| | FEB - MAR 202519When 90 percent of a CIO's success depends on emotional intelligence, it's time to master this skill.A CIO at a large enterprise has the right skills and the right talent but still struggles to get a seat at the executive table. A computer programmer in an IT firm is one of the best software developers but is often ignored by the product development team.This could be because of one simple thing -- the lack of emotional intelligence (EI).From computer programmers to CIOs, few have the luxury of a lone-wolf mentality in today's work environment. EI is the ability to deal effectively with emotions -- your own and those of others -- and is a must-have for today's CIO and other IT professionals.Why EI is crucial for CIOsIT is a highly technical domain and emphasizes rational thinking, problem solving and a logical, fact-based approach. Although it may be risky to generalize, it is safe to say that most people in IT don't typically think about the impact of their emotions on their work.As a result, CIOs spend (often significantly) less time and effort on developing EI in themselves and their employees than most other professions. This does not work to the CIO's advantage, as people with higher EI deliver better results in areas like team leadership, influencing people, organizational awareness and self-confidence. In highly technical jobs and leadership roles, EI accounts for more than 90% of a person's performance and success.There are several reasons why CIOs may need EI even more than people in other professions and roles:1.To LeadThe arrival of the digital era has challenged CIOs to take leadership of digital transformation in their organizations. All this pressure requires strong, visionary leadership from CIOs to lead organizational change and shape their business's digital future. Most CIOs have arrived at their role as a result of their excellent technical skills and extensive knowledge of IT, but they also have to lead teams of people. And it is here that EI plays a big role -- the ability to motivate, inspire, and unite a group of intelligent and often quite strong-willed individuals into a high-performing team has more to do with the capacity to recognize and regulate emotions than with rational problem solving and cognitive skills.By Bard Papegaaij, Research Vice President, GartnerWhy CIOs Need to Improvetheir Emotional IntelligenceBard PapegaaijSTARTUPINSIDER
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