He Never Planned to Become a CIO: Career Growth, Leadership, and Knowing When to Move On What if your career's direction wasn't something you planned, but something you discovered along the way? In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Bob Hansen speaks with Christopher (Chris) Driscoll, Chief Information Officer at La Roche University, about his unexpected journey into IT leadership and the experiences that shaped his approach to leading people and organizations. Chris began exploring technology while attending college in the mid-1990s. His academic major wasn't IT, and becoming a CIO wasn't a career goal he had mapped out from the beginning. Instead, working at a university helped him discover his interests, develop practical skills, and find opportunities that eventually led to executive leadership. With more than three decades of experience in higher education IT, Chris has learned that successful leadership isn't simply about knowing the technology. It's about understanding the organization's mission, finding and developing the right people, building strategic relationships, and making decisions that solve real problems. In this conversation, Chris shares why he believes leaders should recognize when it's time to move on, how observing other executives influenced his leadership philosophy, and why continued learning and calculated risks matter throughout a career. We also discuss the unique challenges of leading technology in higher education, building effective teams, aligning IT with institutional priorities, and preparing the next generation of technology professionals for an evolving workplace. In this episode: Discovering a career in IT without initially planning to pursue it. Learning leadership through practical experience. Building trust and creating opportunities for people to succeed. Finding inspiration by observing effective leaders. Recognizing when comfort becomes stagnation. Continuing to learn through education and new experiences. Balancing professional ambition with family, outside interests, and other commitments. Advice for aspiring IT leaders and future CIOs. Chris's story is a reminder that career growth doesn't always happen according to plan. Staying curious, remaining open to new opportunities, and continuing to develop yourself can help you discover a path you might never have imagined. Whether you're early in your IT career, managing a team, or preparing for executive leadership, this conversation offers thoughtful perspectives on building a career with purpose. 🎙️ Follow The Technology Vanguard for more conversations with technology leaders about the stories, lessons, and decisions behind their careers.
