CIOs can learn from our experience – as the international press reports our new CEO survey (UPDATED).

[ Update - more articles added, from the FT, WSJ and others ]

Our new survey results show that half of CEOs can’t name a company in their industry that they admire for its use of IT. That’s not a surprise. Our survey also shows they get a lot of their ideas and information about IT from the business press yet, we know that few CIOs make a point of telling the stories of their business technology innovation successes to the outside world. Why not? You know that successful major deliveries require process, organisation and culture changes not just technology installation. You also know that stuff is hard to get right – so letting your competitors know what you did, doesn’t necessarily mean they can copy you. Anyway, you can easily leave out a few key ‘how to’ learning points if that’s a concern. But you have everything to gain. Companies admired for their use of technology are helping to build a stronger brand – B2B or B2C.

One of the joys and privileges of being a Gartner analyst is sometimes working with the press. A joy I hear you ask? Yes, really. Perhaps in the world of celebrities and politicians, journalists can be too cynical and destructive but in business and technology I always find the opposite. The technology trade press and the business press these days are staffed with only the cream of the journalistic trade. It’s very hard to get one of those jobs and you only keep it if you are very smart, very focused and very hard working. Their business and technology professional reader – that’s you – is looking for interesting information, not scandal or titillation.

When a piece of my research is made visible via a Gartner press release, I look forward to the interviews. The older experienced technology journalists ask insightful questions and also offer me their own perspectives on the the subject. They always ask me things that my research didn’t cover – and that can sometimes set up new lines of inquiry for the future. The newer, younger journalists often have fresh eyes on a subject. They come at it from a different angle and that can cause me to think differently myself. Working with the press is a symbiotic relationship. They get some of what they need for their readers, you get visibility and, assuming your story is impressive – reputation.

Companies with a strong technology reputation will find it easier to attract the better new graduates and the more talented IT and business professionals they need to compete. We know that talent attraction is a perennial concern of CEOs. Talent today is truly global. You might need to attract good people from anywhere on the planet. The modern IT press is highly syndicated and globalized. Tell your story in one place and it will travel the world. Good business IT stories in the trade press will attract the eye of the business press too.

I spent the last day and half on the phone to journalists and it was time well spent. Listed below are some of the many stories – in different languages – taken from our latest CEO survey. If you browse them, you will see a variety of different angles and focal points, as each journalist gives his or her twist. That demonstrates yet another learning opportunity for a CIO who may not be personally blessed with the greatest story telling ability. Influence within your own business, will be improved if you can find better ways to explain the value of what you do. So why not let the press help you?

My particular thanks this time to journalists Stephen Pritchard, Cliff Saran, JaneMcCallion, Toby Wolpe, Martin Veitch, Joachim Hackmann, Yves Grandmontagne, Paul Taylor and Clint Boulton & Michael Hickens

UK Managing people and CEO sentiment Financial Times podcast (1m15s )

UK What is a ‘digital strategy’? Information Age

UK Gartner CEO survey 2013 reveals uptick in IT investment IT Pro

UK CEOs optimistic about IT innovation and investment, says Gartner Computer Weekly

USA CEOs Welcome Chief Digital Officers to the C-Suite Wall Street Journal blog

USA Financial Times: Business leaders embrace ‘digital’ Financial Times

USA Tech jobs: CIOs look safe, IT managers face chop, chief digital office … ZDNet

Germany Mehr Geld für Mobile und Social : Zuversichtliche CEOs investieren … CFOworld

Germany Zuversichtliche CEOs investieren wieder in IT CIO

Sweden Hälften av storföretagen har digital strategi IDG.se

Netherlands Ict-sector werft weer volop Telegraaf.nl

Netherlands Nieuw leiderstype verdringt IT-manager Computerworld.nl