Time management for CIOs
By Georgina Swan | Wednesday, January 18 2012
Everybody has a few New Year’s resolutions for 2012 and CIOs are no exception. An old chestnut: Time management.
Gartner executive partner, Marcus Darbyshire, is no stranger to the demands of technology leaders. As former South East Water CIO and acting CFO, he is a strong advocate for getting things done and making time for the strategic issues.
Time management tools and techniques abound. Darbyshire instead focuses on the concepts of time management. “For me, the concept of time management is about how you spend your time, where you spend your time, who you’re spending it with and the topics you’re working on,” he said.
Darbyshire said Gartner’s time management framework centres on running, growing and transforming the business.
“We look at where people are spending the percentage of their time,” Darbyshire said. “We also look at how you manage; whether you’re in fire fighting mode, orchestrating or strategising, looking at the percentage of time that you divide to those types of ways of managing.”
According to Darbyshire, what you manage is also important, whether it’s projects, people or ideas.
“We also look at how you’re working with your team, looking down and across the structure to peers or up to senior managers. And, of course, where you’re spending your time — is it in meetings, in conversations, one-on-one interactions, or are you actually working alone and thinking of new ideas?”
Gartner’s best practices aims to help senior executives move up the maturity scale in terms of their interactions. CIOs understand that in order to be effective, the CEO relationship is vital. But too often, CIOs must overcome what is known as the ‘CEO attention barrier’.
Darbyshire shares some tips that may help CIOs overcome the ‘CEO attention barrier’ by focussing on the “types of conversations” that help “attract and retain” attention.
The following tips:
To comment on this article, please email the editor.
Sign up to receive CIO newsletters.
Follow CIO on
Twitter @cio_nz
Facebook
LinkedIn
Click here to subscribe to CIO.
Send news tips and comments to divina@cio.co.nz
Gartner executive partner, Marcus Darbyshire, is no stranger to the demands of technology leaders. As former South East Water CIO and acting CFO, he is a strong advocate for getting things done and making time for the strategic issues.
Time management tools and techniques abound. Darbyshire instead focuses on the concepts of time management. “For me, the concept of time management is about how you spend your time, where you spend your time, who you’re spending it with and the topics you’re working on,” he said.
Darbyshire said Gartner’s time management framework centres on running, growing and transforming the business.
“We look at where people are spending the percentage of their time,” Darbyshire said. “We also look at how you manage; whether you’re in fire fighting mode, orchestrating or strategising, looking at the percentage of time that you divide to those types of ways of managing.”
According to Darbyshire, what you manage is also important, whether it’s projects, people or ideas.
“We also look at how you’re working with your team, looking down and across the structure to peers or up to senior managers. And, of course, where you’re spending your time — is it in meetings, in conversations, one-on-one interactions, or are you actually working alone and thinking of new ideas?”
Gartner’s best practices aims to help senior executives move up the maturity scale in terms of their interactions. CIOs understand that in order to be effective, the CEO relationship is vital. But too often, CIOs must overcome what is known as the ‘CEO attention barrier’.
Darbyshire shares some tips that may help CIOs overcome the ‘CEO attention barrier’ by focussing on the “types of conversations” that help “attract and retain” attention.
The following tips:
- Talk about the strategic initiatives in the organisation
- Focus on enterprise performance indicators, such as customer engagement strategies
- Talk about strategic technology rather than decisions, and focus on performance benchmarks.
To comment on this article, please email the editor.
Sign up to receive CIO newsletters.
Follow CIO on
Twitter @cio_nz
Click here to subscribe to CIO.
Send news tips and comments to divina@cio.co.nz
Top NZ CIOs ahead of public in using LinkedIn and Twitter
ICT leaders reveal why being active in social media is imperative.
Tech career gave Sir Ralph Norris the edge
Experience in low level IT, and high level IT-management directly influenced Sir Ralph Norris' award-filled career
MOST POPULAR
CONNECT WITH @ CIO NZ
CIO NZ has now reached LinkedIn! Join to expand your networks and meet others interested in business technology leadership and innovation.
SUBSCRIBE
CIO is bringing together the best of MIS NZ and CIO, the new look CIO is the only magazine that focuses on the unique management needs of senior IT professionals.
NEWSLETTERS
MIS 100 REPORT
The definitive guide to New Zealand's largest and most significant ICT users.
- 2012 New Zealand CIO Awards reward people and teams who have shown leadership, innovation and foresight in the ICT industry.
More information » - Expert Integrated Systems Date: Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Venue: Viaduct event centre, 161 Halsey Streeet, Auckland 1010
Time: 7:30AM to 10.00AM
More information » - 2012 MIS100 EVENT Date: 7 June, 2012
Venue: The Floating Pavilion, Gate 1, Hobson West Marina, 220 Quay Street, Viaduct
Time: TBC
More information » - 2012 NEW ZEALAND CIO SUMMIT Date: 25 & 26 June 2012
Venue: SKYCITY Convention Centre, 88 Federal Street, Auckland
Time: TBC
More information »
