10 Reasons Why Strategic IT Management Initiatives Fail

While the current global economy is in a state of confusion and recession, the need to take bold moves in managing IT and improving IT processes is more relevant than ever. “Business as usual” and simply cutting back across the board in high technology investments can often lead to competitive disadvantages and actually create costs;…

Execs See Technology As Important – But Not IT

Another survey about business/IT satisfaction gaps—yet again. The more things change, in many ways the more they remain the same. This one points out that business functional view of the importance of technology is not synonymous with IT’s ability to adequately support it. This article revolves around Forrester’s July 2008 survey of 600 business executives…

The Five Top Reasons Why IT Doesn’t Innovate

A recent newspaper story recalled the plight of a software enthusiast who created an application that allowed users of a transit system to check bus schedules on their mobile phone. The transit company does post the schedules on its website, but they are unreadable on mobile phones. The application developer brought his idea to the…

CIOs Emerging as Business Leaders

With the shift from backroom to boardroom still a work in progress, CIOs are finding their role far from defined. Suddenly, it’s no longer good enough to have a seat at the table, to build a business case, to forge business alignment, or even to bring innovation to bear, now CIOs are being pushed into…

Agile Management: What CIOs can Learn from Developers

There is a lot of buzz around the use of Agile methodologies for software development, and Agile is providing quantifiable benefits for companies engaged in large-scale development projects. By applying Agile principles, software development executives have reported multiple benefits, including higher quality software, a product that “hits the mark” in terms of meeting business requirements,…

Using RACI to Drive Change

The RACI model is commonly used in business to define responsibilities and accountabilities for project, however it is not often used to ensure all responsibilities are covered after a major organizational transformation. A RACI—responsible, accountable, consulted, informed—can be used to track a process flow and hand-offs, and as the foundation to effect change in behavior….

7 Tips that Get Management to Listen

Does this sound familiar? You have a great idea that will revolutionize the world (well, at least your part of it). It uses the latest Web 2.5 paradigm, Cleanax API 7.6, and takes advantage of all the bells and whistles on the latest Pithium Excelon 2K9-7 processor. What’s not to like in such a project?…

The Power of Weak Connections

The most effective leaders have strong personal and professional networks that they can go to for information, support, real work, and air-cover. Every executive needs to build and maintain their network. It’s crucial for both credibility and effectiveness. Over the past two years, I have been gathering data about how practiced people are at personal…

Bank Savers Run at the Click of a Mouse

What if there were a run on a bank and no one knew? In recent days some U.S. media have focused on a “silent run” on the deposits of Wachovia bank, which is now being taken over, after a bailout plan stalled and its rival Washington Mutual was seized. Commentators including Nouriel Roubini, Professor of…

How ‘Technical’ Do You Need To Be?

Technology executives have to strike the right balance between being technically brilliant, and letting go of enough detail to have the time and energy to invest in leading. Of course, some level of technical competence is required to be in the game, but it becomes a problem if it comes at the expense of leadership…