WHEN JOHN ADAMS moved to Chicago a few years ago to take the job as COO of Coolsavings.com, he was looking for a group of
peers with whom he could discuss ideas, feel out the vendor climate, and get his bearings in the new city. "I didn't know
that many people," he said, describing the impetus for co-founding Chicago's CTO Roundtable.
Adams began by compiling a list of companies dealing with some of the same technology issues he was confronting, as well
as companies that employed the same vendors he was using, and sought out their IT executives. The resulting CTO roundtable
was formed in 1999.
More and more, as CTOs discover the value of peer relationships, they are coming together in groups around the country.
Mike Toma, the CTO of eLabor, has been working for years to create local CTO groups, and has helped found chapters of the
Technology Leadership Council, which has about 60 members in San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles, and is in the process
of setting up new chapters in Atlanta and Central New Jersey. Alan Harbitter, CTO of PEC Solutions, leads a CTO Roundtable
in Washington with some 120 members.
The task of getting together a group of busy executives can be difficult. But the rewards, say these organizers, are well
worth the effort. Here are some of their tried and true tips:
To formalize or not to formalize
One key to success is to gauge accurately just how formal potential members want to be. In many instances, these organizers
say keeping the group informal may best reflect the members' needs.
The Chicago group, for example, is run without dues or officers. The group meets monthly at different members' offices,
and the host member is responsible for providing refreshments at that meeting. "We went at one point to formalize the group
a little bit, and it was a big challenge," Adams says. "A lot of members were looking for something that's less formal, and
doesn't have bylaws and officers, whereas others were ready to take the next step."
Harbitter says your group must address the needs of members. "Our members consistently say, 'We don't want the formality,
we benefit from the casual exchange of experiences, information, and the network of peers.' "
But there is one formal exercise that may bring benefits early on. Adams recommends coming up with a mission statement.
Toma also recommends establishing core values or goals for the group. "These goals outline the purpose of getting together
and must provide value to the membership. Without a clear vision that provides purpose and creates clear value to its members,
the club will experience poor participation and high attrition."
Toma also recommends establishing a leader to ensure that the group's activities and communications are coordinated.
Determining membership size and qualifications
Toma recommends starting with a small, core group of CTOs committed to the same vision for the club and members who sill
stick with it during the crucial early phase. "Based on the goals of the club, the founding members need to establish the
target audience and minimum qualifications requirements for new members. These decisions should be based on the value proposition
of the organization," Toma says.
If your founding members are principally enterprise CTOs and IT executives, do you want to include executives from vendor
companies? Do you only want to include IT executives, or are lower-level managers welcome as well? These are the kinds of
issues that need to be decided fairly early in the formation of the group.
Whereas Toma recommends starting small, Harbitter says that over time groups must expand to flourish. "I would encourage
any new CTO group to take the same philosophy that I used as an entrepreneur: Grow or die," he says. "I think it is important
to continually get new interest, new members, and keep the group fresh."
Keeping up interest
Finding people who are interested in the idea of building an executive IT network is easy, Adams says. "The challenge is
keeping it going, always having something fresh to talk about."
You may not collect dues to bring in expensive speakers at every meeting, but you do need to figure out discussion topics
that will keep members coming back for more.
"Vary activities for the group," Toma recommends. "Don't get caught doing the same things over and over and making things
predictable. This will eventually get old and will lead to higher attrition or absentee rates." One way to add variety and
open the door to opportunities is to seek relationships with other similar organizations, he says.
Harbitter agrees that variety is important, and adds that bringing in new members can "keep the discussions and each meeting
from getting stale."
Finally, keep in mind that with any organization, there will be changes, fluctuations in interest levels, and fluctuations
in membership. Don't let these changes discourage you. "There was a time when we were growing quite rapidly," Adams says.
"Then there was another time when we were shrinking."
Toma advises that there is a "standard maturation process" for any new organization. "It is important for members to understand
this and work through any peaks and valleys that will occur. This is where the leader of the group is important. Strong leadership
is needed to ensure advance planning and coordination ... to minimize the lulls that will creep into the group."
Regional CTO groups
Washington CTO Round Table
Meets Nov. 15 and Dec. 12. For details, visit
www.chieftechnologyofficer.org
Technology Leadership Council
For meeting and regional chapter details, e-mail
mtoma@elabor.com
Chicago area CTO Roundtable
For details, e-mail
ctoroundtable@mindspring.com
NYC CTO Club
For details about this invitation-only group, e-mail
jonwilliams@yahoo.com
CTO Council, NYSIA
For details, visit
http://www.chillarege.com/prof/CTO/
E-mail
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