How CIOs can gain influence in the boardroom

The modern CIO is an animal of the boardroom, which means understanding how to navigate political situations, and how to manage and influence other members of the C-Suite are now essential skills.

But not every technology leader is naturally blessed with these types of skills. James Robbins, former CIO of Northern Rail, Northumbrian Water, Drax, Royal Mail and others, explains how he worked to improve his own performance in political situations, and his ability to understand and influence senior colleagues. Robbins explains that he worked with an executive coach to help him. This coach also introduced him to the Centaur model, which breaks people down into five personality types and claims to enable its practitioners to be able to understand others and their motivations very quickly.

Robbins gives an experience from earlier in his career where he felt ill-equipped to handle a difficult political situation, then describes how he navigated a similarly complex environment more recently, armed with a better understanding of how to manage others.