When you’re pushed out of your comfort zone as a CIO, what helps you stay confident and make decisions effectively?
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First and foremost, I prioritize maintaining a calm demeanor and asserting my ability to manage the challenges at hand. I ground myself in the knowledge that I have successfully navigated through various circumstances before, indicating that there is always a path forward. Taking charge of the situation and my responses, I focus on gathering relevant data, seeking insights from others, and engaging in discussions with individuals who could offer valuable perspectives towards resolving the issue at hand.
Stepping back to look at the bigger picture - that may mean looking to others to get their opinion.
It may also mean that you have to hand the leadership reigns to someone else.
A CIO is a leader, and a good leader does not need to have all the answers, what they need to know is who in the team does have the answers at the right time.
When I’m pushed out of my comfort zone as a CIO, I rely on a mix of experience, collaboration, and continuous learning. I tap into my network, consult trusted peers, and stay grounded in data to guide decisions. I remind myself that growth happens at the edge of discomfort, and embracing it leads to innovation. By focusing on long-term goals and staying adaptable, I build confidence. Keeping the team engaged and fostering a shared vision ensures that even in uncertainty, decisions are made with clarity and purpose.
The mentorship I’ve received from business and tech leaders, who taught me to focus on my structured and logic mind, while understanding that business still is priority #1.
Also, seeking out guidance from those I trust the most for these kind of situations, if there is something I haven’t seen yet.
In my view collaboration is the key for a CIO to stay confident and make decisions. Collaboration with business and stakeholders not only helps to manage the risk but also ensures that IT is doing right thing for the business. As a CIO, one need take steps to lessen the discomfort by acceptance of the situations and bring in the partners (such as risk, data, privacy, security officers) who can bolster his/her ability to make appropriate choices or investments. Also, bringing in third-party advisors (from services or consulting firms) for IT and business will help to problem solve as they have vast experience and learnings.