Cost, Risk and Value

These are the three elements of business decision making. As we enter the highly volatile digital economy those that can make the best decisions quickest will win.

So why is it that most CIO-CxO conversations are focused purely on cost?

Could it be that the CIO is perceived as simply a ‘money sink’ and thus needs to be managed accordingly? Or is it that CIOs cannot articulate their propositions in value terms that make sense to the leadership team?

But the biggest concern of all is the absence of risk in such dialogues. CIOs that are unable to introduce the risk element into their conversations are in effect taking on all the associated risks.

This is no doubt one of the unsavoury by-products of being the victim rather than the co-creator of business strategy. This is not only an issue from the CIO’s career perspective but one that will over time threaten the organisation’s sustainability.