From CIO to CEO

CIOs vs. CEOs
Examining the competency performance data based on interviews and 360-degree assessments of 25,000 executives in the Egon Zehnder database, we find five points:

1. Outstanding CIOs (those ranked in top 15th percentile) score highest in Results Orientation, Strategic Orientation, Change Leadership and Customer Focus.

2. Outstanding CIOs perform significantly better than average CIOs in all competencies except for People and Organizational Development, where they are equivalent.

3. People and Organizational Development scores are relatively low for all types of executives assessed, particularly CFOs.

4. Outstanding CIO scores slightly surpass good CEO scores on most competencies.

5. Outstanding CEOs —the most well-rounded strategic leaders —perform significantly better than outstanding CIOs only in Market Knowledge and External Customer Focus.

How to Improve Your Executive Quotient (EQ)
CIOs who want to devote more of their time and energy to driving business strategy and innovation should focus on developing and leveraging the three competencies most particular to the business strategist: Market Knowledge, Strategic Orientation and Commercial Orientation. (See the “Future-State CIO Model,” above, for more on how each competency maps to three aspects of the CIO role: Function Head, Transformational Leader and Business Strategist.) However, even to get a chance to be a business strategist, CIOs must be strong in foundational competencies such as Change Leadership, Collaboration and Influence, and Function Expertise. Without these, a CIO is unlikely to get a seat at the strategy table, and may in reality be a CIO only in title.