The Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is a must-attend event for IT executives. It’s where Gartner reveals its annual list of top trends that CIOs and IT leaders must pay attention to next year. The list for 2019 has already generated a lot of interest, and Gartner’s predictions will continue to be discussed and debated in the months ahead.
But if you were paying attention to Twitter, these predictions weren’t the only topics generating buzz at the event. Here are some of the best quotes, slides, and insights from the Symposium we think IT leaders should see as they begin thinking through their strategies for the new year.
1. Make culture a priority
Should the “C” in CIO stand for culture, as Wall Street Journal reporter Tom Loftus proposed in the CIO Journal? Considering how many Gartner Symposium speakers emphasized culture as a critical driver of innovation and organizational success, perhaps it should be. Here are a few culture tweets that caught our eye.
Dear business leader,
The biggest threat to innovation is internal politics and an organizational culture which doesn't accept failure, and/or doesn't accept ideas from outside, and/or cannot change. #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/Aw2q6bmU1d— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) October 14, 2018
There are only 4 dials to change culture: How you make decisions, How you measure, How you create value, and How you engage @LeighMcMullen #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/jeVrvJlV9H
— David Wu (@davidpwu) October 15, 2018
Kristin Moyer talks culture hacks to drive change for digital business #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/RQv4QvLu5j
— Cindi Howson (@BIScorecard) October 15, 2018
Just got the news that this doesn’t work. Damn. #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/XAtEngifER
— Tim Smith (@TimothySmithSF) October 15, 2018
10 easy ways to hack your culture to succeed at #digitaltransformation https://t.co/EZNbVllOTq via @techrepublic #AI #Cloud #GartnerSYM
— Craig Milroy (@CraigMilroy) October 17, 2018
2. Prepare for the unknown
One reason IT leaders attend the Gartner Symposium is to make sure they are heading into a new year with their eyes opened to the latest trends and digital disruptions that could influence – or derail – their plans. Some of the most buzzed-about tech trends at the event included Digital Twins, AI, and blockchain.
These technologies are disruptive, but you can see them coming and prepare. #GartnerSYM https://t.co/yJREfH6d3g
— CIO Dive (@CIOdive) October 19, 2018
When asked what’s holding back your organization in adopting AI, 79% attributes it to “fear of the unknown” #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/3rWwKqhYEq
— Gartner Symposium (@Gartner_SYM) October 17, 2018
Stats on Digital Twin Organizations. #GartnerSYM pic.twitter.com/dPr7AF61Gk
— Scott Ferguson (@sferguson_LR) October 15, 2018
.@rc_hunter Still no killer app for blockchain, yet - will likely change your operating model in 5 years #GartnerSYM 2018 @Gartner_inc @Gartner_SYM #BlockChain pic.twitter.com/1wIAEsuau3
— Marco Nielsen (@marconielsen) October 18, 2018
3. CIO trends by the numbers
There’s nothing like a good data point to convey what CIOs are focused on now and in the near future. Here are a few of the stats we saw circulating from the conference.
Data Snapshot: 55% of organizations say they are moving from project to product delivery. The Gartner 2019 #CIO Agenda shares why organizations need to become product-central #GartnerSYM #Data https://t.co/YdyBGFD91k
— Katie Costello (@Katie_ITPR) October 17, 2018
40% of CIOs report that evolving consumer demands are driving their business model change. #GartnerSYM #CIO pic.twitter.com/pnHVAtKmsx
— Gartner (@Gartner_inc) October 15, 2018
Data Snapshot: 33% of businesses are now in the scaling or refining stages of #digital maturity. The Gartner 2019 #CIO Agenda shares how digital maturity has reached a tipping point #GartnerSYM #Data https://t.co/JSOnIohKll
— Garrett Taylor (@Garrett_Gartner) October 19, 2018
4. The importance of human leadership
Regardless of the trends ahead, CIOs won’t be able to implement them without building trust and influence with their peers and teams. Whether you call this emotional intelligence, or simply being human, several Gartner Symposium speakers tapped into the critical importance of earning the title of leader.
Leadership is not about:
1 having a big title
2 sitting in the corner office
3 name on top of org chart
4 your salary
5 work authority
6 reserved parking spot
7 having an admin
8 fancy business cards
9 more followers
The job of a leader is to develop future leaders. #GartnerSYM— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) October 17, 2018
“Selling Digital! A CIO’s Guide to Building Trust and Influence” #GartnerSYM
TL;DR: Be human pic.twitter.com/5uTCoz4MtQ— Ruth Busbee (@RuthBusbee) October 17, 2018
“Leadership is not a title. CTO, CIO, Quarterback does not mean anything if you can’t influence your team. Leadership is something you earn,” Peyton Manning at #GartnerSYM #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/UOr50N5O22
— KBMax 3D CPQ (@KBMax3DCPQ) October 17, 2018
