Navigating the sometimes-seismic shifts in technology is no small feat, and that's why companies of all sizes have been turning to the wisdom and expertise of a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to guide the way. It is important to understand, though, that not all CIOs are created equal. Different companies need distinct types of CIOs, but each of these archetypes are maestros at creating clear lines of sight that is the basis for better decisions and cohesion for your business.
The Operator (Sarah)
Sarah, the Operator, ensures the smooth running of all IT operations. As CIO, her focus is efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Typically, she would spend about 60% of her time in this role during the initial years of her tenure, as she sets up efficient IT operations and management processes. She focuses her advocacy on the leadership team with ensuring there are enough resources dedicated to IT so she can make the best hiring decisions and increase the business' investment in technology.
The Guardian (Zhao)
Zhao, the Guardian, is focused on mitigating risks and ensuring compliance. They see themselves as the gatekeeper, safeguarding the company's assets and data. Initially, Zhao may allocate about 30% of their time to this role. As the company grows and the IT landscape becomes more complex, they find that the ongoing regulatory demands, reporting, and change management tracking are easily doubling the amount of time they intended to allocate to these tasks. One of Zhao's top concerns is that the rest of the business doesn't fully appreciate what it takes to maintain compliance, and that leadership's focus might drift to other priorities.
The Strategist (Malik)
Malik, the Strategist, is the visionary who aligns the IT strategy with the company's business strategy. Initially, he may dedicate nearly 75% of his time to this role, focusing on understanding the company's business goals and how technology can support them. Due to the urgent daily demands of the role, some days he doesn't get a chance to dedicate time to long-term thinking. However, Malik makes sure to prioritize his schedule so he can consistently dedicate no less than 20% of his time to still being in a strategic headspace. In his past experiences, he knows all too well that in, particularly in fast-growing companies, there’s a need to constantly reassess IT strategies to keep pace with growth and change.
The Catalyst (Fiona)
Finally, Fiona, the Catalyst, drives business innovation through technology. It's hard to directly quantify how much time Fiona spends in this role. One thing Fiona prioritizes is making sure that the business expects the CIO to have a seat at the table in all sorts of meetings where decisions are made. Even meetings where the CIO’s role is at once obvious. This is because Fiona understands how technology supports just about every aspect of the business. She is also actively engaged in the latest trends experimenting with new technologies and identifying innovative opportunities. Fiona's goal is to prove the value of IT-enabled innovation, and she measures how much she must insert herself into discussions, vs. how much she gets invited into discussions or leading major IT initiatives that transform the company.
Each of these CIO archetypes plays a vital role, and their relative importance changes over time, according to the company's growth phase, market conditions, and strategic goals.
However, not every company can afford a full-time CIO or find one who can effectively play all four roles.
Enter the vCIO!
A vCIO, or Virtual CIO, works remotely to provide strategic guidance, risk management, operational efficiency, and innovative insights of a CIO without the cost of a full-time in-house executive.
Net Friends vCIOs
Working with a vCIO from Net Friends gives you access to an executive-level professional who is adept at managing these four roles according to your unique needs. They can balance their time and focus between the four archetypes, providing you with the exact IT leadership your company needs at any given time.
Sound interesting?
Want to learn which archetype best fits your business needs right now? If you want to discuss the benefits of a vCIO for your business, contact Net Friends today. Together, we’ll chart the course to help you successfully navigate disruption, align IT with your business goals, embrace innovation, and manage risk.
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At Net Friends, we believe in the power of human expertise. While we leverage AI to enhance our content and processes, all blog posts are written and edited by our knowledgeable staff. You can trust you are getting insights directly from our team.