The first 100 days as CIO

An interview with Dave Kelble, director of IT at the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life, a non-profit senior care center in North Wales, Pennsylvania.

The Enterprisers Project (TEP): During the first 100 days for a CIO in a new position, what are the most important things to do?†

Kelble: Listen and learn are the two most important things to do when starting a new position. Gain an understanding of the way things work and the way that things get done. As you talk with everyone throughout the organization, resist the urge to make changes right away. Obviously, you want to make you mark, make positive changes, show everyone that you are decisive and were a valuable hire, but don't make changes too rapidly. I call it staying in the gray area for a while. Keep listening and learning until you have a very good idea of the right solution to a given problem.

Also resist the urge to judge the decisions that were made in the past. Decisions that were made or the way things evolved happened for a reason. You may not agree with them, but there may have been very good reasons why things are the way they are, and you may just need to learn them.

Lastly, show confidence. Everyone in the organization (top management, peers, your team) are looking at you and wants to know if you will help lead the organization to a brighter future. Your show of confidence will build their confidence in you.

TEP: Are there items or issues that a CIO hired from outside (as you were at Abramson Center) needs to pay attention to?

Kelble: Every organization has a culture. One important aspect of that culture is how things get done. If you want to be successful you need to, at least initially, work within that culture. You can work to change the culture and bring in aspects that were successful from other organizations, but first understand the existing culture of the new organization.

TEP: Are there things you should make sure not to do during your first 100 days?

Kelble: Do not think that you have the answers before you listen and learn.

TEP: Surveys show that the average CIO tenure is about six years. Given that reality, are there things a new CIO should focus on, knowing that the clock is ticking?

Kelble: I believe that CIOs or any leaders need to follow their own vision for the organization and not focus on a traditionally short tenure. My view may be a bit naive (or apolitical), but I feel that I am hired and paid to help transform the IT organization and the information assets from where they currently are to where they need to be.

I believe that if you can learn the current situation, develop a vision of where you need to be, develop a plan or road map of how to get there from where you are, gain the backing of management, peers, and your team, youíll be successful. If you are successful, you may get to extend your tenure. I had a boss who used to say, The reward for doing a good job was the opportunity to do it again tomorrow.