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 Jim Anderson
Becoming a CIO – Current Thinking for IT Leaders by Scott Booher
Countering a disturbing bandwagon: rich vs. poor IT organizations by Peter Kretzman
The diminishing role of IT and the CIO(?) by Eric D. Brown
Strategic or Operational, the choice is yours! by Oh I See (CIO Inverted)
Here are some blog postings that I found interesting this month:
Managing Tough Times in 2009 – Grinding it out by Lui Sieh
Risk in IT by Mark Brewer
Conventional wisdom that fails for IT by Peter Kretzman
Good Service vs. Bad Service–A Lesson for IT by Don Lewis
Poisonous Snakes, Sharp Knives, And Angry Natives – How Much Risk Can You Handle? by Jim Anderson
Here are some blog posting that I found interesting this month:
Cultural challenges and challenging cultures by A Pai Mei Guy
e-Skills: Beyond Buzzword Bingo by Ade McCormack
I am not Google – an email rant by Will Weider
4 CIO Priorities for 2010 (slideshow) by Chris Curran
When are you “ready”? by Don Lewis
Agility and The New CIO by Eric Brown
Avoiding The IT Death Spiral by Mike Schaffner
How to become a CIO by Oh I See (CIO inverted)
Characteristics of Innovative Organizations, Pt. 3 of 3 by SSP BPI Group
The Three Cs Of IT Failures by John Moore
This week President Obama reached 100 days since he took office. While many political pundits consider this milestone antiquated it is an important metric which all executives especially IT executives should use to gauge their performance.
What should a new IT executive have done in his/her first 100 days?
1. Listen to what the business is telling you. Spend time with business leaders and just listen to them. It is important to understand the business process and the players involved. Yes, politics will be important.
2. Meet with your staff and business leaders regularly. Get to know them. Their strengths and weaknesses.
3. Repair broken relationships quickly especially if they are business relationships.
4. Speak in business terms and stay away from the latest tech buzz words.
5. Assess IT’s capabilities. Are they in line with business goals? If not, what needs to be done to get it in line?
6. Freeze projects when appropriate until you can get up-to-speed. Put together a hit list of projects that have gone off track with a cost/benefit analysis.
7. Stabilize operations and get your processes to a minimum level that is acceptable and manageable.
8. Articulate IT’s goals and objectives. Develop a mission statement and business plan.
Over the last several months I have started growing my “brand” to increase my exposure to the world. In my search for a new job, there are a few processes that one needs to have in place.
First, you have to network. It sounds hard and it could be depending on how you go about it. Never forget the people you worked with or went to school with. That guy in the mailroom might be working at a better position at another firm. Your college professor might be working as a consultant now and remembers what a good student you were. Always keep a rolodex of contacts and try to stay in touch with them periodically. Never burn your bridges unless you really have to and even then do not do it. And always enlist your friends and family. They are a good source to network for you.
Second, get on social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook. I have recently gotten on Facebook and I am still trying to find my way around as a tool. LinkedIn is a must for any professional. I have grown my network ten-fold without leaving my house. As a tool you can target individuals and groups that meet your interests. Your profile should always be up-to-date and you should have recommendations and connections to people.
Third, if you are an executive you should be writing. Whether in print or online you should do so. This gets your name out and grows your reputation and brand. It also keeps you thinking and your mind active. Starting a blog is free and easy to get started. In this day and age there is no reason not to be publishing something.
Fourth, join professional groups. I belong to TENG and as a group I think they are fabulous. Groups bring together people with similar backgrounds and interests. Do a search on Yahoo groups to find those relevant to you. Also Meetup.com is also another site that has groups that might be of interest. It is not necessary to join only professional groups but join those that are fun like golf or photography. Who knows, your golf club group might have people that can help you.
Fifth, subscription sites like The Ladders or Bluesteps should be approached cautiously. I have had some success with sites like this but overall I do not recommend them. Also free sites like Dice and Monster are a total waste for anyone with a lot of experience.
Sixth, have a handful of recruiters ready. Most senior level jobs, when available, are usually sent through a recruiting agency. So it is best to have a few that know you on your call list. Always remember, recruiters do not work for you but for their clients.
Last, it is important to give back. If you do land a position, remember that are many more out there without work. If you can help someone then you should. You will sleep better at night.
A CIO's Voice 