Making the leap to COO from CIO can be tricky. Three former CIOs share advice for making the transition successfully.

Roughly 40 percent of the CIOs I know long to replace the “I” in their title with a new letter. They like the “E” an awful lot, but they recognize the considerable challenges in obtaining it. They typically want nothing to do with the “F,” and they do not consider the “S” to be a step forward. But that “O,” that beautiful “O.” With its promise of better compensation, higher status and an unquestioned place at the table, now there is a letter worth fighting for.

CIOs who have made the leap to COO are still rare, but the trend is definitely happening. And no wonder. CIOs touch every part of the business, from order to delivery to HR to finance. They are responsible for standards, QA, cost reduction and process improvement. They know their company’s operations intimately—at the process, data and user levels. As technology and the business become more integrated and CIOs evolve into business leaders, CEOs are starting to see the wisdom of promoting their IT guy for the head operations role.

But making the transition is not easy. To grasp the challenge, I spoke with COOs who were once CIOs. I asked them two simple questions: How did you make the transition? And what advice do you have for CIOs with similar aspirations? 

Joe Eckroth, COO, New Century Mortgage
After serving in various operations roles for Northrop Grumman, as divisional CIO for GE, and then as CIO for Mattel, Joe Eckroth became CIO for New Century Mortgage in July 2005. Six months later, his boss, Brad Morris, was promoted from COO to CEO. He chose Eckroth to succeed him. “I was brought in as CIO to work across the company and drive transformation, process and technology,” says Eckroth. “When Brad became CEO, he looked at his direct reports and saw in me someone who could play the umbrella role across the company.” His advice for would-be COOs?

Provide leadership beyond IT. “When you get the CIO title, you are given the birthright to be more than the IT guy,” says Eckroth. When New Century was in the throes of an acquisition, Eckroth stepped up and brought his GE acquisitions experience to the deal. This helped him

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