The CIO’s Leadership Moment

  • ServiceNow Blog
  • 2019
  • IT Management
  • About ServiceNow
  • Trends and Research
June 26, 2019

 IT chiefs are expected to be more than technologists. The hallmarks of success today are C-suite relationships, a customer mindset and workflow digitization.

Technology is projected to change organizations more in the next several years than it has in the last several decades. What does that mean for technology leaders?

We polled 516 CIOs around the world, and interviewed about a dozen more experts, to understand how the CIO role is evolving. We learned that 67%s of CIOs agree that their role is more focused on digitizing workflows today than three years ago. But it’s also focused on a lot more. 

Their role now includes educating other members of the C-Suite on the future of work, partnering with HR to set talent strategies for the new types of jobs, supporting corporate customers as much as employees, and setting organizational strategy for the entire business with the CEO.  According to our Workflow CIO Quarterly, their role now includes educating other members of the C-Suite on the future of work, partnering with HR to set talent strategies for the new types of jobs, supporting corporate customers as much as employees, and setting organizational strategy for the entire business with the CEO.

“No longer are companies using technology to run their businesses,” says Martha Heller, chief executive of Heller Associates, a recruiting firm specializing in the CIO, CTO and CISO roles, and contributing editor to CIO magazine. “Technology is their business.” 

As a result, the CIO is now in the unique position of being the institutional expert on how companies must operate to succeed. 

While most CIOs recognize the opportunity, most aren’t fully prepared to take the reins. We created a maturity model for CIOs to investigate how many are well-positioned to lead. Take the quiz to determine where you rank. 

Topics

  • Health and safety: 2 workers in hard hats examining a facility
    Crisis Management
    ServiceNow acquires Enable tech to improve health and safety management
    ServiceNow-acquired Enable technology—native to the Now Platform—will help accelerate and scale existing health and safety solutions. Learn more.
  • Humans in the loop: woman holding phone against neon-lit background
    AI and Automation
    Put humans in the loop to generate real value from generative AI
    Generative AI has shaken up the business and tech world, but the best tech involves incorporating humans in the loop to address challenges. Find out why.
  • Work-study program student Jasmine M. with ServiceNow employee Albert O.
    Careers
    Work-study program offers high schoolers a start in tech
    We’ve partnered with Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School’s Corporate Work Study Program since 2020 to empower students from underserved communities.

Trends & Research

  • RPA: group of workers gathered around a conference table looking at a laptop
    AI and Automation
    Forrester report: ServiceNow debuts as a Strong Performer in RPA
  • #1 in ITSM, AIOps and IT Operations Market Share: Organizations around the world count on ServiceNow in times of change.
    IT Management
    ServiceNow is No. 1 for AIOps, IT operations, and IT service management categories by market share
  • ESG technology: green surrounding a river, woman smiling, 2 government employees in conversation
    Cybersecurity and Risk
    Survey says ESG technology drives results

Year