Dear CIO: Stop Bringing Us Dead Birds
Glenn Keller, MA, CGEIT, CPIM
VERY Experienced Global Technology Executive
Okay. So this is is not a post about cats or birds. It is about metrics, and how we measure Information Technology value for our stakeholders. But allow me to continue with the cat thing.
Just in case you are not familiar with cats, this is how cats operate: they are, in the end, predators. When you let a cat outside, it is going to do cat stuff and the main cat stuff it is going to do is find something to kill. Usually it's a bird or a small rodent.
The cat will now drop its prey on your doorstep and wait to be praised. So what's your reaction? Well, at best, you did not want a dead bird. At worst, you begin to wonder why you have a cat.
CIO: DON'T BE THE CAT
Go to any executive level status meeting and listen to the results being tossed around. You'll hear operational efficiency, missed workdays, days outstanding, forecast accuracy and etc. What do all these things have in common? They directly impact profitability.
Its the CIO's turn. Are they talking about profitability measures or are they talking about common I.T. metrics, like Service Level Agreements or network availability? These are important things, but they only serve to show how little (or how much) you screwed up. If you tell me that your CEO likes these metrics, my response is that maybe you trained your CEO that this is the best he or she could expect from I.T.
You need to show metrics that speak to the mission of your overall enterprise...most often this is money. It is not always easy to show dollar results for I.T. work, but that's not an excuse for not trying. Talk to your CEO, decide on the language and expectations. He or she will appreciate the effort and you will soon be speaking the same language as the rest of our C-Suite colleagues.
Bring your CEO something he or she actually wants. If not...get ready to be put out with the cat.
Helen, great share. Constantly telling the story of the value of IT to campus stakeholders is one of the hardest tasks of a CIO, yet one of the most valuable if we can get it right. In higher ed it has to be more than dollars saved, but the positive impact to teaching, research, and service.
VERY Experienced Global Technology Executive
8yThe thing is, the cat doesn't care whether you like it or not. Also doesn't care what the CEO thinks.
AI / ML , Cloud Sales to the Digital Transformation Framework for Modernization of Data to Smart Verticals and Domains; FSB&I and SLED, Healthcare, Smart Cities, Smart Transportation, IT Infrastructures & new Ecosystems.
8yVery well put, and my cat two days ago dropped a dead mouse at the bed and was very proud of herself in the same week a CEO mentioned this sale thing to me, the CEO said C and V level, and sales reps, were consuming too much time vs. what needed to be done!
Information Security Officer
8yI agree, Glenn. The stakes are higher. The more we automate, the greater impact IT will have on the business--both good and bad.
VERY Experienced Global Technology Executive
8yIt's like Groundhog Day Wayne. I do think the stakes are higher now though.