Most CIOs weren't hired to reshape the business. But that's exactly what the role is becoming.
In this episode of Unlocking Momentum, Aaron Kopel goes solo to share what he's been seeing firsthand at conferences, client conversations, and workshops across Indiana and the Midwest. The shift is real: the CIO is no longer just responsible for keeping technology running. The job is now about helping the business understand how it should work.
Aaron unpacks why long-range project plans are losing their footing and why outcomes matter more than delivery timelines. He also gets into how CIOs can stop being order takers and start shaping strategy at the executive table, what it actually looks like to lead enterprise-wide transformation, and why the people's side of change remains the hardest part to get right.
Key takeaways:
- The CIO's job is no longer about running technology, it's about shaping the business
- Chasing project completion misses the point when the real goal is building lasting capability
- People, not platforms, determine whether transformation actually takes hold
Episode highlights
(
00:00) Why the CIO role is evolving
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03:54) From order taker to strategy shaper
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06:27) Breaking down the change curve
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08:49) Why 60% of CIOs lack a true executive seat
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11:28) Moving from project delivery to capability building
(
15:31) What the most valuable CIOs will be remembered for
What is Unlocking Momentum?
Transformation doesn’t come from theory. It comes from motion. From momentum. And from leaders willing to do things differently.
Unlocking Momentum is for the evolving CIOs, strategic leaders who aren’t satisfied just managing systems, but driving growth, enabling innovation, and building the future of their organizations.
Hosted by Aaron Kopel, founder of Project Brilliant and creator of the Momentum Locksmith framework, this show is where forward-thinking leaders come to grow.