When it comes to your professional development, gaining valuable insights from those who have been in your shoes is invaluable to your success as an IT leader. Having a Chief Information Officer<\/a> (CIO) mentor to help you navigate through technology challenges will accelerate your professional growth and increase value to your organization.<\/p>\n At its basic level, a CIO mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. This individual has been in the CIO seat before and has broad C-level experience. A mentor, typically, is not your boss or a peer but an independent voice, and it\u2019s generally preferable to have a mentor who isn\u2019t directly involved in your company.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note a CIO mentoring program is different from a coaching program. While both support the CIO\u2019s personal growth and development and help with on-the-job performance, coaches often are focused more on behaviors and less on the CIO role directly. A CIO mentor will focus on IT topics relevant to your specific needs and the related change management necessary to develop that area in your company, and they will embody many of the characteristics of a good coach as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n As the IT leader, it\u2019s essential you understand and can adapt to new technology demands. Still, your development of emotional intelligence<\/a>, etiquette, interpersonal and other soft skills is equally important.<\/p>\n A CIO mentor helps you develop these proficiencies, as well as provides support, advice and assistance to help drive value to your company. Whether you\u2019re experiencing challenges with company culture, internal processes, personnel matters, or developing a technology strategy<\/a>, a CIO mentoring program can set you on the right path.<\/p>\n A CIO mentee also should receive:<\/p>\nHow Do IT Leaders Benefit from CIO Mentoring?<\/h2>\n
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What Would Your CIO Mentoring Relationship Look Like?<\/h2>\n