From inefficient IT operations to an inability to upskill at pace, innovation is often undercut by ingrained organizational issues that IT leaders must change.

Innovation is a CIO imperative, with a majority of IT leaders saying they’ve become the primary champions of digital transformation within their organizations.

There are, however, many impediments that could stymie CIOs and their IT teams from delivering on that expectation for innovation. The challenges of managing day-to-day operations, enabling cross-functional teams, and moving great ideas from lab to operations are just a few.[ Learn the 6 secrets of highly innovative CIOs and how your CIO peers are defining and driving innovation today. | Get the latest leadership advice by signing up for CIO Leader newsletter. ]

Each enterprise will face its own set of roadblocks, but here a half-dozen experienced IT innovators share what they see as common obstacles to innovation — and advice on how to overcome them:

Inefficient IT operations

The continued presence of legacy technology, technical debt, and outdated processes remains one of the top impediments to IT innovation, as CIOs have to divert money and staff to managing and maintaining inefficient infrastructure.