What defines a CIO?

Yes. The question is what defines a CIO? what does the CIO really mean? Is it just a title that you have "arrived" or does it mean something much more.

Most of the executive management attempts to define the CIO as - a technical person who is suppose to keep the "lights on", a person responsible for the information technology and computer systems that support enterprise goals. The CIO is that person who fixes information systems in an organisation when they break down, sombody who "keeps things running". Now, it maybe a just a perception but it is predominately a very popular perception, at least in India.

The above argument is further strengthen by the fact that when looking for / recruiting a new CIO, organisations perceive that it is best to recruit at least an engineering graduate as a CIO because it is perhaps pereived that s/he can fix the information systems faster and quicker when they break down. But, I believe this is a myth. Does the CIO really himself / herself fix the issue or is the CIO responsible for "getting it fixed"? If the CIO fixes the issue himself /herself then the person is not a CIO but just a technical person, an issue fixer. If the CIO is responsible for "is getting the issue fixed" then the CIO needs to a manager of resources to fix the issue and not otherwise. The CIO needs to be an effective and efficient manager who should know how to get work done from young and smart technical people and an effective and efficient manager need not be an engineering graduate. The timely resolution of the break down and more its importantly its management is the point that is needs to be considered rather than otherwise. A CIO needs to delegate technical decisions to employees more familiar with details.

If the CIO is not a technical person then what is the CIO? Though it is my personal view, I belief a CIO is a custodian of all that encompasses information in an organisation; information in all its forms and formats; systems that store, manage, retrieve, safeguard the organisational information; CIO is an analyst who is suppose to understand and guide the organisation on its journey to understand how technology fits into and aligns itself with business strategy. 

So as a CIO, one needs to sufficiently engage in learning the business and attempting to align the technology strategy with the business strategy and not focus too much on implementing the latest technology. There needs to be a correlation and link between acquisition of a technology and the solution to a business problem. CIOs need to think business processes, work on business integration, work with the business leaders in helping them achieve their goals and objectives. 

It is also about management. A effective CIO is somebody who manages information, its flow and availability within and outside an organisation through technology; manages and maintains good and cohesive relationships with peers in business withn an organization and outside the organisation; somebody who manages people and team effectively; manages to "get it fixed" and keeps the "lights on" within pre-defined costs and overheads; and manages "expectations".

With the CIO's understanding of business processes and ability to understand the technology fit and its alignment with business startegy, the CIO can actually be a business strategist and a key partner to the CEO and the other executive management.