IT Professional as Firm Leader?

Source: Accounting Today

In this article, L. Gary Boomer discusses the trend of IT professionals becoming firm leaders because their technology savvy is increasingly relevant to a firm's future success. Boomer points out that IT professionals tend to have knowledge of each department within the firm because their role demands it – an obvious benefit to firm leadership.

Successful leadership, Boomer explains, requires an ability to communicate, as well as an understanding of business, firm promotion and sales, human resources, project oversight, finances, and strategy. Successful leaders, he says, can communicate and listen well, and they manage in a way that gets the most from a firm's people, resources, and ideas.

Boomer points out that quality leadership requires many skills, so there's additional value in having a team that's qualified to work together – with all individuals bringing their expertise to the team. Boomer recommends using the Kolbe Index to help potential leaders, current leaders and team members identify their strengths and weaknesses, resulting in a better understanding of how the team can work together and utilize each person's strengths.

The Kolbe results can also reveal how an IT-type might need to be developed if he or she is on track to become CEO. Boomer's team has successfully used a program called “The CIO Advantage” to help develop and mentor IT professionals who want to advance into greater leadership roles. Program participants have been able to expand their skill sets and have gone on to significantly increase their leadership responsibilities, including several becoming COOs.

For the complete article, read “From CIO to CEO.”

From Accounting Today, March 1, 2012, SourceMedia Inc., One State Street Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10004, 800-221-1809.