Key Attributes of a Highly Motivated CIO

In a remarkable encounter a few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Graeme Henderson during a significant digital transformation venture that aimed to align a Not-for-Profit organisation within the NDIS and aged care sector. This initiative involved a substantial shift away from traditional paper-based systems and Excel spreadsheets. The primary objective of the Digital Transformation was threefold: firstly, to replace an aging Workforce and Client Management system with a highly mobile workforce and empower clients wherever viable using technology; secondly, to deploy a CRM system; and thirdly, to integrate with existing ERP systems. Ultimately, the plan encompassed migrating all IT services to a Cloud-based delivery model, encompassing a comprehensive suite of integrated platforms that offered CRM, WFM, HR, and ERP functionalities. Graeme's unique leadership in spearheading this program can be attributed, at least in part, to his innate talent as a CIO, enabling him to wholeheartedly embrace multiple fundamental aspects that define the core DNA of a successful CIO.

To give you some context: Before leading the Digital Transformation Program, Graeme started as an external consultant specialising in strategic advice for cost-effective growth. Impressed by his recommendations, the NFP organisation invited Graeme to join as Head of Information Systems & Technology, later becoming their CIO. They operated with limited IT staff and relied on a third-party contractor, managing disjointed systems and manual processes. Graeme's vision was to integrate these systems through in-house improvement projects, following industry best practices. The initial focus was implementing an ITIL-aligned Service Desk, expanding the IT Operations team, and establishing an ERP system. Graeme leveraged an internship program and empowered existing staff. He collaborated with experts for technical aspects, complementing his strategic approach as he later embarked on the full Digital Transformation program integrating the ERP with CRM/WFM and HR SaaS systems.

Successful CIOs such as Graeme possess many core elements that contribute to their effectiveness and achievements in their role. Here are some of Graeme’s core attributes I identified during the time we worked together.

1. Visionary Leadership: A successful CIO has a clear vision for the organisation's technology strategy and effectively communicates it to stakeholders. They inspire their team and drive innovation, aligning technology initiatives with business goals.

?Graeme was able to successfully outline the key features of a fully integrated set of SaaS platforms that would bring about high-quality data with no lag across the entire organisation.

?2. Strategic Thinking: CIOs must think strategically and understand the broader business landscape. They analyse market trends, identify opportunities, and make informed decisions to capitalise on emerging technologies while mitigating risks.

Recognising the significant potential within the NDIS and Aged Care industry, Graeme astutely identified a specific SaaS platform as a standout solution. This platform offered unparalleled opportunities that surpassed the limitations of existing legacy systems, resulting in improved operational efficiencies across various business functions.

Notably, given the financial constraints often faced by non-profit organisations (NFPs), the strategic approach involved seeking win-win scenarios. One such example was the BA internship program, which brought benefits to universities, aspiring BAs in need of experience, and an NFP without incurring substantial costs. Additionally, by leveraging partnerships with two SaaS suppliers (One CRM and the other ERP), both companies eagerly seeking entry into the NFP space, mutually beneficial agreements were established.

3. Technological Expertise: A successful CIO stays abreast of the latest advancements in technology and understands how they can be leveraged to drive business growth. They have a deep understanding of the organisation's technical infrastructure and can effectively evaluate and implement new solutions.

Graeme grew a solid foundation of technical expertise to support his underlying core skills in strategic business consolidation of both processes and automation opportunities.

?4. Business Acumen: CIOs need to possess a solid understanding of the organisation's operations, processes, and objectives. They align technology initiatives with business needs, leveraging IT as an enabler to enhance productivity, efficiency, and competitive advantage.

?Graeme's ability to cultivate strong relationships with the executive leadership team (ELT) proved instrumental in facilitating collaborative efforts and achieving alignment necessary for the successful implementation of a significant program. This endeavour demanded not only resilience but also the capacity to shield the team from potential underminers and maintain their unwavering commitment. Ultimately, Graeme recognized the paramount importance of the team's collective efforts in achieving success.

5. Collaboration and Relationship Building: A successful CIO fosters strong relationships with key stakeholders, including executives, department heads, and external partners. They collaborate across departments, understanding and addressing their unique technological requirements while building consensus and driving change.

With longstanding relationships established with various managerial stakeholders across the organisation, Graeme gained in-depth insights into their specific requirements at a granular level, surpassing the typical expectations associated with a CIO role.

?6. Effective Communication: CIOs must have excellent communication skills, both technical and non-technical. They can translate complex technical concepts into understandable terms for non-technical colleagues and align technology initiatives with the overall organisational strategy.

One of Graeme's notable strengths was his communication skills, allowing him to effortlessly navigate between high-level strategic perspectives and detailed, operational aspects.

?7. Change Management: Successful CIOs are adept at leading organisational change. They recognise and address resistance to change, engaging and empowering employees throughout the transformation process, and ensuring smooth adoption and integration of new technologies.?

Like any organisational change management initiative, the journey towards the tipping point, usually around the halfway mark, presents notable challenges. Nevertheless, Graeme demonstrated exceptional ability identifying and leveraging readily available opportunities alongside his core team, enabling them to rapidly achieve the critical 50% milestone. It is crucial to note that Graeme understood the importance of recognising and respecting subject matter experts (SMEs) from within the organisation who were involved in IT or enlisted for project teams.

?8. Continuous Learning: Given the rapidly evolving technology landscape, successful CIOs prioritise ongoing learning and professional development. They stay informed about emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices, constantly seeking ways to enhance their skills and knowledge.

As part of the Digital Transformation project framework, Graeme effectively established robust onboarding processes to ensure comprehensive training for future staff members on all technology-related aspects being implemented. The existing foundations of ITIL, BABOK, and PMBOK played a crucial role in shaping these processes. Early on, clear expectations were set within the Information Systems and Technology (IST) department, emphasising the importance of continuous up-skilling and learning. Additionally, Graeme embraced the introduction and experimentation of new tools and techniques, particularly from the Business Analyst toolkit, to gauge their suitability for the non-technical audience prevalent in the non-profit sector.

9. Risk Management: CIOs must understand and mitigate technology-related risks and security threats. They implement robust cybersecurity measures, ensure data privacy compliance, and develop disaster recovery plans to protect the organisation's digital assets and ensure business continuity.

An aspect of the project involved numerous business applications to the cloud, and Graeme demonstrated a keen awareness of the security, privacy, and backup compliance requirements associated with the implementation of new SaaS business tools he made sure the team was continually across.

10. Results Orientation: Ultimately, successful CIOs are driven by results. They set clear objectives, establish key performance indicators (KPIs), and measure the impact of technology initiatives on business outcomes. They continuously evaluate and refine their strategies based on objective data and feedback.

Despite encountering some variations throughout the project, Graeme ensured high level vigilance in monitoring the quality of implementation, as well as adhering to agreed timelines and budget, to ensure that the return on investment would be effectively sustained in the future. ROI was always going to be dependent on quality user adoption which of course was the primary result in the program we worked on.

By embodying these key elements, a successful CIO can effectively lead their organisation's technology strategy, drive innovation, and enable the achievement of business goals.