Lessons from a Top CIO

How does a seasoned CIO lead a digital transformation? She makes friends.

Great ideas aren’t enough for a CIO to succeed in leading a digital transformation, says Teri Takai, the former CIO of the U.S. Department of Defense, the states of California and Michigan, as well as Meridian Health Plan.

“You have to really understand what the organization sees as success,” says Takai. “[Sometimes] we as technology folks see everything as black and white, and we don’t necessarily realize that in order to get the best impact for our ideas, we have to modify, we have to change, and we have to fit to the circumstances.”

In her 40+ year career, she has had to build consensus, prioritize projects that would advance the organization’s overall goals, communicate often, and practice a lot of patience.

Read more tips from Takai on WorkflowQuarterly.com, as well as other CIOs, or watch the video below.