Successful CIOs know that delivering cost-effective, high-quality IT products and services is necessary but not sufficient. Research conducted for the APC confirmed that the CIO's role is growing in scope and responsibility.

Holding interviews throughout 2006 with 16 executive-search firm recruiters and HR executives at leading firms, researchers concluded that future CIOs must be proactive leaders in improving processes and finding new revenue sources. The report concurs with the Optimize survey that the future CIO will be more of a business than technical expert, with presence throughout the business and top-management team.

The ability to build and sustain trusting relationships with colleagues was identified as one of three key CIO capabilities; the others were business acumen and leadership. The 34 forward-thinking CIOs who belong to the APC recognize they must continually build their relationship skills and expand their repertoire of relationship-building strategies.

APC members agreed that strategies for building trusted and strong relationships come into play after basic credibility is established by delivering first-rate IT products and services. Business executives need to trust that CIOs are good stewards of IT investments, continually driving down costs and prepared to respond well in times of crisis.

Once this trust is established, members constantly hone their relationship strategies and skills. Their approaches seem to fall into two broad categories: spending time with those on the business side; and seeking opportunities to advance their colleagues', and therefore the enterprise's, success.

All APC members—which include Allstate Insurance, BlueCross BlueShield, BP Amoco, PepsiCo, and Philip Morris USA—have IT-governance structures, which often include senior executive committees charged with approving overall IT strategic direction and overseeing major IT investments. Such committees provide continual exposure to business-unit heads.

Less formal approaches also prove powerful. Several members invite business executives to speak at IT-department meetings on leadership, their business challenges, and how IT can help. Members also reach out to rising stars and executives who don't have positive views of IT. These presentations not only enhance business perspectives of IT staff, but also give the CIO a reason to interact with the executive in the course of helping the individual prepare for the event. One member spoke about inviting the most senior person from a business area to hand out awards at project celebrations.

Some members invite their executive colleagues to visit vendor labs with them. The demonstrations spark executives' interest in how the technologies might apply in their businesses. Others regularly participate in business visits to customers, clients, and remote company locations. Regardless of the occasion, collaboration with business is the goal.

The surest way to enhance a relationship with a business colleague is to help with a tricky problem, a charity event, or the executive's favorite project.

Our members are deeply aware that they must be role models for their staff because that's the best way to communicate the importance of relationship-building at all levels.