3 Tech Deep Dives That CIOs Must Absolutely Make
InformationWeek, Wednesday, March 12th, 2025
Boards and CEOs will come to CIOs for basic explanations of new tech; and IT staffers will expect their CIOs to know it on a more granular level. Are CIOs prepared?
When I was a junior programmer/analyst on my first IT job, I was working with a programmer-mentor named Bob who was teaching me to code subroutines. The day's conversation got around to the CIO, and Bob unexpectedly said, 'That guy's nothing more than a pencil pusher. He doesn't have a clue about what we're doing!'
Bob's words stuck with me, especially after I became a CIO. I kept thinking about the side conversations that happen in cubicles. I determined that although it wasn't my business as a CIO to code, I would make it my business to stay atop technology details so I could actively interact with my technical staff members in a value-added way. I decided to also learn how to communicate about technology at a plain English 'top' level with other executives and board members.