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As technology evolves from business enabler to business differentiator, many chief information officers are being called on to help lead the business rather than simply support it.

This is new territory for many CIOs, and quite different than managing technology organisations and projects. To lead the business effectively, CIOs need a certain knowledge base and core skill set, as well as a keen awareness of how their entire technology organisation interacts with the business.

Louie Ehrlich, vice president, strategy and services and CIO, Global Downstream, Chevron Corp., views the CIO as service provider, alignment leader and business partner. He believes that, until recently, most CIOs focused on the IT service part of their jobs. “Delivering great IT service is important,” says Ehrlich, “but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re not really a CIO. Quality service will help the business stay in the game, but won’t help it win.”

Ehrlich advises CIOs to:

• Create your own table. “I hear a lot of IT leaders complain they can’t get a seat at the table with the business. I say create your own table and invite them to your discussion.” Initiating a dialogue in business terms is key to positioning IT to lead.
• Educate the business. For IT to reach its full potential, the business has to understand IT’s capabilities.
• Shareholder value versus stakeholder value. “Encourage your IT staff to think of themselves as co-owners of the business, rather than just order-takers.” Create opportunities for IT staff to work in the business and to think strategically.

David Webb, CIO of SVB Financial Group, the parent company of SVB Silicon Valley Bank, sees the CIO transforming into a multifaceted executive leader who oversees not only IT, but other business functions like operations, administration and business process transformation. To help transition into this multifaceted leadership role, Webb suggests:

• Broaden your knowledge base. Talk regularly with business people. Understanding the organisation will help you influence the business from an IT perspective.
• Know your customer. “Really listen to the customer, and use that knowledge to create new IT-enabled products or services.”
• Take risks. Advancing IT into a leadership position means thinking outside the box.

For a CIO whose strength lies in technology, transitioning into a more strategic role requires mastering the basics.

Alan Guibord, former CIO and now chairman and founder of The Advisory Council, an IT research and consulting firm, offers a few basic steps:

• Make time for career development. A commonly neglected activity among CIOs. Guibord advises CIOs and their staff to allocate 20 percent of their time to career development activities.
• Strengthen communication skills. Demonstrating IT’s value to the business requires a balance of hard and soft skills. To influence the business, CIOs need strong negotiation, presentation and consensus-building skills.
• Build strong relationships. Build relationships with your peers in the business. Talk to at least two non-IT colleagues every day.
• Strengthen your position. Surround yourself with strong talent. This may mean recruiting non-techies and hiring people with more knowledge than you in certain areas.

Today’s CIO has more opportunity than ever to impact and help lead the business. HP Software can support you on every step of your technology leadership journey and can help you position technology to lead. BTO IT management software for technology strategy, applications and operations and BIO software for information management and business intelligence.

» Find out how: Learn more about HP Software.