Future‑Ready CIO Leadership: Insights from Three Executives

Successful executives operate from a personal leadership handbook that shapes their careers and guides decisions; these core principles remain vital even amid disruption.

Business‑driven technology leaders recognize that past achievements won’t guarantee future success, prompting them to revise their scripts after years of turbulence. The author interviewed three CIOs—David Hakanson (GEHA Health), John Meister (Panera Bread), and Angela Yochem (Novant Health)—to uncover the leadership differentiators they deem essential for resilience and future success.

Adaptability as a Core Trait

All CIOs stress adaptability: the rapid pace of change demands flexible, responsive organizations. Hakanson notes that leaders who quickly adapt and guide teams through change will thrive, citing challenges such as remote/hybrid work culture, shifting business strategies, vendor cost pressures, and the need for agile resource allocation.

According to the 2022 CIO State of the Industry report, 84% of IT leaders say CIOs are evolving into change agents who align business and technology, and 85% believe IT leadership is now inseparable from business strategy.

Resilience and Ownership

Meister adds that resilience is a critical facet of agility, emphasizing that true leadership is demonstrated by how leaders handle mistakes and take ownership rather than deflect responsibility.

Yochem observes that industry boundaries are blurring, requiring leaders to develop multipronged capabilities and avoid confining themselves to traditional domains.

Developing Future‑Focused Leaders

Meister highlights the value of reflecting on crises long after they end, asking questions such as “How can I change the status quo to prevent problems?” and “How can I better predict outcomes?” This reflective practice empowers leaders to anticipate and mitigate issues.

Survey data shows a 30‑point increase in LOB leaders viewing CIOs as proactive strategic advisors, underscoring the growing expectation for CIOs to partner with business leaders on major decisions.

Hakanson notes the tension between focusing on internal operations and empowering teams to assume greater responsibility, especially amid a competitive talent market and a shortage of leadership skills within IT.

Yochem’s “Learning, Research, and Culture” (LRC) team serves as a “secret weapon,” fostering a learning culture that offers development opportunities to all team members, reinforcing the importance of continuous growth.

Both Hakanson and Yochem stress the importance of building cohesive teams, providing mentorship, career development plans, and training aligned with individual interests, and empowering teams to fill capability gaps proactively.