What makes a great CIO

Is your small- to medium-sized business (SMB) looking to hire a Chief Information Officer (CIO)? If so, do you know what to look out for? Before you even post your job opening, you should be familiar with the key aspects that make a great CIO. To make things less stressful for you, here are some of the top qualities you need to consider when looking for a CIO.

Fits in

Before anything else, you need to be sure that the person you’ll hire will be a perfect fit for your company's culture. Look for someone who shares the same traits and qualities displayed by your best employees. A CIO who can perfectly adapt and fit with your company's dynamics will have an easier time implementing IT strategies and business solutions.

Driven to succeed

Another important quality you need to look for is the drive to make the business succeed. A good CIO should be someone who shares and understands your company's passion to grow. In today's world, a CIO not only focuses on the IT aspect of your business but also acts as a business leader who is capable of coming up with strategic business plans and goals designed to push your organization forward.

Communicates well

Exceptional communication skills are vital for a CIO since it's their duty to speak to IT personnel and top executives. The CIO's ability to communicate well will help the IT staff think in a way that's more aligned with business goals. Exceptional communication skills will also allow the CIO to effectively explain to executives who have little or no technical knowledge about the technology needs of your business. In other words, they should be able to explain very technical concepts in simple and easy-to-understand terms.

Experienced

It's not enough to hire just any CIO. You should take into consideration a CIO’s previous work experience and see if they’ve worked in any company in the same industry as your business. A CIO with prior experience in the same field as your organization will have a better understanding of its current needs and how to effectively fulfill them. An experienced CIO will also have less difficulty suggesting the best technological strategy for your company.

Ability to evolve

The responsibilities held by the CIO is next only to those of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of your organization. A CIO is in charge of driving your business forward using a company-wide technology strategy. Since tech is constantly changing, a good CIO should be able to evolve quickly and keep up to date with the latest IT trends.

IT challenges are everywhere, and if your CIO fails to keep up with them, that could adversely affect your company’s operations and lead to significant losses in profits and customers. Look for someone who is thirsty for continued professional development and is not afraid to step out of their comfort zone to learn something new.

Innovative

To successfully push your business forward, a CIO must be able to adapt to emerging trends. One important aspect any good CIO should have is the ability to think outside the box. This person should be able to find creative and effective ways of implementing IT-focused strategies geared toward driving your business to success.

Technologically adept

The role of the CIO has seen significant evolution over the years that it's no longer exclusive to people with a strong IT background. There are some SMBs who hire a business-savvy CIO rather than a technical one. However, a technologically adept CIO who is proficient in formulating effective IT strategies and solutions will always stand out from the rest.

A good CIO is someone who can embrace the technological and business needs of your company. While you're looking for one, if you need a business IT strategy to help push your business forward, give us a call today. Our IT experts will sit with you and find ways to optimize the day-to-day operations of your company using the latest technology.