Generative AI can never replace your voice. Attempting to have it do so will betray you and feel like betrayal to others.

You must lead the way for technology and business to communicate for a change. And for the change to mean anything, you are going to have to change the environment in which all this talking is taking place.

Steering committees fail on a regular basis. The one’s I have been on have been boring at best. A group of CIOs got together and revealed why theirs succeeded. The hard work is in the focus.

You don’t need to communicate IT in a language business understands to demonstrate the value of IT. Instead, you must help LOB communicate business in a language that IT understands.

Billions of dollars are being invested in generative AI. People see its power. They also feel the responsibility that comes with it. CIOs know that they can’t hold it back and they can’t rush it forward. Mostly, they can’t have their company ignore it. Let the investments others are making be a credible witness to your argumentation.

The use of ChatGPT and generative AI has flooded companies with questions and concerns. CIOs are being asked for their perspective and for policies. How do you lead both reactively and proactively while encouraging calm and confident ways forward?

CIOs don’t need to understand the inner workings of data analytics, but they do need to see the value in it. But beyond that, it is not about the data but the decisions, which means CIOs need to approach data analytics not as a center, but as communities.

The best leaders know what their strategic needs are. They know specifically what the CEO can do for them. No CIO should be caught unaware. Knowing your needs in four areas will ensure that you are always prepared with a great response.

The CIO must drive business innovation. S(h)e will do so by listening and learning, education, modelling the way and building alliances.