CIO Career Advice: Be Careful What You Wish For

Be careful what you wish for.  Some up-and-coming IT leaders believe they know what the CIO job is all about and how they would do in that role. But the reality of dancing on that stage is much different than your perception as you are coming up through the ranks.

I’ve seen an awful lot of people who were very, very good number twos become very, very unhappy CIOs.  Your job will change dramatically when you become CIO.  It will be about politics and influence and expectations management, and no longer simply about execution. Try to establish a mentoring relationship with a CIO who can give you real insights into to the job before you take it.  

-- Ron Kifer, former CIO of Applied Materials