The Emerging Role of the CIO/CTO

There’s been much discussion about the expanding role of the CTO/CIO within the enterprise as a business leader. My biggest comment on the subject would be “hasn’t this always been the case?” For if this is not the case then certainly the enterprise has suffered. First, let’s accept the generality that the role of the CTO/CIO is to craft the technology and solutions for simplifying and automating various complex business processes. If we accept this then should we not expect the person laden with the responsibility of creating the technology solutions to also be an integral part of the business process themselves? (Now this does not mean the CTO/CIO is involved at an operational, day to day, level. This does mean that they should be involved on a strategic level in defining and optimizing the processes in question.) In my opinion, the answer is “yes.” The first wave of career CIO/CTO leaders is now hitting retirement age. In their tenure they’ve been forced to add “innovator”, “collaborator” and “strategic planner” to their quiver which once only held “IT expert”. Where once it was enough to just be able and produce a budget for the IT department (call it what you will), now we must understand the enterprise P&L and our impact on it. Yesterday we might aspire to obtain a post graduate degree in Computer Science or any of the various Engineering disciplines. Today we find ourselves needing an MBA. Accept the transition since in my humble opinion; the organization is stronger with the CTO/CIO helping make the strategic decisions.