Now, I’m not pretending to hold the absolute truth, and of course, I don’t mean to offend anybody, but there are different types of technology leader stigmas we can be (and I actually have been at certain points in my career).

Every organization requires the means to keep up with competitors’ new strategies, increasing demand for products and services, new generations of customers with different needs and interests, citizens with higher expectations on public services, and the list goes on.

Those IT departments that once were the last door on the hall with a team that was expected to pull out jammed paper from printers and keep the rubber balls underneath the mice clean are now a fundamental piece to achieve… well, everything.

So, what does being the head of those teams mean?

Let’s see… in my mind, the CIO acronym could mean:

The Chief I-forbid-everything Officer

It’s easy to fall into this category.

We are surrounded by rules, standards, certifications, audits, best practices, and the responsibility to keep everything up and running, secure, and, as I like to say, invisible for users (meaning that everything is working perfectly without the need for IT to be rebooting, fixing, etc.)

To stay out of trouble, we give users very limited room for error, forbidding just about anything that isn’t using word processors, spreadsheets, the IT-provided software, or our email client.

It sounds extreme, but I’ve seen it happen before, and I was becoming one of these CIOs early in my career.

What I’ve found in this environment is:

• The results are terrible.

• People will not be able to perform at their best.

• Nobody enjoys their job

• There is no room for growth or innovation.

Please, DON’T BECOME THIS LEADER.

Chief Impeding Officer

This type of CIO has a problem with every solution.

They’re the ones who will bombard any idea, new project, or initiative with a number of reasons why it shouldn’t be pursued, insisting that the current way is the right and only way to do them.

This ends up causing the organization’s mindset to shift to a “why even bother asking” with the terrible consequences of never improving.

Chief Irrelevance Officer

This is the CIO who is just keeping the lights on, taking it easy, and not making any effort to make a difference in the organization.

Their mantra is “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

But this mindset is poison for innovation and evolution.

Chief Intolerance Officer

I’m referring to CIOs who do not accept any mistakes.

The one who wants everything done correctly in the first attempt, or else.

This creates a culture of not trying to do anything uncertain or not moving forward with anything that hasn’t been done before, due to the fear of being reprimanded.

In my opinion, this is innovation’s worst enemy.

It goes completely against what we have seen that makes big companies big:

• Fail fast

• Fail cheap

• Learn from mistakes

• and move on to the next iteration

Ok, enough with the negativity, let’s go to the constructive side.

Chief Information Officer

The well-known senior Information Technology executive who manages technology strategy and aligns it with business goals. The role that has been there for some years now, but needs to evolve into something more complex than understanding the technology and how to apply it.

They must understand how to make the organization stand out from the crowd.

Chief Information and Innovation Officer (CIIO)

Let’s face it, the CIO should always be trying to innovate and find ways to make life easier for everyone in their everyday jobs, as well as finding ways to make organizations more efficient and profitable.

This doesn’t mean that the CIIO must personally innovate for the whole organization.

However, they must be the individual who enables every division, department, business unit, you name it, to be able to try and achieve new ways of doing things; better ways of doing things.

Chief Information, Innovation, and Inspiration Officer (CIIIO)

It is well known that words can convince, but examples will compel people to follow.

But what about inspiration?

If people feel inspired by their leadership, they will not only do things because they have to, or because they want to, but because they feel the need to.

This is the mindset that we want to empower, so this is the leadership we must embody.

Chief Information, Innovation, Inspiration and Impact Officer (CIIIIO)

Honestly, who hasn’t been questioned about the impact of investment in technology?

We must be leaders who ensure that every tech investment creates measurable value for the organization.

I know… It’s tricky sometimes, but it is the way to change the image of IT from an eternal expense into a:

• A growth engine

• A strategic ally

• An enabler of competitive advantage

The Wrap

I could go on, adding concepts like Integration, Influence, Illumination, and Inclusion, but I think my point is clear:

We need to be growth enablers, accountable for our actions, open to exploring new ways, and capable of constantly questioning and evaluating ourselves.

“What if, at this moment, I am being the Chief Intolerance Officer, or the Chief I-Know-It-All Officer, without even realizing it?”

After writing these lines, I keep asking myself some questions, and I invite you to ask yourselves these questions too (with any others you may think of):

• What kind of leader am I right now?

• What kind of leader do I aspire to be?

• What kind of leader does my organization need me to be?

• What kind of leader does my team need?

• What kind of leader do I want to follow?

• What does being a CIO really mean?

We may find a different answer to these questions each time, but hey, that’s the whole point!