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Like the cranks who frothily peddled the notion that vaccinations trigger autism, tech strategy charlatans are still pushing the ancient and empty bromide that CIOs need to "request a seat at the table."
That load of crap will be buried once and for all in 2011 because CIOs who haven't earned that C-suite credibility and autonomy by virtue of their visions and their achievements will be long gone by the time winter turns to spring for the simple reason that businesses without aggressive technology capabilities won't be able to compete in the current decade.
No matter how slick their marketing or how big their market share or how high their CEOs' profiles, those IT-stunted companies will be pulverized this year by a lethal combination of faster/smarter/better competitors and disengaged customers.
2011 is the year in which the CIO profession - permanently and without any do-overs - casts off all of the residual crutches that have for so long rendered CIOs last among C-level equals. In that context, I'd like to offer up my list of the Top 10 CIO Issues For 201 1, a product of hundreds of discussions and arguments with IT executives and their teams, tech vendors, LOB executives, and some academic types as well.
I'll start with No. 10 and move in ascending order to No. 1.
10. Optimizing Opportunities With Optimized Systems. In 2011, CIOs will need to scrutinize where these highly engineered and integrated systems can deliver breakthrough capabilities matched by breakthrough levels of business value, and then move quickly to exploit those opportunities. At the same time, the growing popularity of these systems is going to trigger a wave of new-product introductions that are sure to include some appliances that achieve results no one really cares about - so CIOs will need to separate the killer apps from the lemons. That cautionary note aside, I think these optimized hardwaresoftware combinations will be indispensable tools for high-achieving businesses.
9. The Importance Of Being Global. How much time did you spend with customers outside the U.S. in 2010? Will that number go up or down this year? How much time did you spend with your development and R&D teams around the globe in 2010? What did you learn? What did you...