You don’t need to coach your team on technology. Rather, coach them on communication, strategy, the business, personal performance, teamwork, dealing with conflict, and leadership. Coaching I was blessed in my career to have leaders that were willing to invest their...

Measure IT to build trust, credibility, and respect from the rest of the business enabling IT to serve a transformational role. Introduction I frequently speak and write on the topics of the IT Value Journey and Measuring the Value of IT. Please refer to some of the...

When you delegate tasks, you create followers. When you delegate authority, you create leaders. Quoted from pastor and author Craig Groeschel. Delegating Every leader needs to delegate. It’s obvious, right? If you’re “doing” you’re not “leading.” Sure, that makes...

A non-technical CIO may be able to develop AND execute the IT strategy as effectively as, or even better than, the technical CIO. Strategy Development We previously wrote an entire series on IT Strategy Management – the marriage of strategy and execution. I encourage...

Articulate a clear vision, show your team why it’s achievable, and then prepare to be amazed by what people can accomplish. The Power of a Vision According to Bain Consulting, 95% of employees don’t know their company’s strategy. Do you know what your company’s...

Today’s CIO does not need a deep understanding of technology, but better understand what technology can do for the business and have the leadership skills to make it happen. Trending Toward Non-Technical IT Leaders Have you noticed how many CIOs and chief digital...

CEOs and CIOs need to bridge the gap between strategy and execution to dramatically improve financial outcomes. What is the Strategy-Execution Gap? Harvard Business Review reported that companies on average deliver only 63% of the financial performance their...

When we think about QUALITY rather than GOVERNANCE, both improve. It’s All in Our Heads I learned something interesting in my early IT audits that led to a completely changed attitude about governance. I worked for a CTO that insisted that we not cooperate with the...

Communication, through various channels and with messaging that’s tailored to the audience, will dramatically increase the value that IT provides the company.  Why Communication Will Make or Break IT Most people would agree that IT is one of the least understood...

There is nothing more precious in any organization than teamwork. Without teamwork, little gets accomplished. With teamwork, amazing feats are achieved. Building Strong Teams One of the most important responsibilities of the CIO is to build and sustain a solid,...

No matter how well you think you’re doing, there is always room to raise the bar. Create a spirit of continuous improvement and you will have a successful team. Perfection is a Journey, Not a Destination We all strive to succeed. Sometimes, we pause at a plateau on...

Today, more than ever, the IT organization needs to prove the value it provides. If you’re a CEO, CFO, CIO or board member, these quick tips should provide guidance on measuring, and increasing, the value of IT. The Challenge Most CEOs that I speak with tell me that...