EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
ANDREW BALMAKS , EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER , ATTURRA ’ S
ADVISORY AND CONSULTING AREA AND CO-FOUNDER /
CEO , NOETIC GROUP
Of all the qualities possessed by the current generation of CIOs , perhaps the most important is adaptability . The exponential rate of change occurring in Information Technology shows no sign of slowing and so CIOs need to be able to adapt their thinking and the approaches they are taking to meet the primary needs of the business .
For the next generation of CIOs , this challenge will be even more acute . Emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and Machine Learning ( ML ) will lead to advances that have not yet even been considered . Remaining adaptable and responsive will be critical .
Another quality shared by today ’ s successful CIOs is an ability to think and plan from the perspective of the wider business . If you think back 20 years , CIOs were very much focused on the nuts and bolts of designing , deploying and managing systems and networks they owned .
In 2023 , this is no longer the case . The successful CIO is viewed by the business as both proactive and reactive in supporting the delivery of business outcomes .
Future CIOs will also be expected to offer a broad perspective on how technology is evolving and what challenges and opportunities this might create .
The perspective of today ’ s CIOs is much broader as they need to consider not just technology but how it relates to business objectives and results . They need to ensure that IT adds as much value as possible to their organization ’ s activities and actively supports it in achieving stated goals .
In the future , this will be an even more important quality for CIOs . They will need to feel comfortable interacting with other C-level executives and provide advice and guidance in business terms .
Future CIOs will also be expected to offer a broad perspective on how technology is evolving and what challenges and opportunities this might create . Having a ‘ big picture ’ mindset will be important .
Today ’ s CIOs also have to be good people managers and this quality will continue to be required in the future . As well as helping to attract good quality staff , a CIO must also ensure that specialist skills provide the best value possible to the organization .
This will become increasingly challenging as AIpowered tools automate many of the tasks that currently require humans to complete . Keeping staff engaged , motivated and feeling professionally fulfillled will be a key task for all future CIOs .
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