Leadership/Management

CIO Dilemma: Be a sprinter or marathon runner?

A CIO needs to keep his/her IT organization agile to handle uncertainty, rapid business changes, disruptive innovations, and cater to management that may not have the patience to wait for long term IT projects. On the other hand, careful strategy, consistency of effort, and an eye focused firmly on future goals are also needed. What should a CIO train for? Becoming a sprinter or marathon runner?

Getting "in the Groove" as a CIO

A CIO's job tenure is fraught with deadlines, RIF's, job changes, and other stress, and a tough job can take its toll. Is there a better way to do a much better job? ...perhaps by using positive thinking or changing our thoughts to affect outcomes? Can we change our outer world by getting "into the groove", internally?

Realigning IT in a downturn to get an upturn!

Isn't IT supposed to be strategic? If so, can an IT leader do any special realigning of IT resources to help his/her company not only survive the downturn, but be in a better position strategically once things improve, to ensure a quick return to robust topline growth?

Becoming the Sensei of an IT Dojo

Comparing IT with martial arts is not far fetched. Think of it this way... Each member of an IT crew should be an agile thinker, have team spirit, and should be able to courageously fight IT's daily battles. However, whether the team member is leadership, mid-management, or an operational member, everyone enters the IT dojo with their own strengths in terms of background, personality, aspirations, apprehensions, etc. How can IT leadership, become a Sensei in the true sense, and help its people achieve their optimum performance level (i.e., their respective IT 'black belts')?

Negotiate and Lead: Mantra for IT Leaders

Today, IT spending can represent up to fifty percent of annual corporate capital expenditures. Not all CIO's are blessed with procurement departments and savvy buyers who know the technology well enough. So, a CIO needs to step in. How well are today's CIO's using their expertise to get the best value for their IT dollars?