Make sure your CIO is in your C-suite

Last Tuesday, before ServiceNow CIO Chris Bedi started his presentation to our Board of Directors, I embarrassed him.

When I introduced Chris, I shared that he would soon be recognized on Business Insider’s list of “Most Innovative CIOs”. 

Chris is a modest guy, so he wasn’t impressed with the kudos. But our Board was. And here’s why. 

The role of the CIO today is much different than even a few years ago. CIOs are increasingly being asked to drive technology strategy and enable digital transformation all across their companies. They are moving from being back-of-the-house technologists who only focus on employee systems and tools, to being critical members of the C-suite and advisors to CEOs, Boards of Directors and even customers. 

I’ma business guy. Throughout my career I’ve made it a point to surround myself with technologists who don’t just get technology but can also advise on its impact on bigger-picture organizational initiatives. Chris is one of these CIOs. I rely on Chris to set our strategic technology goals for the future, both to serve our employees and to improve our organizational efficiency. My direct reports and I rely on Chris to accelerate our own digital transformation journey. Many of our top customers rely on Chris to advise on best practices and ways to get maximum value from ServiceNow’s platform.

We’re not alone. In today’s world, where software is impacting every industry and where companies want to digitize their workflows to create great experiences and unlock productivity, CIOs are naturally seen as the most capable to lead large-scale digital transformation initiatives because they “get tech.” 

But many of the CIOs I talk to say their role doesn’t stop there. Lori Beer, CIO of JPMorganChase (also recognized on Business Insider's list), has seen the business benefit when technology has a seat at the executive table. She is the first CIO to be on JPMC’s Operating Committee, which is testament to her as a leader and to the importance her management team puts on technology strategy.

Royal Dutch Shell EVP and Group CIO Jay Crotts has spent more than 33 years in technology. Yet he applies one of the most business-centric principles I’ve ever encountered to his role. Jay calls it the 85/15 rule. He uses it to prioritize his digital transformation activities. As Jay explained to me, only 15% of what a company does drives competitive advantage. The other 85% is foundational – yet still incredibly important. Companies that get the 85% right by digitizing the business processes that power things like customer service, legal, finance and the IT help desk free up the 15% of activities that can be unique, innovative and forward-looking to drive future growth.   

Research also points to the evolving role of the CIO. In a recent survey of more than 500 CIOs in 12 countries and 24 industries, 61% of CIOs said their role has evolved from operational to strategic, and that collaboration with other members of the C-suite is on the rise. More than three-quarters (77%) of CIOs surveyed said they now partner with their CHRO to set talent strategies, and 69% said they partner with the CEO to set organizational roadmaps. 

I see this every day at ServiceNow. Chris and Pat Wadors, our chief talent officer, partner closely to create great experiences for our employees and to serve as counsel for our customers. Chris also developed a scoring method to measure the success of teams’ digital transformation efforts – and collaborated with our CFO to agree on a metric that shows the bottom-line business value.

Chris will no doubt be embarrassed again by this article. But I’m using him as one of the best examples of why CIOs should be in the C-suite. I think CIOs are in for even more exciting times ahead. They are critical strategic partners at the highest levels of an organization. They have the permission to set bold goals and the leadership skills to inspire teams to deliver. Simply put, in this age of digitization, CIOs are needed now more than ever.