The demands placed upon today's Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are greater than ever before. As IT becomes a more integral part of business operations and strategies, CIOs must be proficient at decision making, which is one of the most crucial aspects of IT leadership. Confessions of a Successful CIO chronicles nine real-world case studies of the biggest challenges ever faced by an all-star lineup of global IT leaders. With each chapter written as a mini suspense novel, readers are able to gain a three-dimensional understanding of each unique IT challenge and learn directly from the failures and triumphs of industry-leading CIOs.
Leading with technology is, first and foremost, about leadership. While there is no "one-size-fits-all" road to success, great leaders, like the ones profiled within this book, are marked by a unique set of qualities: passion and drive to make a positive difference; the ability to engage others to chart the future and define the path; and the paradoxical ability to maintain optimism and perseverance through difficult circumstances.
As described within, the "art of the possible" entails placing big bets and buying down risks by emphasizing people over process. This is an important message, and one that is largely missing from the left-brain-oriented literature that dominates the technology press.
This book includes timeless lessons on how to exploit technology to the benefit of the business and the people within. This isn't simply a professional resource for CIOs or technology professionals. For businesses of all sizes, managing technology assets is an essential part of everyone's job, and absorbing the insights of this book will provide leaders with a realistic picture of what it takes to leverage technology and transform businesses.