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How to Build Your Credibility and Increase Your Political Power

By managing what you are known for and purposefully communicating a specific and positive view of IT throughout the business, you will increase your political power and be much more effective—and happy—in your job.

By Patty Azzarello

August 30, 2007 — CIO — I was recently in a board meeting and during one of the breaks, one of the less technology oriented CEOs on the board asked, "What is this issue around CIOs? Why do their jobs seem so hard and their expected tenure at a company so short?"

Two former CIOs in the room immediately responded.

"CEOs just don't get it!" said one. "They don't understand IT and they don't want to. They would never tolerate having such little understanding of finance or marketing, but when it comes to IT they just don't want to know."

"CIOs get weary from not being able to defend how they spend their money," said the other. "I always felt like I had a target on my back."

Though I've never been a CIO, I have been a general manger, a CEO, a CMO and I've run software development organizations. I have been in many executive planning and board of directors meetings where CIOs and their budgets are being discussed while the CIO is not there. I can tell you what they say about you behind your back: They don't understand what you're spending.

The reason IT remains misunderstood and so many IT executives continue to be left out of business planning is because they lack credibility. As a CIO you have credibility challenges built right into your role that your peers in other parts of the business don't have to worry about. For starters, it's not just the executive team that doesn't understand IT: No one in the company outside of IT really gets what you do. Also, you spend a lot of money, which they all notice. There is always more demand for new things (without more funding) than IT can deliver. And the business forgets that IT projects continue to cost money long after they are finished.

CIOs are dealt a credibility hit just for waking up in the morning and going to work.

Credibility and political power go hand in hand. Credibility increases your political power and helps you get more done. Political power does not come from technology, it comes only from relationships. With strong relationships in place, your peers will trust your judgment and performance. They won't slow down your plans with stupid questions and endless debates that require you to defend what you are doing, why you are doing it and how much money you are spending.

CIOs can build their credibility and political power by focusing on two fundamental actions: managing what you are known for and building a communication plan for your stakeholders. Any CIO in any organization can put these ideas into practice.

 

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