Note

In order to avoid constant firefighting, the CIO must have a strategic plan in place. By developing and building an applications roadmap, IT can plan out a strategy and proactively implement the actions that will allow IT to reach its core...

Note

View how one CIO used quality communication with stakeholders to gain approval for IT initiatives.

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It is essential for all CIOs to maintain quality communication with core business stakeholders in order to build strong relationships and establish trust. Consistent discussion with the senior business leaders and executive decision makers help...

(27-Jun-11) As CIOs work through the thorny issues involved in consolidating IT hardware and personnel, another challenge appears on the horizon: dealing with the “application bloat” that has built up within agencies over the years. In 2009,...

(30-Apr-10) When Paula Bohn first graduated from university with a degree in French and German, she moved across an entire continent to pursue her goal of becoming a language teacher in Europe. Until recently, as a woman in IT, her aspiration...

Solution Set

New IT leaders are often met with political and skills-based challenges for which they aren't prepared.

It takes a new attitude and a specific set of skills to transition into an IT leadership role. That is why IT managers often get caught off guard when taking on new management positions. Learn to assess your leadership capabilities and fully...

The interview process is two-fold. Just as an organization is eager to find out what you are about, you must also be keen to understand the role and the organization. Leverage the interview process to be sure this is the job for you, and be sure...

Earning the respect of technical people takes strategy, especially when you're starting a new IT leadership position. Without credibility, it will be extremely difficult to influence your team and move the IT department forward. Follow...

(15-Oct-09) It's almost impossible to know where to begin. It's as if every facet of the desktop operating system (OS) market is changing ? and IT managers and CIOs are tasked with deciding which OS path to take for the whole organization. Is...

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It takes a new attitude and a specific set of skills to transition into an IT leadership role. That is why IT professionals often get caught off guard when taking on a new leadership position. Learn to assess your leadership capabilities to...

Video

Just as the organization is eager to find out all about you, the job candidate, the interview process also provides you with a unique opportunity to understand the role and the organization. Leverage the interview process to be sure that this is...

If you have to deal with any aspect of people management or human resources, this issue is a must-read. McLean Report members, from IT team leads to CIOs, have been accessing our HR-themed research more than any other topic. Here's your guide...

Is the CIO still relevant to the business? As end-users independently integrate IT into their jobs, some speculate that IT could fade into a back-end utility. But CIOs will remain deserving of their C-level positions as long as they take steps...

A recent compliance survey reveals that 46% of Sarbanes-Oxley steering committees do not include an IT professional in the planning process. Additionally, the data shows that the CIO is the most liable of the C-level executives. Sell IT...

Is the CIO still relevant to the business? As end-users independently integrate IT into their jobs, some speculate that IT could fade into a back-end utility. But CIOs will remain deserving of their C-level positions as long as they take steps...

A major strategic crisis is not the best time for a CIO to realize that they do not have relationships with key members of the executive team that are necessary for making the right choices. Assess the health of executive relationships and...

Defining IT value can seem daunting, but IT leaders of small enterprises must not oversimplify the IT value-measuring process. Understand that in the IT context, value means more than a simple list of benefits. IT leaders must take the time to...

Risk is a business issue. Issues arise when the business takes it for granted that risk management is solely an IT concern. This disconnect can actually increase risk, rather than mitigate it. It is therefore imperative for IT leaders to...

Template/Policy

Every couple of years, an IT manager or CIO must face the burdensome task of having to create IT operations planning for the enterprise. Use this downloadable tool to do it right.

Job Description

The Chief Information Officer's role is to provide vision and leadership for developing and implementing information technology initiatives. The Chief Information Officer directs the planning and implementation of enterprise IT systems in...