1. Several comments in the case note that chief information officers are in a unique position for companywide leadership, extending beyond their primary technological concerns. Why do you think this is the case? How are CIOs different in this regard from other chief officers, for example, in finance, HR, or marketing?

2. After reading the case, what do you think are the most important competencies for the successful CIO of tomorrow? How do you rate yourself in those? Have you considered the importance of these skills and abilities before?

3. How can chief information officers prepare their successors for an uncertain future that will most likely require skills different from those possessed by the successful CIOs of today? Which key competencies are enduring, and which ones are functions of the current technological environment? How can chief information officers prepare for the latter?

Barbra Cooper started as a CIO when the position was still called “vice president of information services.” In her more than 30 years in IT, she’s seen the role become ever more strategic. Until now, the CIO is in the unique position of being the C-level officer who can “see across the entire enterprise.”