As the CIO, you have a seat at the table. So, what is your next move? Of course, some could consider it a temptation to continue climbing the ladder. But the position of CEO or COO lacks allure for many CIOs. With this in mind, I met with Darren Person, Global Chief Information Officer at The NPD Group, to discuss how he leverages the increased power of the CIO position to make the ultimate power play.
Person informed me, “Well you don’t become a CIO by being a wallflower. I started programming as a child, and I worked hard to move past all these people who I considered to be holding me back. I wanted power so I could set the direction. Now that I have that power I’ve found that I can have greater impact by passing that power onto others.”
From there he broke it down for me into two primary categories, and the shift became clear. It’s a pivot from wanting to be in control to wanting to give control: moving from power to empowerment.
Mobilizing the Players
Person stopped me cold when he said, “At a certain point I realized that it’s not about being the person with the power, but rather the person who gives others power to do what they need to do.” It was such a perfect point. He went on to say that when you share that power with your team, you empower them to be successful. This decides whether they can deliver on expectations. Instead of saying that I am successful because I deployed teams, the focus shifts. I am successful because I put the programs in place that allow everyone else to be successful. The extra thousands of things they had to do are now streamlined, and it gives them time to collaborate with each other. It is important to give people opportunities for collaboration rather than just shoving gadgets into their toolboxes. Again, it’s empowering others so that together we have the capabilities to complete the deliverables.
Sharing the Magic
After that, Person went on to share with me about what he refers to as “magic moments.” It is the moment when he hears about how the user’s experience has been improved by a new tool that automates a process or saves the client time. It’s not even just making the data available to them; it’s having the answer readily available to answer their question, or even better, the question that they didn’t even know they had been wanting to ask. It comes from working to make information accessible. For example, if a client needed information from a medical journal, why sift through hundreds of pages when all they want is in the second paragraph on page 352? Providing this type of innovative service is just one way of helping the client have the necessary information and the power to help themselves.
I came in planning on talking about communication skills, but when I saw where Person was leading us, I jumped in feet first. Why? Because, while this type of leadership is gradually gaining traction, it is a slow process. We need more leaders who can be strong enough and secure enough to strengthen those around them. It’s not even entirely altruistic, because, as Person said, “The best CIOs I have met are the ones who balance their technical skills with humility and empathy, strive to understand their business, and work alongside their peers.” Our success really is based on those around us. So do you have the strength it takes to empower others, be humble, and grow outside your niche?
