Essential Executive Research Insights

Over the years, I’ve seen that sustaining value as a CIO isn't about chasing the latest headline trend, but consistently returning to a few essentials.

Clarity, Connection, Capability, and Coaching continue to be the foundations. What’s encouraging is that recent research highlights how these elements are evolving and why they matter even more as we head towards 2030 - these are essential executive research insights!

Clarity

Deloitte’s 2023 Global Technology Leadership Study observed that technology leaders who translate investment into business impact create the most differentiation. Clarity is not about lengthy documents; it’s about articulating strategy simply, scanning the horizon, and helping people see what matters most. Research published in Industrial Marketing Management (2022) emphasised that a clear digital strategy amplifies the effectiveness of transformation efforts. For CIOs, clarity will increasingly mean being dynamic - updating strategy in real time as conditions change.

Connection

Connection is becoming harder and more important. Heidrick & Struggles’ 2024 report The Connecting Leader identified adaptability, empathy, and influence as the capabilities that truly unite people. Harvard’s 2023 leadership studies also found that authentic relationships build resilience in hybrid and distributed workplaces. Connection is more than meetings; it’s cultivating trust across teams, geographies, and partners. By 2030, CIOs will be expected to extend connection beyond their own organisation, creating alignment across ecosystems.

Capability

Capability is often where clarity and connection lead us. Deloitte highlighted in 2023 that data, analytics, cloud, and cyber remain priority skills, but the real gap is in adaptability and systems thinking. PwC’s Pulse Survey (2022) reported that capability shortfalls are the biggest barrier to transformation. The lesson here is that CIOs must design organisations that can learn, flex, and grow - building not just today’s skills but tomorrow’s pipelines.

Coaching

Finally, coaching remains a quiet but powerful enabler. A 2023 PLoS ONE study demonstrated that leadership coaching increases authenticity and change orientation - both vital qualities for technology leaders. Coaching is less about receiving answers and more about finding perspective. By 2030, I believe coaching cultures will be common, with leaders at all levels supporting one another to adapt, reflect, and grow.

For CIOs, the path ahead will continue to shift. Yet if we can hold to these four essentials - clarity, connection, capability, and coaching - we give ourselves and our organisations the best chance of thriving.

Feel free to reach out to learn more!