So you want to be a CIO...?

"It is important to develop world class political skill sets. You need to be an accomplished politician, diplomat and a leader who provides inspiration."

No, not commentary at Governor Arnie's inauguration but insight from Dick Hudson, CIO of undersea cable company Global Marine, talking about what it takes to be a success in an organisation's top IT post.

And we couldn't agree more.

Undoubtedly it takes a lot to be good at one of the hardest jobs in business - let alone in tech (though plenty out there will stake there own claim to 'hardest job in tech'). All-round business and technical know-how is clearly advantageous, as are networks of contacts and experience.

Yet being able to 'play the game' is key. This isn't just about Machiavellian scheming. Or leadership, which by the way isn't just something a lucky few are born with.

It's about an appreciation of what makes a business and sector tick. If anything, it's about what the best CIOs have been saying for some time: IT and business must always sit side by side. When that's a given, it is easier for IT to drive forward a company as an enabler.

And however senior an IT chief, stopping learning and stopping innovating are the most dangerous things possible.

At the same CIO 'bootcamp' at Comdex that saw Global Marine's Hudson speak this week, Tom Mantz, CIO of industrial gases firm Praxair, said: "IT matters if and only if we as CIOs continue to innovate and work with our business peers to deliver new value to our organisations. When that stops, then IT doesn't matter and you don't matter."

It sounds stark. It may even sound like inflated rhetoric from the world of American business. Don't be fooled - it's sound advice.