Here's why CIOs should embrace eccentric leaders

By Tina Nunno Embracing eccentricity in the workplace can provide a potential source of innovation, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking that can help drive results. For many CIOs, eccentric leadership is part of a daily reality. Eccentrics can make life both exciting and challenging for those working with them due to their often extreme, unusual or unpredictable behaviors and thoughts. Do you work with eccentric peers, but struggle to understand how to foster their less traditional working style? [caption id=“attachment_2242816” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Thinkstock[/caption] Eccentric executives can be an asset to the organizations they lead, often by thinking outside of traditional constraints and challenging their teams to achieve extreme objectives they would not have otherwise attempted. Despite this, however, it is often difficult to figure out how do to embrace eccentrics and cope with some of their more challenging behaviors. Their extreme requests can be particularly strenuous in both a technology and a leadership context, because eccentric leaders may push them well beyond any CIO’s ability to execute. Let’s take a hypothetical look at a very bold CEO who likes taking risks. Sometimes he takes big risks and loses big, but more often than not he wins big. If he doesn’t get what he wants from a staff member, no matter how small the request, he is likely to yell, scream and berate the individual. Sometimes he will fire them; sometimes not. Then he acts like nothing ever happened. For many, it is particularly difficult to report to an eccentric executive, as it limits the number and type of management tactics that may be deployed without risking negative repercussions, such as a poor performance review or being fired by the eccentric. Similarly, eccentrics who are peers to the CIO are also a challenge, as they have little direct control over these peers and must therefore develop other strategies and find ways to successfully work together. Fostering diversity for competitive advantage You must accept that the eccentrics you may work for and with, were largely created this way and are unlikely to change. Experiment and learn from others around you as to which management strategies are most effective. We should consider psychological diversity as the next great business opportunity. Diversity across gender, ethnicity and age has been shown to result in greater profitability and business success in enterprises around the world. Eccentricity should also be embraced, explored and experimented with at all levels of the enterprise to reap the potential business results. It can provide the kind of “out of the box” thinking that can lead to competitive advantage and creativity. At the same time, psychological diversity is not without its challenges, particularly when that diversity and eccentricity exist in the executive suite. Therefore, it is important to develop healthy strategies for dealing with some of the more challenging aspects of having eccentric peers and executives. Not a problem to be solved Eccentrics should be a welcome addition to enterprises interested in embracing psychological diversity as a potential competitive advantage. Eccentricity is not a problem to be solved; it is an opportunity and a challenge to manage. With patience and persistence, you can succeed in getting the most out of your eccentric relationships. (The author is vice president and Gartner Fellow)