The Many Types of Law Firm CIOs

14
Apr
2014

Jeffrey Brandt

In his guest post "Big law, small law, new law, old law… it’s bigger than that" on Brian Inkster's The Time Blog, Ben Wightwick said, "Currently there are, broadly speaking, four types of CIOs: Chief Integration Officer; Chief Innovation Officer; Chief Infrastructure Officer and Chief Intelligence Officer. All CIOs will fall into one of these main camps."  His comment really got me thinking.  There is the old joke that CIO actually stands for "Career Is Over."  But are there only four types of CIOs?  I sat down with my extensive electronic Rolodex and started searching out other types of CIOs. In no particular order, this is what I found:

• Chief I CAN DO IT ALL MYSELF Officer - This CIO is amazing, doing everything themselves.  And while they have a staff, you really have to wonder why?
• Chief IMITATION Officer - This CIO looks to what other law firms are doing and they duplicate it at their firm.  Using other firms' research and direction is the sincerest form of flattery (whether it fits your firm's culture or strategic business direction or not).
• Chief IDLE Officer - This CIO doesn't do very much.  They go through the motions of maintaining the basic systems.  They minimize any changes, additions or upgrades. 
• Chief ILLITERATE Officer - This CIO doesn't bother to read or keep current on the latest developments in technology, process and knowledge management. 
• Chief IMMATURE Officer - This CIO is a newly promoted Director.  They haven't yet learned to move beyond the tactical and have not fully developed into a strategic asset.
• Chief IMMEMORIAL Officer - This CIO is stuck in the past.  They can't understand why they have trouble finding staff able to support Novell and WordPerfect.
• Chief IMMODERATE Officer  - From the twin 40" monitors on their desk to the polished brass data outlet face plates, this CIO is excessive in everything they do.

• Chief IMMUTABLE Officer - This CIO is unwilling to change with the times or the business environment.  They insist on running premise equipment.
  
• Chief IMPATIENCE Officer - This CIO wants to do everything now, whether the firm culture can handle the amount of change or not.
• Chief IMPENETRABLE Officer - This CIO, a close cousin to the Chief I CAN DO IT ALL MYSELF Officer and the Chief IMMEMORIAL Officer, is impossible to get to consider new ideas.
• Chief IMPERIAL Officer - This CIO thinks they know what is best for the firm and dictates IT commands to the minions of the firm.
• Chief IMPERSONAL Officer - This CIO thinks all users are the same.  They used to be in the garment industry and own the trademark to "One Size Fits All."
• Chief IMPETUOUS Officer - This CIO jumps into things without fully thinking them through.  Their firm is littered with legacy projects and systems that never quite worked out the way they were supposed to.
• Chief IMPOLITIC Officer - This CIO is into the 0s and 1s.  They have never learned the definition of partner or shareholder or the value of befriending them.
• Chief INANIMATE Officer - People are not sure whether this CIO is dead or alive.
• Chief INCOHERENT Officer - This CIO is running many projects that don't interact or build on each other.  They lack clarity or vision for IT at the firm. 
• Chief INCONSEQUENTIAL Officer - This CIO has the title but little else.  IT is unimportant and unvalued.

I think you'll agree that there are considerably more than four types of CIOs.  Which type(s) do you know?

UPDATE

Ben Weinberger said I was showing a lot of contempt for my fellow CIOs.  Honestly I was trying to be more humorous than contemptible.  In my consulting practice, I mentor a lot of rising CIOs and perhaps that is why I approached the piece the way I did.  Ben was right though, I didn’t focus on the good CIOs.  I'll own that criticism.  So if I dive back into my Rolodex, I can add these other types of CIOs to our list:

• Chief IMPERTURBABLE Officer - This CIO stays calm in the face of everything thrown at them.
• Chief IMPORTANT Officer - This CIO adds value to the firm, to the practice areas as well as the administrative departments.
• Chief INCANDESCENT Officer - This CIO is red hot - on their game.  Their forward-looking decisions are what all the other CIOs are talking about.
• Chief INCISIVE Officer - This CIO is quick to grasp the nuances of new technology.  They know how security, policies and procedures must be adjusted to take into account the new abilities.
• Chief INCLUSIVE Officer - This CIO reaches out to everyone, weaving all the various inputs into a cohesive vision.
• Chief INDEPENDENT Officer - This CIO is willing to deliver hard news to the firm management and not just tell them what they want to hear.
• Chief INDISPENSABLE Officer  - This CIO has earned their seat at the table.  They are enabling all aspects of the firm and enhancing efficiency at every turn.Chief INDUSTRIOUS Officer - This CIO is working diligently to educate management on the value of technology and to affect cultural change.
• Chief INSTRUMENTAL Officer - This CIO is the catalyst to make things happen at the firm.

What other type(s) do you know?