One of the greatest benefits of being a Chief Innovation Officer is that you are expected to be a “leader” of the business or organization. You are expected to have knowledge and expertise on a wide variety of topics and you are often considered to be an “inventor”. This type of position is not for everyone and you should know before applying that being an innovator is different than being a developer. Not only do the benefits of being a CIO apply to being an innovator, but they also apply to being a CFO as well.
As a CIO you will be involved in business strategies, budgets, operations, and all areas of business operations. Because you are expected to be a leader you will need to be skilled in many areas. Some of these areas include planning, vision, strategy, technology strategy, and operational effectiveness.
If you are successful as an innovator like Josh Team, you will be required to be an “insider” of the business and be privy to internal business strategy discussions and decision making. The goal is for you to have inside knowledge of important business issues that directly impact the business and the innovator’s position requires you to be a “go-between” for leaders and employees alike.
When an innovator becomes a CIO, he or she is often required to lead a team that will execute their vision for the company and manage their operations. In doing so, they are not only responsible for providing input into business decisions, but they are also accountable for providing staff with the tools necessary to achieve those decisions. As a leader, innovator, CFO, or CIO you must be skilled in many management skills. One skill that you should be very familiar with and excel in is leadership training.
As a CIO you can take courses or get certification in leadership development. There are many benefits of becoming a Chief Innovator including the ability to influence others to follow your lead and have people respect what you are saying.
As a CIO you will have a direct impact on business decisions, you will be trusted by senior leaders, have influential relationships with key executives, have access to new technologies and many other benefits. In fact, you will be looked at as a leader, someone who is able to drive change within the organization.
In some ways it may feel like the CIO job is just about creating the next new software or hardware product. But that’s not the case at all. As an innovator your role is more than just being responsible for bringing a new idea to market. It is the idea that drives the innovation and how that idea is received. The CIO role is much more than merely sitting in an office doing nothing. The CIO innovator has to be well-versed in marketing, sales, operations, technology, financial management, and other business disciplines.
Although the CIO does not have to do the work or actually design the products or services, it is still vital to understand the benefits of becoming a CIO. You should understand that innovating is part of the CIO’s responsibility and perhaps even his or her job description. It is a skill that many innovators lack but is truly valuable in the business world. So, consider the benefits of becoming a CIO.
