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

Is Everyone Really a Transformational Leader?

Last year, I hosted a high-level, invitation-only conference for about 120 CIOs and senior technology executives at major companies in the Chicago area. The conference's title was “The CIO as Transformational Leader” and its general purpose was preparing CIOs for the multiple challenges of rapidly changing global markets.

Predictably, one of the keynote presenters asked the assembled executives for a show of hands to indicate how many considered themselves to be a “transformational leader.”

Practically everyone in the room raised a hand. I remember thinking, “Wow, that's great. Everyone here is already a transformational leader.” Then I thought, “Wait a second. If everyone in this room is already a transformational leader, what's the point of this event?”

Before I could think too deeply about this, the presenter moved on to his next slide, and my concerns were quickly forgotten—until a few days later, when I had the good fortune to be chatting on the phone with Philip Fasano, the CIO of Kaiser Permanente. When the subject turned to business transformation, Philip made a remark that brought me back to that moment in Chicago when everyone raised their hands. Here is what Philip said:

Just because you're the CIO doesn't automatically make you a transformational CIO.

Philip's remark really got me thinking hard about what it means to be a transformational CIO. I wondered what you had to achieve to qualify as “transformational.” Most of this ...