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

IT Thought Leadership

Another interesting topic that surfaced during my conversation with Harry was thought leadership. When we asked him about the proper role of IT in providing thought leadership for the rest of the company, he quickly noted that while “IT does not have a monopoly on thought leadership,” it is uniquely positioned to offer guidance, particularly at the business unit level.

“We're not a bleeding-edge technology company. We're pretty conservative,” says Harry. “But at the same time, we need to understand the potential impact of new technologies on our business. Part of my role as global CTO is looking around, seeing what's happening in our industry and imagining the future—before it happens. That's one of the ways we stay competitive.”

Imagining, anticipating, and preparing for the future helps the company do the best possible job of placing its bets on the right technology investments. In difficult economic times, such as now, directing investment capital toward projects that will generate the highest returns is no trivial matter. IT's ability to function as a clearinghouse for new technology projects makes it an invaluable resource to the enterprise.

Traditionally, each business unit had to prove that it could afford the cost of any new project that it proposed. The downside of the traditional approach is that individual business units often refrain from seeking newer technologies that might help them become more competitive and more profitable.

Today, for example, ...