| | October 20168CIOReviewThe Changing Role of theBy Michael Day, VP & CIO, Cannery Casino ResortsChange is inevitable. Change is upon you now, and more is coming. You cannot prevent it, and you cannot slow it down. Change is like a water faucet that keeps opening wider, with no way to turn it down or off. The luxury of taking it easy and sitting back and relaxing for a while to enjoy the fruits of our most recent project(s) no longer exists for the top level CIO. That is a sad and often frustrating truth for every CIO, but it is the reality of the world we live in. Time marches on and every CIO is aware of the continual exponential explosion in technology innovation. The role of the CIO in successfully navigating their organization through continuous change has never been more challenging and critical.I have spent the last 28 years of my career leading the technology and information teams of several large organizations. The view and purpose of technology has shifted drastically over that time period, starting as strictly a necessary "cost of business," moving to a "cost saver" and progressing to an "innovation engine" and "critical revenue generator." I have witnessed firsthand the changing role of the CIO and what qualities separate the "best from the rest." The job description for a CIO from 15 years ago would look very little like that same job description today. The emphasis placed upon technical skills in the past is now replaced by the need to provide strategic guidance, leadership and strong communication skills that have always been expectations at other "C" level positions. Every large organization needs a CIO with those skills, along with equal parts of energy and wisdom. A tall order for certain.It is a given that the CIO position focus and challenges can vary by industry and organization size, but there are certain The role of the CIO is expanding, becoming more difficult and more criticalMichael DayIN MY PINION
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