Gartner's people3 Says IT Executives Must Lead to be Successful
BRIDGEWATER, N.J., June 7, 2004 — CIOs and IT leaders must continue to be in the forefront of cost-containment efforts for organizations, but for long-term success these IT executive teams must demonstrate their competencies in driving business transformation to be considered successful leaders, according to a recent report published by people3, a Gartner, Inc. company.
"Historically, CIOs and IT executives were strong on management and weak on leadership, due in part to the fact that many IT organizations operated as transaction processors in serving the operational needs of the business," said Lily Mok, senior consultant at people3 . "Although they were labeled as leaders, they were not actually 'leading' but instead 'managing.' Changes must start from within the IT leadership as IT migrates from a traditional, reactive-based organization to a new proactive, strategic and consultative operating environment."
According to the report "Developing Effective IT Leaders: IT Leadership from A to Z," IT executives must understand the difference between leadership skills and competencies. Competencies have been shown to be predictive of superior performance in a given job or role. IT leaders must begin to overemphasize their competencies and underemphasize skills.
"IT leaders need to be mindful that having a strong technical background does not warrant effectiveness in IT leadership," Mok said. "IT leaders must focus more on running IT like a business and on developing their business and behavioral competencies."
High-performing organizations build their leadership talent pools through strategies designed to recruit, develop and retain leaders with the right competencies. Leadership competencies can be learned through a set of experiences, and leaders that excel in their roles are good learners.
"IT organizations need to establish processes that help current and potential leaders understand what the organization expects, assess their current behaviors against those expectations and create plans for improvement," Mok said.
The step-by-step process may be different for each organization, but at a high level, an assessment process includes four steps: plan, assess, identify gaps and develop. This process supports growth and achievement and leads to individual and organizational improvement.
For information on purchasing the report "Developing Effective IT Leaders: IT Leadership from A to Z," please visit the people3 Web site at www.people3.com/pdf/orderforms/WOF3.pdf
About people3
people3, the world's leading authority on IT human capital, provides "people solutions" for IT organizations. Supported by seasoned human resources and IT professionals who understand the unique languages and issues of both the HR and IT communities, people3 helps its clients maximize the value of their people through strategic workshops and a research-based membership program. Additionally, people3 also delivers solutions through talent management software tools and an annual compensation study that focuses solely on IT organizations. people3, a Gartner company, is headquartered in Bridgewater, N.J. For more information on people3, please call (888) PEOPLE3 or visit our Web site at www.people3.com
About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. is the leading provider of
research and analysis on the global information technology industry. Gartner serves more
than 10,000 clients, including chief information officers and other senior IT executives
in corporations and government agencies, as well as technology companies and the
investment community. The Company focuses on delivering objective, in-depth analysis
and actionable advice to enable clients to make more informed business and technology
decisions. The Company's businesses consist of Gartner Intelligence, research and
events for IT professionals; Gartner Executive Programs, membership programs and peer
networking services; and Gartner Consulting, customized engagements with a specific
emphasis on outsourcing and IT management. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in
Stamford, Connecticut, and has 3,700 associates, including more than 1,000 research
analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations worldwide. For more information,
visit www.gartner.com.
