The much awaited, much prophesized 2020 is here. In the last few years, we have seen a lot of forecasts and advices for CIOs, that tell them how their job profile is changing, how the expectations from them is changing and what skills and competencies are becoming important.
I myself have harped on one theme: Top business executives are now trying to create value from proactive usage of technology, which I often have called a shift to the use-case regime. I have also used another phrase in tandem?outside-in approach, or the approach by CIOs? to look at the emerging technology landscape (both the technical advancements and usage) and consistently figuring out how a particular emerging technology can add value to their business. This is as opposed to the traditional starting-with-a-clear-problem-statement approach.
The only thing about my observations is that they are not so prophetic. They are already happening and all of you know that.
Today, I just wanted to go into what it could mean on the ground?apart from a change in attitude. It means that CIOs would need to keep their mind free for some green hat thinking. And that would come from letting-go a few things that they have been handling, just because of habit. But that is not my analysis. You have heard that many times in management trainings.
My two cents are this: This means managing time?evaluating every task, every activity, not just from the point of view of how much time it would take, but also from how much mental space/time it will consume.
Our cover story in the final issue of the last decade is precisely to help you in that?albeit not for another decade (that is clearly beyond my best capability) but for this year, the magical 2020.
The cover says what those areas are?where you will spend most of your time. Not all of them will actually ?take? a lot of time but they will occupy your mind for a lot more time what you spend actually working on them.
That (mind space and time) may actually be one of the most important resources going forward. And it has to be actively managed.
I sincerely hope a lot of new, challenging action comes your way through the next decade. And so do a lot of opportunities.
Wish you a very, very Happy New Year 2020!