I got this role because I made the case that if IT and service operations reported to the same person, we'd work better together to define priorities and deliver systems that drive results. In companies where IT and services are separate, IT is only responsible to deliver the project, while the operations group is responsible for requirements and deriving the value. That can lead to finger-pointing if the pay-off doesn't go as expected.

One word of caution: it's possible that a CIO can become so business focused that he or she doesn't pay enough attention to executing on a reliable IT service. You have basic blocking and tackling responsibilities that you can't ignore. You can delegate that, but you still have to ask the right questions of those to whom you delegate, and make them show you their metrics.

Looking back at my career, there are three things that I believe have been essential to my success: understanding business processes, knowing where the leverage points are to improve top and bottom line performance, and developing strategic partnerships with the business. By focusing on these areas, any CIO is positioned to fulfill a strategic role.