The CEO of Technology

Chapter 2What Keeps the CEO up at Night

Modern CEOs Want Dependable Partners

Great CEOs typically wake up at night worrying about how their companies can stay ahead of the competition by innovating new products, opening new markets, expanding traditional markets, growing revenues from sales, increasing operational efficiencies, and improving the bottom line. It's a lot to worry about!

But in the final analysis, CEOs are judged by how well their companies perform in competitive markets. If your company isn't among the leaders, your tenure as CEO will likely be short, and not particularly sweet. That's why CEOs wake up at night and worry about how well their companies are doing compared to the competition.

Why should modern CIOs be concerned about what's keeping their CEOs up at night? The answer is simple: To a far greater degree than ever before, the CEO's strategy for success depends on the CIO's ability to deliver technology solutions that create real competitive advantages for the company. The days when the CIO's “customers” were mostly internal business users (aka “captive users”) are over.

Today, the CIO's “customers” tend to be the same as the CEO's “customers.” When the CEO talks about customers, he or she is talking about paying customers who generate actual revenue for the company. The fact that CEOs and CIOs now have the same customers represents a monumental shift of epic proportions, with major implications across the entire enterprise.

In addition to tactical ...