Red light, green light.
This essentially sums up what the job of the CIO a few years ago. Now that the Digital Age has taken off, the old “Red light, green light” game is getting revamped. Gone are the days when the CIO’s responsibility was to tell employees which pieces of technology are suitable within an office environment.
CIO Magazine recently reported on the new job of the CIO – technology consultant. If you’ve been a CIO for years, you’ve likely already seen these responsibilities come into play. There’s a good chance that your colleagues have come to you on more than one occasion, asking for advice on smartphones, tablets and laptops. They not only want permission to use them, but guidance on how to transform them into powerful sales enablement tools.
Technology consultant. Let it sink in.
“Technology's role in the business is increasing [beyond the purview of the traditional CIO], Andrew Wilson, CIO at tech consultancy Accenture, told the magazine.” The CIO has to embrace the challenge.”
Embracing the Future
If you aren’t into the idea of being a technology consultant, you’re not alone. It can be hard to accept the fact that the role you’ve had for years is evolving in a dramatic fashion.
However, you can do a world of good for you and your company by trying your best to adapt. One way you can roll with the changes is to take a few minutes each day to read about your own industry. Skim through a couple articles on up-and-coming technology on your lunch break. Making this small effort can go a long way as your CIO responsibilities evolve.
You might not have all of the answers for your colleagues when it comes to sales enablement technology, content management software and everything in between. Don’t beat yourself up over it – you’ll have plenty of opportunities to improve upon your role as it changes.
The days of “Red light, green light” are gone, but a bright future for CIOs is just around the corner.
