Virtual CIO: What It Is and Why You Need One
“Doc, I’m just not feeling like myself lately,” said the gentleman to the man in the white lab coat. “I’m just feeling listless, no energy…” his voice faded off. “Well,” said the Doctor with a pensive pause, “tell me when this feeling overtakes you.”
This is not an uncommon conversation among a person over 55, regardless of gender. They have arrived at a mature point in their journey, but this is the first time they’ve reached this specific point. They have little to call upon from their experience because, frankly, they’ve not been at this point, of course. They need the advice of someone who has seen this before and not just one time, but many times. They need the insight of someone with objectivity.
Business is no different. Business owners rarely can see things in a dispassionate way. A few business leaders have the capacity to also manage the technology side of the house, but most prefer to focus on P&L and the business strategy, or at least they should. They should relinquish technology to someone appropriate for this.
Technology is such a fast-paced world, one has to be superhuman to keep pace. Have you noticed how few “general practitioners” exist in IT? It truly is no different than the medical profession. A network guru is not to be trusted with leading the software development team. A support specialist should not be entrusted with the realm of cybersecurity. Yes, the GP is gone from the IT landscape and not a moment too soon. Specialists are required today.
Enter the vCIO
A vCIO (Virtual Chief Information Officer) is a 3rd party IT executive who provides technology and guidance to help a business manage their goals. A vCIO is valuable for small and medium-sized businesses.
The SMB needs the advice of someone who has led the IT team in an organization bigger than the ones he advises and has done so successfully. If you are the business owner, you already know you have a blind spot there.
So, ask yourself…honestly…what are the things lurking in the back of your mind that nudge you to go see the “doctor”? Everyone should go for a checkup, shouldn’t they?
