As an insurance CIO, you may not envision yourself as the hero of a long, epic tale. However, the journey of the CIO is exactly that – a story that unfolds over time with twists and turns around every corner.
When there are new changes to the industry, it’s up to you to prepare for battle. You need to roll out a plan that adheres to these changes, as well as reinforce your own strategy to handle the evolution.
In some instances, you might need to build an army to support your initiative. Take cloud security, for example. Perhaps new industry standards are pushing you to adopt a safer cloud – how do you convince your colleagues to get behind you? Is there a way to garner funding for the latest change you need to implement?
Building a hero’s legacy
In order to build your legacy as a CIO, you’ll need to establish a plan for winning over your staff. One of the easiest ways to get people on your side is to show them that investing in technology pays off.
Whether you’re trying to encourage your staff to help you purchase a content management system or a different sales enablement solution, proving to them that it's worthwhile can help. For example, a content management platform will save sales and marketing teams time – and therefore money – paying for itself over time.
On the other hand, you may also be able to woo people by predicting the effects of failing to adopt new technology. For instance, you can showcase a comparison of some of your competitors, dividing them according to their investments in technology. In the end, you can effectively show your colleagues how you could be gaining ground – or losing it – depending on your next moves.
Regardless of which path you choose to take, strategizing beforehand can help you increase your chances of rallying an army. Don’t let the opportunity to cement your legacy as a CIO pass you by.
