<p>The measure of a CIO is in how everyone else in the company views the IT organization. Many CIOs strive to create an IT group that is the department people call first when a new business idea strikes. Even better: They strive to be there at the idea's birth. Building such a strategic IT group takes time and tactical smarts--and it's a journey of increasing importance, according to our 12th annual State of the CIO survey.</p><p>For more about our State of the CIO research, check out a breakdown of the Future-State CIO, or view a slideshow showcasing our findings.</p><p>Sixty-four percent of the 563 IT leaders we surveyed plan to focus on marketing the IT department in 2013, to show the business more of IT's capabilities. That's up from 55 percent in 2012. Results from the past three years of surveys suggest that CIOs are increasingly taking steps to solidify or elevate their team's relationship with business stakeholders by delegating more, developing leadership and cross-functional skills among their IT staff, and turning their attention to customers. One-third of CIOs now visit customers, up from 18 percent two years ago.</p><p>"With credibility," says Warren Kudman, CIO at the $8.1 billion Sealed Air, "you can then have conversations with business partners about opportunities to differentiate [your company] through technology or even new lines of revenue that are IT-enabled."</p><p><a href="http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=D49C8C44-ECF7-AE18-C1B73FAE773CA5C1">Keep reading...</a></p>