How do you compare with the IT professionals who have become CEOs?

Use this questionnaire to gain a quick insight into your own strengths and capabilities in comparison to those of the CEOs in the study. Your scores will give you an indication of your potential to make it to the top, or at least have a voice at the top table. Your relative scores in each category will give you an indication of your prime strengths and also areas for development. Answer the questions honestly – they are for your benefit only!

For each of the statements below give yourself a score between 1 (strongly disagree) and 10 (strongly agree). Add up your scores in each category and compare yourself with the IT professionals who have made it to CEO.

Your business skills

How interested are you in the business and industry you are in and how well do you understand it?

• I could readily describe my organisation's mission, vision, values and culture
• I spend much of my time networking and socialising with my business colleagues
• I have spent time working outside of IT and often get involved in or am asked to contribute to business matters
• I have significant impact on my organisation's businesses strategy
• I am an avid reader of business books and articles

What is your vision for your area of responsibility and how prepared are you to take a risk for what you believe in?

• Members of my team, my peer group and my organisation's top team could all readily articulate my vision
• My vision is radical, novel and inspirational
• I base decisions about the future direction of my IT function on gut instinct and personal values
• I believe it is better to ask for forgiveness than to seek permission
• I believe I can do anything if I put my mind to it

Add up your scores in the business skills category.

10-40 – poor
You need to work on your business knowledge and acumen. Lift your horizons and focus some of your attention outside the IT arena.

41-60 – room for improvement
You have some but insufficient business focus. Let go of the detail and the day-to-day and look for opportunities to go beyond your job description and get involved in business matters.

61-80 – on the right road
You are doing better than most but need to do more. Look critically at your diary and how you are spending your time. Dedicate more to your strategic, outward-facing activities.

81-100 – waiting in the wings
Congratulations! You are on a par with the CEOs in this study and are doing brilliantly in this area. Check out the next two categories.

Your people skills

How well do you really know and understand yourself?

• I could happily and readily describe my strengths and weaknesses; my capabilities and my limitations; my values and drivers; and the image and reputation I portray
• I know what stresses me and puts me in a bad mood and can recognise the symptoms; I know how to deal with negative emotions and get myself back into a positive state of mind
• I can cope with ambiguity and uncertainty
• I am comfortable with and prepared to admit my weaknesses and mistakes and always apologise when I should

How well do you understand other people, what makes them tick and how to motivate them?

• I find it easy to put myself into the shoes of others and see things from their perspective, and can readily read emotions in others
• I enjoy watching others grow and develop and always ensure that they take the credit
• I would feel completely comfortable recruiting someone who I believed had greater potential than myself
• I take an interest in the personal lives and circumstances of my team members

How good are your people skills?

• I am good at adapting my communication style to the language of the receiver
• I communicate honestly and openly and find it easy to build rapport with people different from myself
• I am good at resolving conflicts and collaborate with others to develop win-win strategies
• I am good at dealing with organisational politics

Add up your scores in the people skills category.

12-45 – poor
You need to work on your people skills. Try listening to a friend who has a problem or issue and provide TLC (tender loving care) but not a solution.

46-70 – room for improvement
You have some but insufficient people skills. Try developing your empathy towards others by taking up a hobby such as amateur dramatics.

71-95 – on the right road You are doing better than most but still need to develop your sensitivity towards others. Look for role models and case studies and follow their example.

96-120 – waiting in the wings Congratulations! You are on a par with the CEOs in this study and are doing brilliantly in this area. How did you do in the preceding category? Check out the next.

Your reputation

How visible are you and are you noted for “original thinking”?

• I often get invited into “inner sanctum” discussions
• Members of my organisation's board often ask for my opinion or ideas on non-IT related matters
• I am often invited to participate in business debates regarding business direction

Are you a “can do” person?

• By looking for alternatives, I believe you can always find a way forward
• I often use questioning techniques to get to the heart of the matter and to understand the root cause
• I always keep my mind open to alternatives and the suggestions of others
• I would consider myself to be an optimist and always pay more attention to the possibilities and what can be done than the downsides or difficulties

Are you considered “clubbable”?

• I am often invited to socialise with members of my organisation's top team
• I often make others smile or laugh – with me, not at me
• I believe that laughter is the best medicine

Add up your scores in the reputation category.

10-40 – poor
You definitely need to work on your reputation if you want to rise above the image of a “super-techie”. Start by focusing on the areas in which you scored particularly low.

41-60 – room for improvement
You are on a par with your peer group but have a significant journey to make if you wish to put IT on the strategic agenda or yourself on the board. Look at your development needs in the other two categories.

61-80 – on the right road
You are better than average but still have a way to go. Improvement in the other two areas may be what you need to put you into the next category. Keep up the good work.

81-100 – waiting in the wings
Congratulations! You are on a par with the CEOs in this study and are therefore definitely potential CEO material. Check out the other two areas – if your other scores are not equally high, your score in this category will suffer in the longer term.

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