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A day in the life of a CIO: 5 real examples
In a typical day, CIOs juggle outages, strategy and global teams. Insights from five CIOs reveal how they manage it all.
CIOs don't just know technology -- they understand the business inside and out.
The main job of any CIO is to connect IT initiatives to business goals. In meetings with the board and other executives, they translate complex tech speak into clear insights. Delegation is also essential. CIOs need a trusted team of leaders to manage operational details, allowing them to focus on long-term strategy. Additionally, smart CIOs set aside time for planning, reflection and proactive thinking rather than simply reacting to immediate problems.
The following collection of interviews offers an inside look into the daily routines of five CIOs across industries, including transportation, higher education and technology. Each profile highlights how these leaders manage time, prioritize initiatives and drive business results. The collection offers a clear view of what it takes to lead IT at the highest level.
A day in the life of a community college CIO
Each morning, Luke VanWingerden walks around campus with his "#1 Dad" coffee mug, making himself approachable and visible to staff and students -- a simple practice that helps him understand operational realities and stay connected. As CIO of Tri-County Technical College in South Carolina, he oversees how technology supports academic programs, operations and student services. In this article, he shares how he balances strategy and day-to-day oversight.
VanWingerden emphasizes the importance of eliminating personal admin access so he can focus on IT strategy rather than firefighting technical issues. Other tips from him include investing in relationships, focusing on core systems before chasing shiny new tools and modeling healthy work-life boundaries to attract talent.
The hard truth: What it really takes to be a global CIO
Joe Locandro's role as CIO at Rimini Street, a third-party support provider for enterprise software, spans continents, cultures and time zones. He balances internal leadership with client-facing responsibilities, traveling regularly to meet with client CIOs while managing his home team in Melbourne.
His day starts at 4 a.m., and his schedule often stretches into the evening, aligning with teams in North America, India and Australia. Leadership at this level demands significant personal sacrifice. For instance, Locandro has had to relocate his family multiple times, which required adaptability from his wife and children.
Beyond logistics, Locandro emphasizes the human side of leadership. He builds trust through clear vision and strong people skills, cultivates business acumen in his team and aligns IT with broader organizational goals. Aspiring CIOs can learn from his approach to delegation and outcome-focused leadership. This profile offers a rare glimpse into the intensity and personal commitment required to guide IT on a global stage.
Inside a CIO's mind: Mastering time and knowing the business
Sean McCormack is CIO of First Student, the largest provider of school bus transportation in North America. The company transports millions of students each day, which means the technology behind routing, safety and operations must work at a massive scale. In this profile, McCormack explains why CIOs must understand the business inside and out.
McCormack regularly visits field operations to see how technology supports drivers, dispatchers and local teams, helping him connect IT decisions directly to business goals. He also puts his to-do list directly on his calendar, blocking time for priorities so important work doesn't get pushed aside by daily demands. For CIOs, McCormack's lessons are clear: learn how the business actually runs, spend time on the front lines and structure your day so strategic priorities stay in focus.
The CIO's real job: Understanding the 'why' behind IT
Graeme Thompson, CIO at Informatica, a data management software company, doesn't aim to be the most technical person on his team. Instead, he focuses on strategy and business outcomes. His day balances careful planning with sudden demands, such as security incidents and last-minute requests.
Thompson sees storytelling as a key part of the CIO role. He communicates clearly with the board and executives to translate technology into actionable insights. Additionally, he delegates technical work to his team so he can focus on strategy. His advice for CIOs is simple: know the business, stay connected to executive priorities and hold your team accountable for delivering the right projects.
A day in the life of a strategy-driven CIO
Stephen Franchetti, CIO at Samsara, an IoT software company, balances the operational demands of IT with a strategic business role. Every morning, he reviews critical systems and escalations, but he also sets aside time to reflect on how IT initiatives align with the company's broader goals. Franchetti emphasizes that CIOs must drive cross-functional alignment, so all teams move in the same direction.
His leadership combines intentional planning, clear priorities and active collaboration with other executives. Franchetti is responsible for architecture, security and governance, while partnering with his team to implement technology that enables the business. This profile highlights the determination and strategic thinking required to be a CIO who acts as a true business enabler.
A hypothetical day in the life of a CIO
No two CIOs have the same schedule. However, interviews with tech leaders across industries reveal common patterns. Themes include early-morning system checks and evening collaboration across time zones.
The following hypothetical schedule draws on insights from the five real-world CIO interviews to illustrate how a typical workday might unfold.
8 a.m. -- Scan for issues and set priorities
At the start of each day, many CIOs check for overnight issues. They review escalation messages, system alerts and emails from IT leaders. This early scan helps them identify urgent problems before the day fills with meetings.
CIOs also use this time to set priorities. They review weekly goals, decide which issues require their direct involvement and determine what they can delegate to their leadership team.
10 a.m. -- Meet with the executive team
Late morning often centers on collaboration with other executives. CIOs meet with leaders such as the CFO or head of customer support to align technology initiatives with business goals. These conversations typically focus on outcomes, such as how IT systems support sales growth, supply chain efficiency or customer experience.
12 p.m. -- Build relationships across the business
Lunch meetings or informal conversations with business leaders often reveal insights that formal meetings miss. CIOs use these interactions to understand business challenges and identify opportunities where technology can help. Strong relationships across departments are critical, since CIOs often need to align teams around shared priorities.
2 p.m. -- Focus on long-term strategy
Afternoons may include time for deeper strategic thinking. CIOs review architecture plans, technology roadmaps and major transformation initiatives. This work often involves asking broader questions: Is the organization's technology environment ready to scale? Are teams focused on the right priorities? How should the IT strategy evolve as the organization changes?
4 p.m. -- Address escalations and operational issues
Unexpected issues inevitably arise during the day. When serious problems escalate to the CIO level, they often involve multiple departments or competing priorities. At this stage, the CIO's role is less about fixing technical details and more about aligning stakeholders, assigning responsibility and moving toward a solution.
6 p.m. -- Connect with global teams and reflect on progress
For CIOs working with international teams, late-afternoon or evening meetings are common. They might check in with teams in other regions or review updates on key initiatives. Before they sign off, many CIOs also take time to review the day's progress and to prepare the following day's priorities.
Tim Murphy is a site editor and writer for the IT Strategy team at TechTarget.
