You've asked a difficult question, but kudos to you for asking it from your potential employer's perspective!

What makes up a good vs a bad CIO has been discussed throughout CIO Magazine's CIO.com website. Here are a few very good articles, and be sure to review the various comments, as well.
* The Most Critical Attribute of a CIO
* How to Spot A Bad CIO
* From Bad-to-Good CIO: Move Beyond IT-Centricity

In evaluating yourself, the hardest part will be being brutally honest with yourself on what you are truly good at. For example, you may think you are a good mentor, or even a good manager. But you have to get that information from those you have mentored, and from those you have both managed and managed for. Further, your self answers and those from your constituents must be filtered against some known values. That is, someone who is known as a good mentor, and someone who is known as a good manager.

Its both a heart-wrenching and exciting journey! I wish you well!

Mark

Mark Cummuta
CIO Job Search: A Real Life Chronicle

Shiv, IT can be a tool to help any corporate citizen contribute to the mission. Contribute to your team or your business users or your manager's technology understanding and you've delivered real value and earned an 'A'. Deliver on projects or solve problems and get an 'A' where it matters most.

So get experienced in any area of IT; know something A to Z, as well or better than anyone around and then find situations to teach it, mentor with it, solve problems with it or avoid problems with it. Be able to relate that expertise to any business function and you get an 'A+"

I'm sure there are those that get called to lead. Though if you need to lead people in IT, or anywhere, then you'll be sure to get whatever it is you need to take leadership opportunities and excel at them. Get another 'A' and then another, but it won't happen every time. If this cycle proved fruitless, your fall back position is obvious and perhaps no less fulfilling.

Assess often what it is you need to continue on this path. At this point technology understanding comes easily, business skills can be garnered, so it usually communication with people that needs practice and outside help.

Steve Palmer
CIO, OptHome
www.opthome.com

Shiv, the prior comments offer good advice.

One other thing that you will need is the skills of a diplomat. Meaning, you will be torn between the day-to-day expectations, and the demands of planning for the future. These tasks are often at odds with each other. You will be required to find a compromise.

Many CIOs apparently have difficulty with finding an appropriate balance -- where the day-to-day management and operations dominate their personal activities, not just their staff.