Why You Need a CIO+ Mindset
Most companies only reach out for help when IT has already become a bottleneck. Legacy systems are devouring the budget. Projects are sinking into chaos. Business departments have started working entirely around the IT organization.
But honestly: Could this have been prevented? Yes. In most cases, absolutely.
However, that’s not the core issue. The traditional CIO delivers infrastructure. He manages the IT department, but he doesn’t manage value. He keeps the lights on, but he doesn’t unlock potential savings.
What’s currently lacking is the vital bridge between technology and business value: the CIO+.
I see this all the time: IT is a “black box.” You know what it costs, but you have no idea what it actually delivers.
The CIO+ Shift: Radical Transparency
This is where the gap lies. A CIO+ creates value through radical transparency. They don’t just make IT costs visible; they turn them into the foundation for decision-making across the entire company. Every investment, every cloud migration, and every new development is based on a clear logic: What is the cost, and what is the expected value?
This includes the continuous optimization of the application portfolio. A CIO+ doesn’t let the software landscape grow wild. They consolidate and standardize to free up budgets for real innovation.
Business Ownership, Not Technocracy
The crucial point: The CIO+ is not a technocrat making lonely decisions. They provide the facts, the scenarios, and the cost transparency – but the business carries the final decision. The CIO+ empowers business departments to take responsibility for their technological investments. Real ownership only happens when the business truly understands what it is buying.
Three Warning Signs I See Regularly:
- Lack of Decision-Making Data: IT investments are waved through without the business departments truly understanding the long-term cost implications.
- Application Sprawl: The portfolio has grown unchecked—maintenance costs are now stifling any chance of strategic flexibility.
- The Accountability Vacuum: When IT projects fail, people point at the tech, simply because the business was never actually “in the driver’s seat.”
The Bottom Line
The difference is clear: You don’t bring in a CIO+ only when the system collapses or the budget is slashed. You bring them in when technology and profitability need to be synchronized. When growth requires lean, scalable structures.
The deciding factor is the ability to translate technological complexity into economic transparency so that the business can set the right course.
If you don’t have a CIO+ by then, you’re losing valuable time. And time is the one thing you can’t get back.
What is Gained by This Approach:
- Business Ownership: It becomes clear that the CIO+ is the “enabler” providing the data so the business can make informed (and accountable) decisions.
- A Seat at the Table: This moves the CIO away from being a mere “order-taker” or “tech guru” and transforms them into a strategic advisor to the executive board.
Looking for an expert to step into the CIO+ role and elevate your organization?
If you are looking for an expert to fill the role of CIO+ on an interim basis and take your organization to this next level, Piquano Interim Professionals is the right partner for you. As one of the Piquano partners, I can say with full confidence about my colleagues: We specialize in perfectly aligning technology with business value.
Visit our website to learn more about how we can support you: 👉 Piquano Interim Professionals