The non-public traits that outline high-demand IT leaders

As famous, CIO wage ranges rely largely on years of expertise, trade expertise and geographic market. However sure confirmed traits and accomplishments additionally assist. Expertise in management and collaboration, and the power to encourage and inspire groups, foster collaboration, and construct a powerful firm tradition are among the many key traits which are successful out over deep technical aptitude in the present day, Licciardello says.

It additionally doesn’t damage to have a level from a top-tier college or graduate college. That may be a differentiator on this area, particularly in extremely aggressive environments, Licciardello explains.

“For conventional firms, I believe you will note a extra balanced skillset,” Licciardello notes. “A mix of tech experience and enterprise acumen is essential for understanding the wants of each the IT division and the broader group. Somebody who has imaginative and prescient and the power to develop and execute a long-term know-how technique aligned with the corporate’s total enterprise objectives is vital.”

By way of softer abilities, robust communication, negotiation, and decision-making abilities are important for navigating the C-suite and influencing key stakeholders, Licciardello says, including that the power to construct and preserve high-performing groups can be in demand.

Armed with these abilities and traits, Licciardello recommends that newly-hired CIOs at all times do the ‘listening and studying tour.’

“Hearken to what’s going effectively, and what’s not going so effectively,” Licciardello advises. “Ask questions. Ask for rationale on why one thing was achieved the way in which it was. I see many new hires assume issues have been achieved fallacious with out understanding the context or rationale behind the motion. There is no such thing as a higher method to bitter relationships in a brand new firm if you happen to make too many early or untested assumptions.”

One lately employed CIO that carried out the ‘listening and studying tour’ at her group is Sandy Venugopal, at SentinelOne. Named CIO in April 2023, Venugopal says she particularly loved “attending to know the workforce, assembly a few of our clients, and listening to about their expertise with our product. Equally noteworthy has been studying concerning the thrilling product roadmap that we now have, and dealing with our new leaders and companions in advertising and marketing and gross sales.”

Key differentiator: A powerful background in strategic actions and selections

What Venugopal believes helped her stand out for this new function is her expertise working at development firms. Having an understanding of the challenges that quick development can carry to processes, infrastructure, and purposes not solely helped Venugopal land the job, but in addition proved instrumental in her first months within the function.

“Having constructed and delivered methods to scale the processes, techniques, and groups to help worldwide clients, growth of product and providers, and constructing out a world workforce are experiences I’ve drawn on for this function,” Venugopal explains. 

Her first 9 months within the function have additionally served as “a reiteration of classes I’ve discovered,” together with: 

• Understanding that passionate and gifted workers are your No. 1 asset
• Having a transparent imaginative and prescient that’s effectively understood by the workforce will allow them to execute way more successfully 
• Having a tradition that fosters and encourages robust collaboration — particularly throughout varied departments and time zones — is essential to success 

Past the mission set for her by SentinelOne, Venugopal has set a private purpose to “dig a lot deeper into the cybersecurity trade and find out about all of the nuances, challenges, and alternatives on this area. I’m additionally excited to be taught extra about two areas the place SentinelOne has a rising workforce: Prague and Costa Rica.” 

As to recommendation for touchdown a brand new CIO gig or incomes that CIO promotion, Venugopal says “constructing your community and specializing in industries that you’re keen about and skilled in shall be essential.”

“Constructing that muscle and incorporating it into your total technique — along with productiveness, enablement, innovation, and effectivity — shall be a key to success in touchdown and delivering on this function,” she says.

Licciardello concurs. Providing recommendation to these searching for new CIO roles, he says “being effectively balanced within the know-how stack is vital. When you’ve come up the ranks as a technologist and are uncovered to operations, infrastructure, growth, portfolio administration, enterprise evaluation, knowledge administration, and cybersecurity — particularly if you happen to then lead all these groups — it creates a stage of understanding of how all these elements and departments work collectively.”

Demonstrating to potential employers that “you’ll be able to information, mentor, and lead successfully with that stage of expertise and publicity” is essential in touchdown a CIO function in the present day, Licciardello says.