The Technology Doesn't Matter

CHAPTER 4Managing Up/Managing the IT Leader

The relationship an IT leader has with their own leader usually sets the tone for the rest of the IT department and influences how they perceive executive management. For the IT leader, this means managing up, which includes adapting your own behaviors to accommodate your boss's preferred working methods. The goal is to make their job easier. The result, at a minimum, should be a less stressful relationship and working environment. At best, you may find that your leader becomes an advocate for you personally.

For the business leader, a productive and healthy relationship with your IT leader is essential to improving technology business alignment. It is also an effective way to reduce turnover in the IT department. The relationship between the IT leader and the CEO is often the weakest of the relationships in the C-suite. There is usually less interaction, less understanding, less commonalities, and less camaraderie. There are certainly exceptions, but in my experience the IT leader receives the least face time with the CEO. They are also the least likely to be invited to the golf course or the executive happy hour. However collegiate the other relationships on the executive team are, it is likely the IT leader who is the least included and involved. That difference is felt, and I believe it contributes to the higher turnover rate of the CIO role compared to all other C-level positions. That feeling of exclusion will carry down throughout ...