CIOs: Are you being the champions of change for modern business?

Managing IT infrastructure and ensuring operational efficiency is just one dimension of the IT leader role. Being central in bringing about broader change, stimulating business growth, and driving innovation make up others. In recent Deloitte findings, over half of CIOs reported that they view themselves as change agents rather than as technical gurus, with another 59% describing themselves as enablers of transformation and innovation. But they’re not working alone. CIO.com’s 2025 State of the CIO survey results show that 75% of CIOs are collaborating closely with business leaders to plan a way forward and drive AI adoption.

Of course, being a change agent isn’t always easy. Business transformation won’t go smoothly if there isn’t cohesion around the path forward. Based on conversations with several tech leaders, here are four things CIOs should take stock of in order to effectively lead through change.

Adopt a measured approach

Having recently joined Australian-owned digital-first contractor Built, CDIO Kurt Brissett was mindful of not coming in all guns blazing. This is something people do because they want to make a mark early on. “Often this is done with good intentions, but ego can also blinker people from taking a more considered and collaborative approach to making changes and improvements,” he says. Since starting, he’s earmarked time to understand the organization’s existing strategies and current market challenges — the types of insights that can’t be gathered in a single day — and is using these learnings to plan for tomorrow. “It’s through listening early on as opposed to lots of doing that you earn the right to influence and lead change,” he says.

During times of transformation, especially when you’re using technology to challenge traditional methods, CIOs are both the enabler and the disruptor, explains Caryn Bell, business unit CIO for FNB Infrastructure and Security Services. “When experimenting, it’s important to take calculated risks but fail fast,” she says. “The longer you pursue a misaligned path, the costlier the correction. As an enabler, you must quickly know where to accelerate and when to adapt in an ever-changing environment. In operations, we perform a regular review cadence, following the next focal point and then re-prioritising efforts to support short-term goals.”   

Get everyone involved

“The biggest tactic I use is to take people on the journey with me,” says Vaughn Naidoo, GM of the B2B technology center of excellence at MTN. In his experience, involving people and getting different viewpoints is key to success. “When you have a conversation beforehand about why something is happening, you get a more positive response,” he says. He adds that merely suggesting a change management function indicates that something’s already gone wrong. “Often we think an idea is bad if it’s not our idea, but if you get people involved and ask them to share opinions and bring them on the journey with you, they feel like active participants in the change,” he says. “Then the adoption part of the conversation is a lot easier.”

Fostering a sense of ownership by allowing teams to make decisions within their areas of responsibility is also important, adds Brissett, as is limiting rigid hierarchies and excessive bureaucracy to allow faster decision-making and adaptability.

Some of the most successful business transformations he’s led have been when operational and tech delivery teams have collaborated as one cross-functional unit. “By breaking down the silos and fostering an environment of joint accountability, everyone can benefit from the change,” he says. In his previous role at Transport for New South Wales, he led the digitization of the planning, booking, and payment experience for transport customers across the state. Because this project affected so many people, he quickly learned the value of human-centred product design, and piloting digital products with different customer segments — particularly those that experience accessibility challenges — to guarantee the transition happened as smoothly as possible.

Communicate, communicate, communicate

When a new strategy lands, the goals and outcomes must be very clear. “I often use storytelling to make the vision relatable and engaging, which helps teams gain understanding,” says Bell. “Very often, these initiatives span more than one team, so seeding ideas through cross-collaboration provides visibility around what everyone is working on and how their roles are connected, which fosters feelings of inclusion.”

She and her team also often have alignment check-ins to find out if they’re still on track, asking what’s needed to add, take out, or put back. “Our daily and weekly stand-ups are rich with outcomes and feedback, and this feedback is made available to everyone, even if they can’t be present,” she adds. “Communication around the why is always appreciated because context matters. “Communicating target outcomes, when meaningful and achievable, can make teams feel accomplished instead of being pulled in multiple directions.”

Brissett agrees. “It’s important to articulate a well-defined vision that outlines the purpose of the change, its benefits, and how it aligns with business goals,” he says.

Put a positive spin on it

The whirlwind of gen AI has been universally experienced, and what’s come with it is a fear of how much AI is going to change what we do. But if tech leaders and CIOs are mindful about how they frame change, they can alter perceptions and allay fears around what lies ahead. “We all have different strengths and weaknesses,” says Naidoo. “If we sell an innovation like gen AI as a tool to make it easier to write that request for a raise or correct your grammar and spelling, we’re showcasing the benefits these tools can bring. When you put a positive spin on change, highlighting efficiencies and time savings, getting people to accept change is a whole lot easier. And as they start adopting it, they’ll start to see the benefits.”

Remember that if you’re changing for the right reasons — not just because it’s trendy — the change will sell itself, he continues. “Sometimes, it’s okay not to change if making a change doesn’t make sense. This doesn’t mean you’re stagnant, it means you’re being strategic about finding the right opportunities.”

When employees view change as an opportunity to learn and grow, and when they’re rewarded for curiosity and innovation, they’re more willing to step into unfamiliar territory, adds Brissett. “Change is inevitable, it shouldn’t be neglected and it definitely mustn’t be an afterthought if you want to ensure stakeholder satisfaction and meet project objectives.”