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

A Continuous Process of Engagement

Over the course of writing this book, we interviewed dozens of executives, managers, analysts, and industry experts. We began with the notion that if we spoke with enough people, we would discover the secret to guiding successful IT transformations.

Instead we discovered something more valuable. We discovered that leading a successful IT transformation is more about leadership than it is about IT. We discovered that successful transformational leaders take their leadership responsibilities seriously, and they hone their leadership skills to a fine edge.

We also discovered that successful transformational leaders spend a lot of time listening and communicating. They focus on developing empathy and understanding. They assume that business leaders will not be able to express their needs in terms that translate easily into IT requirements, so they don't become frustrated by vague or nonspecific requests.

Lesson

Leading a successful IT transformation is more about leadership than it is about IT. Successful transformational leaders take their leadership responsibilities seriously, and they hone their leadership skills to a fine edge.

Most of all, they realize that IT leadership is an ongoing process of relationship building and relationship management, a process of continuous involvement and engagement with other leaders across the enterprise.

Harry Pickett is the global CTO at Manulife Financial, a large Canadian-based financial services company ...