Leading CIOs go outside the business for digital learnings

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Over the last several months, we've broken down the top strategies of CIOs who are successfully driving digital transformation throughout their organizations. From building trust to creating educational forums, leading CIOs are going above and beyond to create a culture of innovation and collaboration in which IT works with the business to succeed in an increasingly digital world. They are also going outside - outside the business, that is.

The seventh and final strategy in this series is focused on the role of outside experts in building a sustainable plan for growth in the digital era. A recent Harvard Business Review report reveals that nearly 40 percent of business leaders prefer to learn about new digital technology through independent study. So, despite a CIO's best efforts to create educational forums, many people simply want to do their own research.

CIOs can still be the guide, rather than leave people to their own devices, by helping to identify and engage appropriate experts. Respondents at companies that HBR calls Digital Leaders are more likely than their peers to prefer engaging with outside experts. And because outsiders often bring new technology expertise and skills that may not exist within the walls of the organization, they can help CIOs prioritize and stay current in a fast-moving digital landscape.

Twitter is a great starting point to find the latest insights and thought-leaders. You can find our top picks here and here.

View every article in this series here, and download the HBR report “Driving Digital Transformation: New Skills for Leaders, New Role for the CIO” to learn more.

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Carla Rudder is a community manager and program manager for The Enterprisers Project. She enjoys bringing new authors into the community and helping them craft articles that showcase their voice and deliver novel, actionable insights for readers.