I had an interesting conversation with a Vistage Chair recently (Vistage is an excellent forum for business leaders). Many of the CEOs he knows excel as product or service experts, or negotiators, or perhaps they have the contacts and the network. But technology and information may just not be on their radar. They’re focused on running and growing the business, not becoming technology experts.
Until something breaks. Maybe it’s a stalled transformation project, or systems that can no longer support growth, or teams frustrated by inefficient processes. Either way, technology suddenly moves to the top of the agenda.
The question, though, is why wait until something breaks? Technology is no longer a back-office function that leaders don’t need to care about. It touches every part of a business: how efficiently work gets done, how customers are served, how accurately leaders can see reporting, and how quickly the business can adapt to changing conditions.
Many entrepreneurial CEOs are not focused on technology, and that makes sense. The question, really, is what does it take for them to decide to empower someone else to focus on tech, an expert leader for this area, before it breaks?
Not every business needs a full-time CIO, but every business does need someone who understands how technology supports their needs – aligning the tech to business goals, identifying and mitigating risks, and ensuring a scalable, commercially viable platform for growth. Technology is a strategic asset rather than something that gets attention when it goes pear-shaped.
If any of this sounds familiar, have a look around our fractional roles pages, to see how other mid-sized businesses find technology leadership without the expense or commitment of a full-time executive. In the meantime, we’re always ready for a no-pressure conversation about tech leadership and your business.