CIOs are not paying enough attention to their own training needs, a survey of the CIO Connect membership has revealed. CIO Connect, a membership organization of 250 UK based CIOs, found that providing training and development for their department was good, but many forgot to include themselves in development plans.
CIO Connect found that their members wanted to receive personal development on subjects such as boardroom influence and organizational commitment in 42 percent of cases. Of the 28 CIOs surveyed from the membership, none believed they were a high development priority.
“It was worrying to see so many CIOs putting themselves at the bottom of the priority list when it comes to leadership development, said Alistair Russell, development director of CIO Connect.
Despite ignoring their own needs; the development needs of their organizations was high on the priority lists of 100 per cent of the survey group. Benefits from development programs have been witnessed by 68 per cent of the surveyed CIOs.
CIOs were also asked about the vision they have for their department, with 83 per cent believing they have an excellent or good clarity of vision. Only 45 per cent said they were in a good position to deliver those plans.
Asked what the critical elements for delivering that plan were, 79 per cent said building a team with good leadership skills, 79 per cent also said having a good relationship with the business; a further 79 per cent said having a budget that was adequate; and 68 per cent said an effective was a priority.
“Our research identifies an important issue for many of the respondents that whilst clear on direction, there is a lack of confidence in the ability of the IS team to deliver on that vision,” Russell added.
CIO Connect, based in London, has 1000 members, 250 of which are CIOs. It is a vendor neutral organization that sets up networking opportunities for CIOs who share similarities in vertical markets and/or areas of interest. Organizations pay UK$17, 500 per annum for their CIOs to be members.
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