In a previous article, we focused on the risk of the CIO becoming invisible. Even for tech executives, visibility and influence are difficult to achieve alone. They multiply when supported by allies.
Here, we analyze the difference between having and not having allies, the multiple opportunities that exist if a bottom-up approach is used, and how to avoid invisible errors that can neutralize an alliance.
1. When support is lacking: Cost and risk for the CIO
In 2020, Daimler decided to spin off its famous innovation incubator, Lab1886, where the vehicles and mobility of the future were being developed. There was plenty of talent, but a lack of allies within the company to take ownership of the projects. Without a clear link within the organization, projects weren’t properly transferred and implemented. In the end, the unit became isolated.
The same thing happens to the CIO when their initiatives lack internal support: Talent and effort aren’t enough if no one in the business takes ownership of them. In fact, even CIOs of large companies say they’ve had to defend proposals from scratch, or, from another angle, they’ve received projects from other areas of the business “unfiltered,” that is, without IT having any prior visibility into the problem.
This dynamic creates a perception that the CIO acts as a brake, and it doesn’t help the CIO gain more influence; quite the opposite, in fact. The CIO is pushed to put out fires instead of leading the digital strategy.
CIOs are becoming aware that this spiral is unsustainable. As David Walmsley, CDO/CTO of jewelry giant Pandora, said to Mark Samuels: “As I said from day one of the digital transformation, we are not here to take orders. We are here to provide robust collaboration.”
2. Allies: Strengthening the CIO’s position
CIOs need to break out of the dynamic of justifying initiatives or redirecting other people’s projects. To do this, they cannot resort to authority, but rather to complicity. That is, building allies within the organization.
The great advantage of having allies is that they represent political capital where support is already secured. This accelerates approvals and avoids the cycles of justifying initiatives, with the associated wear and tear
Furthermore, it provides other benefits. For example, friction is reduced because allies act as a buffer by contributing their own legitimacy. Additionally, a network effect is created, where connections within the organization open the door to new conversations where the CIO was not present or to opportunities off their radar. Finally, an ally can become the voice that champions an initiative when the CIO is not present, contributing their own credibility.
In short, allies are an asset for the CIO that strengthens their position, multiplies their influence, and prevents burnout.
3. Building allies from the bottom up: Trust that scales
The value of allies is clear, but how are they acquired? There aren’t always shared interests or things that make the process easier. What there is, however, is an abundance of pain points that business leaders experience, which steal their time and budget. If the CIO is able to be part of the solution, they will create the foundation for an alliance.
It seems logical to start at the top of the hierarchy, but that can be the most difficult path. There are many potential allies with burning issues. For example, the financial controller lives with the pressure of slow closings and inaccurate forecasts. The purchasing manager has to deal with duplicate contracts and error-ridden manual invoicing tasks.
The opportunities are there. What it takes to find them is to look for the signs, the trail these problems leave, from duplicate invoices to spreadsheets circulating unchecked at the end of each month. These are all traces of unchecked processes where IT can quickly achieve improvements.
If the CIO helps these profiles, it leaves an impact that can travel and escalate surprisingly quickly. What begins by resolving a procurement bottleneck ends up being cited in department meetings, reaching, for example, the CFO.
4. How to avoid the invisible mistakes that break an alliance
Finding the opportunity to start a relationship is only the first step. In practice, what’s decisive is how an initiative is managed. This requires paying attention to silent elements that can jeopardize the continuity of the collaboration and send the CIO back to square one.
The first risk arises if the initiative isn’t translated into business language. This topic deserves its own discussion, but it can be summarized as follows: If the potential ally doesn’t fully understand the activity, or can’t explain it to their colleagues in their own language, it won’t take off.
Something similar happens when the CIO arrives with a perfect, ready-made solution. If there’s no room for the other person to co-create and leave their mark on the initiative, they won’t feel ownership and won’t get involved, even if the project benefits them.
A less visible obstacle can also arise: the attention economy. Time is a scarce commodity in all areas. If a project, or the relationship itself, demands a lot of dedication or is very complex, it will be unprofitable for the business and won’t bear fruit.
Added to this is a more political, though equally crucial, risk. It arises when stakeholders who have the power to block IT are overlooked. These could be compliance officers, legal officers, or even committee attendees. When they aren’t identified and their voices aren’t heard, objections appear late, with little room to overcome them.
These risks go unnoticed, and therein lies the danger. What they highlight is that technical perfection is not the most important thing; rather, working together generates trust. The relationship and communication established will serve as a model for the future relationship.
5. Consolidated mission and political capital for the future
For the CIO, having allies means no longer having to undertake the transformation effort alone. Their IT initiatives no longer require constant defense because there is pre-existing support and accumulated political capital.
Furthermore, this support network provides resilience. Their strategy is much more resistant to potential changes in the organizational chart because it is based on shared business priorities.
Ultimately, the CIO gains room to maneuver. Instead of wasting energy putting out fires, they move beyond tactical issues and can concentrate on their mission as the architect of the digital strategy
The author of this article is Alberto Bellé, principal analyst at Foundry.
Read More from This Article: Allies: The CIO’s key to amplifying influence
Source: News