5 Things Every CIO Should Know…

As CIO, you should … Know when to try harder and when to walk away. (Being CIO means there will be days you will fail. It is part a part of the job.) Know who you can trust, who you can’t. (Politics plays an important role in our careers) Not to apologize for something that [...]

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Mr. CIO Meets the Interns

My company has started a new program to get our interns oriented to process and provide relevant information about various departments. It is called “Jumpstart”.  The goal is to give all our interns a flavor and/or in depth knowledge of various “things” they should know to work effectively. Most firms just throw their interns into [...]

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Pitching the Technical Solution

Presenting a case to non-technical executives is always a challenge. While executives are focused on ROI and keeping cost predictable and sensibly manageable, some do have an ear for technology solutions that bring value and savings over time to an organization. Not all technology requests have to be feared as long as they are presented [...]

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Key Performance Indicators

Every department needs to develop key performance indicators to measure performance. IT is no exception. In fact, it is probably more important for IT to have a set of KPIs to show overall performance in the business. This supports the mission of IT to add value to the organiztion. For my department I have been [...]

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CIO Blogs for July 2011

Reinvent Your Training Methods by Chris Curran Available does not equal best by Eric D. Brown Transitioning IT from a technical focus to a business focus by IT BS Watch How to Kill Projects and Develop Agile Programs Part 1 by Isaac Sacolick Free Answers From Google On How CIOs Can Be Better Managers  by [...]

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The Envelope Rule

I think it sums up the challenges of being CIO nicely. First day on the job as the new CIO you notice 3 envelopes in the top drawer of your desk. The first envelope says “Open Me.” Inside is a note from your predecessor that provides insight on the organization, issues, culture, concerns, etc. You [...]

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Measuring IT Staff Performance

As a CIO or department head it is important to establish a uniform practice of performance evaluation and tie staff compensation directly to performance. Many firms struggle with this task. Many IT shops fail at it. Staff management is the one area where there is no how to book. Instead, it is mostly trial and [...]

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ReBoot – 9 Career Lessons from Dilbert

From the Business Insider’s War Room here are “9 Career Lessons From Dilbert Comic Strips” http://www.businessinsider.com/scott-adams-dilbert-2011-5#-1

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Aspiring To Be More…

I have a recent master’s graduate on my team who is aspiring to be more. His goal to eventually manage various IT projects outside his core competency which is development. He came to me the other day asking about how he can do more. I gave him the following advice to help him along. 1- [...]

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Freshman CIO – Transformation in 365 Days

I have reached the end of my one year as a freshman CIO. Having been in IT, managing projects and IT departments for the past 12 years those 3 letters in my title carries the burden of either succeeding or failing miserably. In my case, the last year has been a success. I was hired to guide [...]

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Where Is Your Risk Assessment?

One of the few analyses that are overlooked in most IT departments is a comprehensive risk assessment. A risk assessment should identify, analyze, and weigh all the potential risks, threats and hazards to a company’s internal and external business environment.  The process of identifying risks/threats, probability of occurrence, the vulnerability to each risk/threat and the [...]

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CIO Blogs for January 2011

Better Communication: Technology Isn’t Always The Best Solution by Mike Schaffner CIO as General Manager? by Mark Brewer Can a CIO be successful without IT experience? Define your terms! by Peter Kretzman Four Models for success for the CTO / CIO- CTOVision by Eric Brown Why CIOs Need Management Power Maps To Get Anything Done [...]

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