TALKING
‘‘ business so harnessing the power of people with different perspectives , ideas and experiences will provide a richer pool to help drive innovation and growth . On the other hand , a group of 10 people with the same experience and background are likely to come up with ideas that are more constrained , rehash what ’ s already there , or make only slight improvements to what they have done previously .
And this collaboration extends beyond the office boardroom . CIOs also identify and build the right strategic partnerships to help drive innovation and growth on the Digital Transformation journey . It ’ s about recognising your limitations and seeing where you could benefit from specialist resources . For example , this could mean working with startups that bring in thought-leaders and fresh perspectives . Ultimately , there ’ s an element of knowing when to utilise best-ofbreed solutions , rather than trying to reinvent the wheel in some areas .
Measuring success
It goes without saying , CIOs and their teams will have established clear KPIs and benchmarks for success . But when you are also fostering a culture of experimentation that brings with it an element of accepting failure , the task of measuring success extends beyond the usual metrics .
As we have established , it ’ s important to ensure you are truly bringing a cross-functional team together , getting the right participation from across different areas of the business . Given the companywide collaboration , there will also be a number of stakeholders involved who need to be kept up to date with progress and achievements .
A key element of this is to demonstrate the business value of technology investments . It all comes back to aligning the different sides of the business . Business value could take the form of increased efficiency , reduced costs , improved customer experience , or any other tangible benefit that aligns with the organisation ’ s wider objectives .
The role of the CIO has transformed from an IT cost centre to a strategic business enabler and leader , spearheading innovation and transformation to ensure their business is agile and future-proof . By embracing this evolution , CIOs can confidently steer their organisations on their Digital Transformation journeys . After all , CIOs are no longer just supporting the evolution – they are driving it . p
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