What’s next 2016 priorities for high-performing CIOs
Based upon hundreds of conversations we’ve had with CIOs over the past 12 months, it is clear which path high-performing IT leaders will take in 2016. We predict CIOs will take the following steps, among others, to distinguish themselves as strategists and decision makers as they proceed down the leadership path:
In Deloitte’s annual Global CIO Survey 35 percent of CIOs identified “developing and grooming leaders in IT” as their top priority for 2016. As competition for talent heats up in the coming year, CIOs will likely take the following steps to hire, retain, and evolve the skill-sets of their extended teams:
Running efficient, reliable, scalable and secure IT environments is a table-stakes expectation of CIOs. Some will focus on optimizing business processes and driving process efficiencies, but that will not be enough. To distinguish themselves as true business leaders, CIOs will need to impact the top lines of business significantly—a requirement with which many are increasingly familiar. Of the CIOs we surveyed, 44 percent identified growth as a top business priority for 2016. With this in mind, CIOs will need to understand thoroughly the business value and competitive advantage technology can bring to their organizations. This need is so urgent that if CIOs step up to the plate in 2016, other business leaders likely will.
Consider the following actions CIOs can use to reposition IT as a driver of business value:
Business leaders typically recognize the value derived from investments made in proven technologies like analytics and digital. Unfortunately, they often overlook the value long-term investments in core infrastructure and applications continue to deliver. Roughly 53 percent of CIOs we surveyed said their legacy and core investments will not have significant impacts on their businesses going forward—a belief that is misguided. Due to deep dependencies on existing front-, mid-, and back-office services and associated data, legacy infrastructure and applications will be foundational in efforts to drive innovation and growth for the business. For this reason, savvy CIOs will consider taking the following steps to recast and revitalize core assets:
Khalid Kark is a director with Deloitte LLP where he leads the development of research and insights for the CIO Program.