Gartner ThinkCast Gartner's CIO Agenda for 2026: The A.R.T. of Effective Execution
24 snips
Jan 6, 2026 Chris Howard, Gartner's Distinguished VP Analyst and CIO research lead, shares insights from the latest CIO Agenda survey for 2026. He highlights the importance of agility, risk management, and tenacity as key traits for successful CIOs. Chris discusses the need for dynamic reprioritization over static planning, the critical reassessment of vendor mixes amid digital sovereignty, and how to convert productivity gains into tangible financial impact. Tune in for actionable strategies to navigate the evolving challenges facing technology leaders.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Agility, Risk And Tenacity Drive Performance
- Top-performing CIOs share three controllable attributes: agility, risk management, and tenacity.
- Focusing on these traits raises execution ability more than budget, industry, or reporting line does.
CEO Told Me: 'Just Do It'
- Chris Howard recounts advising a major bank's CEO who simply said, “just do it,” about AI and innovation.
- The phrase highlights urgency, but Howard urges a framed, selective approach for better outcomes.
Constraints Can Improve Execution
- Bigger budgets, larger teams, industry sector, company size, and reporting to the CEO do not guarantee better execution.
- Constraints can force clearer prioritization and sometimes foster more innovation.