The Transformational CIO: Leadership and Innovation Strategies for IT Executives in a Rapidly Changing World

Move Quickly and Confidently

As a new CIO, you will be taking a hard look at your team. You will assess its strengths and weaknesses. You will figure out who on the team is going to help you—and who will hinder you. No matter how talented the team is that you inherit, you will probably be making some changes.

It's best to make these changes quickly—the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to act.

“As soon as you arrive on the job, people will be looking at you and wondering what you will do,” says José Carlos Eiras, the former global CIO of General Motors Europe. “But your actions will depend on the quality of information available to you. Obviously, the people who interview you will give you their perspectives on IT, but that doesn't mean that their perspectives are accurate. Sometimes what you hear during the interview process doesn't reflect what's really going on. So you will have to find out the truth. You will need to discover the real situation very quickly, and then confront it.”

Problems come in many varieties, and each situation is different. But when you find a problem that needs to be fixed, don't wait. “If you need to reduce costs or eliminate staff, it's better to do it right away,” says José. “Do it carefully, but do it fast. Let the board know what you are doing so you keep their support. Paint an honest picture of the problems, and explain how your actions will improve the situation.”

Once you have decided to act, resist the urge to delay. “The more time ...