Change, Innovation & Success Go Hand In Hand

In today’s competitive times, carving your niche in the business world is of utmost importance. Change and innovation can give your business that edge to stay ahead in the rat race. In order to bring an innovative drive, the greatest responsibility is on the leader of the camp. Given below are some tips for a successful journey for the CIOs in the world of business.

High level commitment to leadership role: It is important for every CIO to learn the art of leadership, but it is most important to be a leader with a difference and create the edge. Leading a team differently will drive inspiration and support from the team. Practicing a different rule always brings appreciation, but sometimes can also backfire. CIOs should overcome these obstacles and motivate their team to bring out their best and unleash their potential to perform. When I suggest team motivation, CIOs should understand that this motivation should be a continuing effort. If these factors are taken seriously every CIO can be a leader that can bring the change organisations are waiting for. It’s about creating influence and lead & drive change. It is important to remember CIO is a leadership role, similar to any other CXO role. CIOs are expected to demonstrate leadership ability as a part of the role. The real test of a leader is leadership in crises is the ability to turnaround initiatives / projects.

Alignment of IT with business: This is the most over hyped cliché in our space, but I would like to extend a slightly different point of view on it. Here, when I talk about alignment of IT with business it means alignment of three important pillars which are people, process and technology. If organisations are vigilant about managing these three musketeers then it will be a win-win situation for them. Remember, IT is part of business like other functions. Question of alignment means how IT can enable and transform business to deliver value continually. Like other functions, how CIO makes IT alignment happen with the team is the quality of leadership, and be in sync with the organisation’s goals and to leverage IT to create value.

Build people and develop systems: While technology can be put in place, it is the people that make in happen. The most successful organisations might not have the best technology but they have the best people who unleash the best out of the given technology. To make it simple, organisations should focus on their people and train them to deliver the finest performance with technology. How people embrace new systems and technology to create change and deliver value from the systems deployed is the key in creating success.

Build partnership and right relationship: In order to drive the winning attitude in the team, leaders should build the right relationship with them. The team leader should motivate the team mates and give them a chance to perform and be innovative. Leaders should not forget that only when the stones are rubbed does the fire spark out. Ability to influence and create partnership approach with respective functions and also with the valued partners to create a winning team is key ingredient of leadership quality of CIO- as a Leader.

Make customer your key for success: The mantra for excellent selling is customer satisfaction. But in this new web 2.0 atmosphere, customers are demanding and very well aware about the product. Product manufacturers should strive to meet the high expectations of today’s customers. The other important factor that companies should not ignore is excellent customer service. Customers don’t like to call and visit the care centre hundred times; all they need is a one-time help and a life time of no further problems. Companies should remember the key to success is customer service with continuity. Customer Centric is an attitude and a culture must be created across the organisation to develop this attitude of deliver and rendering high quality service. Any systems deployed must be from point of what value it creates from customer’s customer point of view.

Discipline of execution: ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ is a very famous phrase that organisations should chant everyday. The key to success completely depends on the quality of work and the time utilised to deliver the expected quality. Today’s enterprises should learn to deliver the best quality in the minimum time. ‘Time is essence of life”.

Change Management: Change is constant and is the key to success. Behind every successful idea there is a team and a charismatic leader who initiated the change and applied it into the work culture and created something innovative. Keeping in mind the action of creating new ideas and leading them through to success will help organisations reach their goals very easily and effectively. But, most importantly its critical to maintain this outlook that encourages change and innovation within the organisation. Change and innovation go hand in hand. An organisation should constantly strive to re-invent and keep up with the times. “Adapting to change is key in leadership”.

In effect, the mantra of 2Fs (Focus and Forward Thinking) and the 2Bs (Business acumen and Business judgement) aligned with continual innovation will create an edge factor for the CIO.

CIO is a leadership role and he should have the ability to lead and inspire the team to create a winning team to continually deliver value through effective IT.