Are CIOs not doing their jobs?

In the past week I've come across three different articles on how CFOs are getting more involved in IT. For example, in last week's Atlanta Business Chronicle feature CFOs take on increasing roles in IT department stated: "CFO involvement with IT has been largely driving by the need to upgrade reporting functions and the general inability of many legacy systems to provide the kind of data the C-suite needs." According to Robert Half Management Resources, 44% of CFOs have become more involved in technology-related decision-making. Interesting finding.

And this CSO piece from a couple of weeks ago stated: "For business both small and large, CFOs now are finding themselves with fiduciary responsibility in data-protection cases."

Finally, some interesting findings were documented in this CIO piece from just a few months back:

• 26% of IT investments in the past year have been authorized by CFOs alone
• 51% of cases, IT decisions are being made either by the CFO alone, or by the CFO in a collaboration with the CIO
• 5% of the time the CIO makes the investment call
• 42% of IT organizations report directly to the CFO
• 47% of executives viewed IT as being strategic

Ouch!

Is this a sign that CIOs aren't communicating effectively with others in management? Perhaps they're not providing them with the tools they need to make strategic decisions? Does it underscore the very issue I've been ranting about for years regarding executives having their heads in the sand over IT? I'm hopeful that it's merely a sign that IT and information security are getting more visibility in the business and thus luring more decision makers to the table.

Only time will tell. One thing's for sure...If you're an IT leader, you'd better keep doing the things that good leaders do so you can keep your visibility....and your job.