technological pace and with that comes positioning it to sell. The first C suite member to understand this is the CMO who is no longer a marketer but a digital whizz with very deep pockets.
This passport has enabled many to put their irons in the fire when it comes to spending their money. For the tech-minded CMO this can work in tandem with the CIO/CTO but if that knowledge is speculative and ill informed, then the resulting minefield of who knows best has to be trodden carefully. To be balanced about the CMOs input accepting their influence is essential but not being obligated to execute it, is the best skill an IT leader can learn. The reliance of data is going to become more crucial for the successful marketer as the data and specifically the analytic will dictate next or future advanced moves. The progressive CIO will welcome this as an opportunity to grow his or her own skills in a lateral direction and allow them to understand his peers goals and desires. It moves them from technical maintainers to innovative leaders and advancers and that is always an attractive place to be.
So what can CIOs learn from their marketing colleagues? First of all how to think about the customer who can get overlooked in the details of keeping the technical cogs moving. The CIO who can get on the phone to a customer and be able to walk through the technical issues they might be facing is an underestimated skill. Not only does it instill confidence and turn a potentially bad situation around, it demonstrates care, honesty and faith in the product or service and demonstrates the art of humanity, another forgotten trait. What does the CIO get out of knowing their customer? An understanding of how well their systems work and what corrections need to be made to improve them. In this way customer insights can drive technical decision making, a brave move indeed but one the forward-thinking CIO won’t balk at doing. Data after all is in the driving seat and what to do with it and how is critical. This is not just limited to data analysis, forecasting and trend prediction. It can be used to ask pertinent and sticky questions about risk prevention and fraud amongst others, this is a little bit more than just having reams of data at your disposal.
The evolved CIO knows that it is a tool. Given the power this knowledge can bring it stands to reason that the lines between who does what and who can grab a piece of the power, will be blurred. The reality is that everyone has to become a bit more of an expert and it to be another feather in their cap. Having a tug of love over data and customer insight leaves no winners and the best course of action is knowing when to concede and in fact not look at it as a competitive threat but the common goal across disciplines and territories. Remember all executives have something different to offer and the wise CIO understands that he or she can still say no especially if the budgets start to go haywire. Being the voice of reason is still a critical a part of the job especially as CIOs are risk averse by genotype.
To counteract the fact that colleagues might go elsewhere to acquire the yes they desire, the CIO with a longer view will know how to soothe while educating. Turn a hard no into a “let’s take a magic carpet ride a few weeks/months/years into the future and look at the result of this decision.” The reaction is almost always a, “ah I hadn’t thought of that, what do you suggest to get me closer to my wish list?” Ultimately we all have the same goals at heart and that is to drive revenue.