The next big corporate "C"-level job will be the Chief Green Officer (CGO). And if IT staff plays their cards right, they'll walk right into that high-paying, high-visibility, high-payoff job. Here's why.
Greening an enterprise requires far more than a background in energy, engineering, or the environment. It's all about data, and the people who know best how to manage that data will become CGOs.
Greening an enterprise requires that someone measure initial energy use and carbon footprint at a granular level, constantly monitor that use, put a plan into effect for reducing the carbon footprint, and then continue to monitor, measure, and refine the plan. Who in an enterprise is best suited to perform this kind of monitoring and planning? IT folks. They do it every day as part of their jobs.
These facts aren't lost on the big IT vendors. Cisco and others are rushing to release hardware and software for greening the enterprise, and at the center of it all are the IT staff who will be buying, maintaining, and using the equipment and software.
There is one significant roadblock to IT pros becoming CGOs, though, and that has to do with the nature of many IT professionals. Many tend to be more reactive than proactive, and aren't necessarily versed in understanding business problems. If they're to become CGOs, that's got to change. They've got to think about the business first and technology second.
I don't expect IT staff to morph into CGOs overnight. In fact, I don't expect it to happen any time soon -- most likely not for at least two or three years at the earliest. So if you're an IT pro, and are looking for what's next in your career, start paying attention to green technology. It's likely your passport to a corner office.