A CIO's Voice

JULY 1, 2014

'The last few months I have been interviewing with firms for the top IT spot. it has been difficult. I have come across several organizations with an interview process that is very unprofessional. I am not sure that this happens to other C level executives or just to CIOs. I would be interested in hearing how other executives are interviewed. 1. A small non-profit educational firm that specializes in charter schools wanted a VP of technology.

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A CIO's Voice

JUNE 5, 2014

'Filed under: C-Level Executives , CIO , CIO/CTO , IT Process , Management Tagged: Alignment , CEO , CFO , Chief Information Officer , CIO , CIO Leader , CMO , COO , corporate innovation , culture , executive , leader , Management.

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 25, 2014

'Sitting on the opposite end on the board room table, CIOs need to understand the type of organization they will be joining. Having been on the other end several times, it is important to get a sense that you will be valuable as a CIO and most importantly have job satisfaction. Below are a few questions I think can help. Can you describe your company’s growth (or lack there of) in terms of revenue and hiring over the last 5-10 years?

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 8, 2014

'4 Ways to Overcome Obstacles and Rethink the CIO Role – See more at: [link]. Explore more visuals like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. Filed under: C-Level Executives , CIO , CIO/CTO , IT Process , Leadership Tagged: CIO , CIO Leader , CIO role.

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 1, 2014

'Big Data is the latest tech jargon to cause grief in the industry. As CIOs we are often charged with explaining it and implementing it. Far too often Big Data is baffling and often misused in business. Gili Keshet-Aspitz has over 2 0 years of experience providing counsel to various startups and high tech leaders in marketing, strategic planning and management.

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 1, 2014

'Big Data is the latest tech jargon to cause grief in the industry. As CIOs we are often charged with explaining it and implementing it. Far too often Big Data is baffling and often misused in business. Greg Barlow is an experienced business intelligence executive and currently Senior Director of Product Marketing and Business Development at Verix. Greg has written a wonderful article on Big Data and the next inflection point on Business Analytics.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 1, 2014

'As I look for a new role that is suitable to my experience and background, I often get rejection letters. At first I would delete them but I decided to keep them and periodically review them. Not that I am angry over being rejected. Contrary, rejection letters just make me have thicker skin. Getting a rejection letter is better then the black hole of no response.

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A CIO's Voice

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'As I continue to look for my new CIO role. I am coming across some organizations that are looking outside their respect industry for talent. I recently interviewed with a publishing company who said flat out they want someone not from the publishing world. “Why?” I asked. They felt that publishing expertise is lagging behind other industries in their use of technology.

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A CIO's Voice

JANUARY 24, 2014

'I am a horrible golfer. I am first to admit it. I struggle with having a complete game. There are days when my long game is on point and others when my short game and putting is phenomenal. It is rare that both are working together. I struggle with it because I want to improve. Like anything in life, if I was good at it from the start what fun will be that be?

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A CIO's Voice

DECEMBER 22, 2013

'I saw this commercial on TV and thought it was well done that speaks volumes about innovation and teamwork. I have been a Lego builder since I was 5. I felt that as toy it has the ability to be so much more and this commercial says that. Filed under: C-Level Executives , CIO , Laid Off , Leadership , Life and Technology Tagged: creativity , innovation , Lego , teamwork , toys.

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A CIO's Voice

DECEMBER 21, 2013

'Dear Santa: . In 2013 we have seen improvement in the economy. Things are looking better. Hopefully the momentum will carry into 2014. I have tried to be really good by being the best CIO I can. So Santa, this year, I would like the following: ? Better analytics for our Big Data initiatives. There is so much information we don’t know where to begin. ?

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A CIO's Voice

DECEMBER 13, 2013

'The other day I was having a conversation with someone in there 20s and I mentioned a TV Guide. They gave me that look you get when you tell people you remember when TV sets had knobs. As technology marches on, there are some items in print that have or are disappearing. I remember reading the TV Guide but I have not used on in over 10 years, since I got cable and use the online TV Guide.

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A CIO's Voice

NOVEMBER 30, 2013

'There are many types of CIOs-– operational, strategic, and transformational; each has their advantages. A good CIO is one that has all these traits. There is another trait that has advantages to an organization. That trait is disruptive. Many CIOs stay within a particular industry. A pharma CIO will normally stay in pharma or a financial CIO will generally stay in financial services.

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A CIO's Voice

NOVEMBER 14, 2013

'I have been actively interviewing. While it has been an interesting time to look for a senior level role I have been cautious about the organizations I have been interviewing with. I have come to realize that some organizations still do not see IT has a strategic tool but purely at a utility with no real long-term value. It is these organizations that I try to stay away from and recently have passed on further interviewing.

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A CIO's Voice

OCTOBER 10, 2013

'I am glad “A CIO’s Voice” made the list. Thanks Evolven. “These executives have a tremendous influence on the IT industry, developments and leadership. With their insights, they help to shape IT, identify trends, and make decisions that have far-reaching impact.” [link]. Filed under: CIO Tagged: Chief Information Officer , CIO , CIO Leader , Leadership , Management , technology.

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A CIO's Voice

OCTOBER 9, 2013

'I was reading an interesting thread on LinkedIn regarding to whom the CIO should report to and as a result how effective the CIO will be. I always find these conversations intriguing especially in some of the comments. So let me paraphrase: Reporting to the Board. You are the uber technologist. You have move away from the mundane and into a strategic role that helps guide the direction of the company.

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A CIO's Voice

SEPTEMBER 10, 2013

'I read this recently on LinkedIn. It’s sad but I know a lot of “managers” that fall into these categories. The comments following the article are especially good. The Tell-Tale Signs Of A Bad Boss by Bernard Marr. [link]. Filed under: C-Level Executives , Leadership , Management Tagged: IT executive , leader , Leadership , leadership style , Management.

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A CIO's Voice

SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

'In my search for a new leadership role, I came across this in a job description for CIO. This can be applied to any CxO roles. CIO/CTO EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: 1 – LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this qualification is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

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A CIO's Voice

AUGUST 22, 2013

'How much is enough? Are you productive during your 8 hours? Some organizations expect you to put in more than 8 hours. Not really for anything else but to show your dedication to working 12 plus hours each day. While there are times when one might put in such long days (i.e. after hours maintenance or systems upgrades), I subscribe to the philosophy that if you cannot complete your task or make progress to complete your task then you are doing something wrong.

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A CIO's Voice

JULY 22, 2013

'A friend on mine sent this to me as he looks for a CIO role. Thought it was interesting enough to post: 1.Describe your experience in the development, implementation and administration of operating and capital budgets. Please be specific about your role. Include dollar amounts of budget(s). 2.Describe your experience working with executives and/or boards including preparation and presentations of recommendations regarding programs or policies. 3.What do you consider to be the highlight of your

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 17, 2010

'On January 27, Martha Heller wrote a great article on the CIO paradox titled, “ What Are the Built-in Challenges that Set IT Up for Failure? ”. I encourage everyone to read it because it clearly points to the conflict that occurs in some organizations about the role of the CIO. Filed under: CIO Tagged: CIO , CIO Leader , cio paradox , CIO role , leader , Leadership , leadership style , Management.

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 19, 2010

'What would comic books look like without superheroes swinging from tall buildings? They might not be as popular and NYC might not be as famous. Well maybe not. But there is no question that superheroes and NYC go hand-in-hand. Check out Peter Gutierrez piece in the NY Times, Why So Many Superheroes Are Drawn to New York to read more. Filed under: Random Thoughts , ReBoot Tagged: Batman , Big Apple , Gotham , Manhattan , NYC , superheroes , superman.

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 22, 2010

'As a former architect, I am a strong believer in having strong foundations. Without a strong/stable foundation anything you build on top will be weak and might collapse. Information technology is no different. Without a stable environment, anything you add on top will be prone to issues. Below is an illustration of what I believe the fundamentals are for any environment.

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 24, 2010

'“IT is broken, and it needs fixing…”. So you want to be a turnaround CIO? You want to go into an enterprise and turn around performance and create a sharp improvement in delivered value from IS. Turnaround CIOs require deep IT experience and the ability to come into a chaotic situation and make things work. What are the characteristics of a turnaround CIO: Deep IT experience.

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 26, 2010

'When it comes to computers I am always a bit hard on the technology. I believe that computers are tools and should function as such. When I pick up my hammer I know I will hit a nail perfectly each and every time. That is the whole point of tools. Computers should be no different! I was always skeptically about transitioning to Apple but my former boss talked me into it.

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 28, 2010

'Change Management by Mark Brewer. Licensing Challenges by Mark Brewer. Yes we can, yes we must: the ongoing case for IT/Business alignment by Peter Kretzman. Outsourcing–When it works, when it doesn’t by Don Lewis. Is Creativity & Innovation enough? by Eric D. Brown. The VolksPad by Oliver Widder. Taking Control Of Your Technology by Mike Schaffner.

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A CIO's Voice

MARCH 31, 2010

'“Job loss, unemployment and never-ending job searches can lead even the most upbeat people toward depression. Follow IT professionals’ and mental health experts’ tried-and-true advice for preventing depression before it derails your job search.” By Meridith Levinson. [link]. Filed under: Career , CIO Tagged: depression , job loss.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 2, 2010

'My TomTom One died on me last weekend, just as I needed it. Isn’t that just like technology? Because I have started a new job I felt I needed to get something in my car. While my iPhone Google maps works great, it is a hassle to use while driving, especially when I am alone. So my wife talked about getting a new one. Price was especially important.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 5, 2010

'Here is a great article by Meridith Levinson regarding unemployment and IT professionals. “If you lose your job, get ready for a wild ride on the emotional rollercoaster. Your daily routines, lifestyle, relationships and identity will be upended, say IT execs who survived long job searches and unemployment to tell the tale.” By Meridith Levinson.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 19, 2010

'Being a turnaround CIO has its good and bad points. First there is the excitement of trying to fix things and implement process and procedures that are currently not in place. You come into a company with a fresh set of eyes and the eagerness to get things done and functioning. All eyes are on you to show change. You are a shiny new penny. The bad points.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 21, 2010

'Terminating an employee is a stressful time for you and your team. It is even more stressful when you are the new CIO expected to turnaround an underperforming IT team. Your job is to make changes and get the department back on track. Doing that requires you to terminate underperformers to make room for others that can add real long-term value to the team and ultimately yourself.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 23, 2010

'The last few years I have been at a loss for a decent haircut at a reasonable price. I cannot seem to find the right guy or they keep on retiring. When I was kid I would go with my father to Brooklyn to get my haircut. My barber at the time was one of these old school guys that did it all with a scissors. It was a great haircut that would last me weeks – all for $8.

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A CIO's Voice

APRIL 26, 2010

'As we cut costs and downsize, most IT shops are learning to do more with less. IT has been considered overhead so it makes sense to trim staff in this department first. You are only given so many stalls in your stable so you need to fill it with high performing horses. Right? To begin, you need to assess your roster of players. Areas to analyze are: What was their past performance?

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 14, 2010

'So I have been asked to write a speech for my cousin’s upcoming wedding. It is a great honor for anyone to be asked to take on such a task especially at a wedding. Everything will be recorded for future viewing so there is no living down any mistakes. I have written speeches in the past and spoken to boards, executives, staff, etc. For some reason this time around I am more nervous.

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 17, 2010

'So I am looking to rebuild my team and bring in some power hitters. You would think that in this economy people would be enthusiastic about joining a growing company. I thought once I put the word out there there would be a lot of interest and qualified candidates. I was wrong…. I interviewed only a handful of candidates. Some of which needed some serious coaching on how to interview.

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 19, 2010

'The last few weeks I have been rebuilding my department. I am a believer in hiring people who have core competencies but also general knowledge in other areas. I divided my team into 3 functional areas: Support Operations. This includes helpdesk and site support. Both key areas for MIS success. Network Operations. Alls things networking. A stable foundation is key to building and moving forward.

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A CIO's Voice

MAY 21, 2010

'Interesting conversation at work the other day about having a dimple in a man’s necktie. You know the dimple – the one that goes in the center of the necktie, just below the knot? In my experience, the dimple either happens, or it doesn’t. You might have to get used to the fact that some days will be dimple days, and other days won’t.

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