The C-level leadership competency of collaboration and influence is about working with peers, partners and others who are not in your line of command, to positively impact business performance. Collaboration and influence involve working indirectly, through persuasion, rather than by formal authority.

At basic levels of performance, individuals are willing to collaborate if they are asked. At the medium levels of performance, one actively participates in teamwork and influences as a good team member. At high levels, one not only is a good team player but also enables others to be good team players, facilitating partnerships across organizations and geographies.

High performers seek input and compromise when necessary to contribute to the whole team. Top performers actively look for opportunities to make joint decisions and achieve them. The collaboration and influence competency is in part about engaging others, but it is also about giving up sole ownership of an idea or decision.

This is a competency that good CIOs tend to develop because they often do not have significant direct control over where their company is headed. They need it more than CEOs, who can be more direct in their management style.

Are you ready for collaboration and influence?

Those who wish to improve their performance in this critically important competency first need to examine their organization's readiness for the CIO to play an expanded role through collaboration and influence, and then assess their personal readiness. Some questions to ask: