Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

Book description

Important insights into the true purpose of IT from a CIO's perspective

Focusing on the qualities required to transform an organization through the lens of the CIO, this book provides practical advice on how to address key issues, as well as create a context for the type of leadership qualities required to broaden the CIO's impact in every aspect of the corporation.

  • Provides practical advice on key issues for leadership qualities
  • Looks at the differences between leadership and management and the need for effectiveness in both disciplines
  • Explores relationship management, communication skills, change management, developing human capital, sustainability, alignment, and qualities of great leaders

A timely look at how the IT function can become totally aligned with the strategies and operational direction of the business enterprise, Lessons in IT Transformation reveals how CIOs can and should evolve from managers of utility services to business leaders who can drive revenue, value, and process redesign.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Preface
    1. What Is a CIO?
    2. It's Common Sense
  6. Introduction
  7. Chapter 1: First Things First: What Is Leadership?
    1. Defining Leadership
    2. Leadership versus Management
    3. Misconceptions about Leadership
    4. Leadership Roles
  8. Chapter 2: That Vision Thing
    1. Importance of Vision
    2. Deciding Whose Vision It Is
    3. Helping Employees Feel Ownership
    4. Creating the Vision
    5. Aligning Your Vision with the Vision of Your People
    6. Inspiring Others to Share the Vision
    7. Making the Vision Real for People
  9. Chapter 3: It's the Business, Stupid!
    1. The Purpose of IT
    2. The Foolishness of Alignment
    3. Three Questions about IT's Role in the Organization's Mission
    4. Fiscal Management—IT Is an Investment, Not a Cost
    5. IT as a Tool to Drive Revenue
    6. Ways to Engage the Board
    7. The CIO as a Business Leader, Not Technologist
    8. Meaningful Metrics
    9. Focus on What Matters
    10. Managing Perception versus Reality
  10. Chapter 4: Communication
    1. The Importance of Communication
    2. The Importance of Listening
    3. Who Do I Need to Communicate With?
    4. How Should I Communicate with Them?
    5. How Often Should I Communicate?
    6. The Need for Marketing
    7. What Is Your Brand?
    8. Leading a Volunteer Army
    9. Communicating Tough Messages
    10. Focusing on the Issue, Not the Person
    11. Honesty and Transparency
  11. Chapter 5: Relationship Management
    1. No Man (or Woman) Is an Island
    2. Helping Other People Succeed
    3. Being a Team Builder
    4. Building Credibility
    5. The Law of WIFM—What's in it for Me?
    6. Leading by Serving
    7. What People Feel about You Is More Important than Reality
  12. Chapter 6: Developing Human Capital
    1. Leading “Persons”
    2. Leveraging People's Unique Talents
    3. Engaging the Whole Person
    4. Focusing on Strengths
    5. Recruiting/Retaining/Developing
    6. Making Sure a Person Is Better Off for Having Had the Experience
    7. Recognizing and Rewarding Your People's Efforts and Successes
  13. Chapter 7: Leading the Process of Change
    1. Change Is Uncomfortable
    2. Selling the Need for Change
    3. Personalizing the Need for Change
    4. Making Change a Part of Your Culture
    5. Building Community
    6. Ensuring Buy-in
    7. Breaking Change into Bite-sized Chunks
    8. Supporting Progress along the Way
    9. Celebrating and Communicating Progress/Success
    10. Comparing Position versus Influence
    11. Balancing Change with Disciplined Project Management
    12. Developing a Culture of Innovation
    13. Developing a Culture of Accountability
  14. Chapter 8: Partnering for Success
    1. Some Words Are Used Too Loosely
    2. Creating an Empowered, Team-oriented Environment
    3. Adjusting to the Twenty-first-century Workforce
    4. Partnering with Your Team
    5. Partnering with Your Clients
    6. Partnering with Your Executive Management and Board of Directors
    7. Sourcing—Expanding Your Team to Include Outside Partners
    8. Networking in the Industry
  15. Chapter 9: Developing the Qualities of a Great Leader
    1. Being Authentic
    2. Inspiring Others
    3. Building Trust
    4. Showing Humility
    5. Having a Bias Toward Action
    6. Leveraging Collective Wisdom
    7. Building Personal Relationships
    8. Influencing Others
    9. Showing Your Humanity
    10. Empowering the People around You
    11. Being Receptive to Feedback
    12. Being Likable
    13. Being Accountable
    14. The Most Important Characteristic of a Leader—Having Integrity
  16. Chapter 10: Sustainability
    1. Accomplishing Short-term Success Is Only the First Step
    2. Individual Leaders Can Drive Short-term Success
    3. You Need a Culture of Leadership to Ensure Long-term Viability
    4. A Leader's Job Is Not Only Creating Success—It is Creating Other Leaders
  17. Chapter 11: Homework and Parting Thoughts
    1. Leadership Begins with Me!
    2. I am IT!
    3. Be Wary of Linda Ronstadt Disease
    4. Seek Alignment versus Consensus
    5. God Gave You Two Ears and One Mouth
    6. How Do You Feel When You Are the Customer?
    7. Leadership Is a Responsibility, Not a Privilege
    8. You Are Either Part of the Solution or Part of the Problem—the Choice Is Yours
    9. There Are Three Kinds of People in the World
    10. When You Change, Your World Changes
  18. About the Author
  19. Index

Product information

  • Title: Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader
  • Author(s): Larry Bonfante
  • Release date: May 2011
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781118004470