Understanding security landscapes add to CIO job longevity

• All too often, CIOs work hard to implement new initiatives but then leave before seeing the results of their efforts.
  
• Organizations all over the world are tightening their belts, and procurement scrutiny is at an all-time high.
  
• CIOs can spend millions on security and over communicate, but the weakest link will always be the human firewall.
  

The world is seeing the job of the CIO as nothing less than a juggling game. Because the stakes are high in IT, the game has turned to be extremely insidious: system deployments are often in position for a long period, and it takes a long time to change a ship's direction.


All too often, CIOs work hard to implement new initiatives but then leave before seeing the results of their efforts. A survey by 3,018 CIOs revealed that the most successful CIOs had made an agreement with their C-suite colleagues on the organization’s overall goals and how IT can facilitate them.


So, what does it take to be a long-term chief information officer? Here are some key pointers:

1. Learn to do more with less

Organizations all over the world are tightening belts, and procurement scrutiny is at an all-time high. CIOs need to examine the primary use cases to see where the fat can be cut. Contrasting and comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the best approaches to derive the most cost-effective one is the need of the hour.


The key is to prioritize solutions that will help save money in the long run. Key expenditures in essential areas can considerably cut costs with correct analysis, and that's the primary task that CIOs need to ace.

2. Mind the human firewall and maintain transparency

CIOs can spend millions on security and over communicate priorities horizontally and vertically. But, the weakest link will always be the human firewall. Maintaining awareness and implementing best practices with consistent governance can go a long way towards ensuring social engineering and preventing the next data breach from being caused by a phishing email. This must be constantly monitored and enforced. IT executives must take the initiative and lead from the front. Being accountable also entails being able to respond.

3. Stay informed

Enterprises have experienced, on average, 130 security breaches per year, per organization. CIOs need to develop and expand a community-based cybersecurity strategy. CIOs can join industrial, regional, and topic-based organizations, as well as special interest groups, such as Sharing of information and Analysis Centers (ISACs) and Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAOs). Security is a collaborative endeavour, so CIOs, to stay in the game longer, need to begin by establishing a neighborhood watch.

4. Flexibility and agility required

Technology advances at a breakneck speed, necessitating a high level of adaptability. CIOs who are unable to adapt to these changes will, sadly, be left behind in a competitive field. However, CIOs that perceive each new development as an opportunity – whether it's mobile, BYOD, Cloud, or IoT – will remain in demand because they've demonstrated that they can utilize new technologies to produce business value.
5. Keeping the learning mode on
In the world of information and technology, professional longevity comes with a cost, which is continual learning. It's easy to get stuck in old technology if the CIOs are not passionate enough about the tech advancements or if they're complacent about it.


There are several ways to stay current, professional groups, conferences, developer boot camps, and meet-ups are all excellent places to learn about new technologies and network with others in the relevant field. CIOs must be familiar with their industry and the operations of the organization. It will be easier to produce goods, software, and services that are more aligned with the business if the CIOs have a deeper grasp of business needs.

The Path Ahead for CIOs

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has spent around ₹416 crore towards enhancing cyber defence across the country by June 2021, which is 389% more than ₹85 crore which it had spent in 2015-16. And, this clearly proclaims the need for CIOs to up their security game.


To determine the correct path, CIOs need to communicate value and demonstrate a general passion for IT's shifting perception from a cost center to a business enabler. The capacity to communicate the true value of technology investment to non-tech leadership is the most important talent. Every CIO is chosen to lead a project at some time throughout their technological career.


To ensure success, CIOs need to make sure that they have all of the appropriate tools when the time comes. If one wants to go into management, this is a crucial factor in determining career longevity. In reality, CIOs should continuously push towards enriching their experience working on a variety of projects so that they can steer the business efficiently amidst the constantly expanding cyber threat landscape.