The Transformational CIO: Leadership and Innovation Strategies for IT Executives in a Rapidly Changing World

IT at the Scrub Sink

Brian R. Lurie was recently promoted from a divisional CIO to vice president, global IT strategy and planning at Stryker Corporation, one of the largest medical technology companies in the world. In his new role, Brian will be responsible for leveraging ideas, talent, and capabilities across the company's 14 divisions.

I am certain that Brian will succeed, for two very good reasons:

1. He is a terrific, truly inspirational leader.

2. From his perch in IT, he had an unparalleled view into the inner workings of the enterprise.

Brian represents a new breed of transformational CIO, a smart and experienced leader who understands the company and its larger strategic issues.

“The successful CIO participates in the company's strategic discussions. But you won't be invited to those discussions unless the business leaders trust you and believe that you understand their customers. You gain that trust by delivering consistently on the basics and anticipating their needs. That's a given at any company.”

But it's what you do with the trust that you've earned that distinguishes ordinary CIOs from outstanding CIOs. Brian tells a great story about how the power of IT added value on the front lines:

I spend a lot of time with our customers, such as the surgeons who use the devices we make. Recently, a surgeon said to me, “Brian, I'm a busy guy.” A little light bulb went on in my head. I wondered if we could educate our surgeon customers during the three minutes or so that ...