CEOs are quitting. A major reason cited is because they don’t have the skills to lead their company into transformation. The problem is, people misunderstand transformation. CIOs don’t. And that is why the CIO needs to help keep their CEO from quitting prematurely.

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?

Tech debt is a real cost. But there is a greater debt companies should fear, and on the flip side, it’s the one investment that must be made regardless of economic conditions.

CIOs typically shoulder responsibility for technology failure. But CEOs and Boards don’t get a pass. Lack of courage and loss of vision are at the heart of the failure, and CIOs can step up beforehand to change and focus the conversation around business and customer experience, not just bottom lines.

The answer to talent gaps, backlogs and shadow IT is Citizen Development. It’s not a fad, it’s a movement, and one you must lead and shape to resolve challenges you still face and will face more of in years ahead.

CIOs and CEOs need a cohesive strategy to counter the technology talent gap, backlog and shadow IT. Citizen Development is the framework that will get it done.