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CIO Executive Council

A Peer-Advisory Service and Professional Association for CIOs

Mid-Market CIO Panel: Tips and Techniques for Improving Vendor Relationships

July 15, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM U.S./Eastern (GMT-4)

We'll highlight relationship priorities and best practices identified in a Council study, and we'll interact with a CIO panel on the approaches they've used to improve strategic vendor partnerships.

Secrets of Successful Vendor Contract Negotiations for the Mid-Market

Sept. 10, 2009, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM U.S./Eastern (GMT-4)

On this free public Council teleconference, Matthew A. Karlyn, attorney at Foley & Lardner in Boston, will share tips on negotiating tactics and new, creative contract terms to help mid-market CIOs make better deals.

Executive Competencies Assessment Tool

Assess Your Business Leadership Skills with the Council's new benchmarking tool. Rate yourself in change leadership, strategy, customer focus and more.

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Feature

Five Ways CIOs Can Impress Their CEOs: Today and in the Future

CEOs will increasingly demand that IT leaders excel in leadership, strategic thinking, marketing IT, business and communication. Prepare for the change.

One: Be a Strategic Business Leader

Much of the CIO traditional role is now merely table stakes. Technology itself will not set you apart; you need far more business expertise than CIOs of yesteryear did.

CIO, Michael Friedenberg: What has changed about what CEOs expect from the CIO?

Raj Gupta: I have talked to 15 to 20 CEOs directly, and they are looking for someone who can be a trusted business partner. Of course the CIO has to keep the trains running, but CEOs want the CIO to be a senior leader such that, when you are together with the rest of the executive team, it's hard to tell you are the CIO.

Chris Patrick: CEOs want people who can connect the technology to their strategic intent. I have clients who are investing billions of dollars in IT. They want a person who can show the team the ROI from this investment.

Bob Badavas: At the end of the day, what CIOs are paid to do is take a full seat at the strategic planning table and be an integral part of the strategic decision making—which means they need to know what business they're in. Get out of the office and find out why people buy your product or service. IT is a strategic weapon. To find out how to use it, the CIO must engage with clients and the front-line distribution or sales organization.

Steve Merry: Technology is a given; we need to get value from that by removing the clutter and making it easy to use. Then we can sit with our business partners and take the business forward, focusing on things that make a difference—growth, innovation and acquisitions.