Leadership is a hot topic.  Executives across North America are seeking ways to guide their people through challenging economic times.

As gatekeepers of innovation, Chief Technology Officers and other senior IT Executives have an important role to play in providing senior-level leadership.  But they also have an image problem.  CTOs are generally not perceived as dynamic, inspiring leaders in the classic sense, but more as technicians thrust into management positions. 

There is some truth to this stereotype, but CTOs can’t afford to put leadership on the backburner.  Devoting themselves to life-long honing of their management skills will not only enhance their careers, it will help create an atmosphere that will boost their company’s competitive edge.  Following some basic best practices will help them maintain this commitment.

Training at all costs

Consider for a moment all the strategic objectives that sit with the CTO.  They are expected to help fulfill corporate objectives, leverage technology to boost competitiveness and transform operations, or bring critical new products to market.  CTOs cannot do it alone – they require the work of a talented, dedicated team.  Providing those people with easy access to training will help ensure they fire on all cylinders.

Training is hardly an expensive frill.  Today’s business is all about numbers and deadlines, but critical projects can be delayed or even risk failure if the people assigned to reach these objectives lack the skills they need to succeed.  That is why the CTO should be a training advocate, helping other executives in the organization understand its value and encouraging staff to recommend courses and flag where skills are lacking.

Survey after survey shows that training is an effective retention tool – when people have access to training they feel valued, and see their career horizon expanding, and have higher morale.  It is something a CTO cannot afford to overlook.

Keep talking

CTOs tend to be visionaries.  They see the many opportunities that await the company in the future, and all the benefits they will bring.  The problem is that this passion is never shared with the team – not out of secrecy, but because they assume everyone shares that vision intuitively, or out of a fear of promising something that can’t be delivered.

Bottom line – don’t just think like a visionary, talk like one, and do it often.  Give regular updates on how long-term plans are progressing, update teams on other short-term opportunities or recent trends that could affect the company.  But be careful to avoid spin.  Sharing challenges and being honest about setbacks are critical to gaining trust – just be sure to outline how these issues will be dealt with and overcome, and the role each individual has to play.  Painting a clear picture of how the entire company will get from A to B will make the necessary trench work more meaningful, and makes everyone a part of achieving success.

Use your experience
Everyone has worked in an environment where they felt inspired.  They have also worked in places where they have not.  CTOs have seen their share of good and bad management practices over the years, so developing leadership skills can be as simple as asking themselves what it was that worked for them, and employing it across the board.  Nip bad management practices in the bud among key staff, and reward good habits.  Over time these little steps can add up to something big.

Natural leaders – those rare people who seem destined to lead from birth – are few and far between.  Fortunately effective leadership is within the grasp of every CTO.  By focusing on people, keeping communication channels open and learning from experience, IT executives can help companies hit the fast track to success.

Comments:

Devoting themselves to life-long honing of their management skills will not only enhance their careers, it will help create an atmosphere that will boost their company’s competitive edge.

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