Foreword xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Preface xv
Chapter 1 The New Normal 1
Executive Summary 1
The Best CIOs Know that Results Trump Technology 4
Leadership Excellence Is a Critical Competitive Advantage 5
The Big Shift Is Vital in a Customer-Centric Global Economy 6
The Big Shift Is a Total Game Changer 8
7 Action Steps for CIOs Who Are Ready for the Big Shift 10
Rapidly Changing Technology Plays Directly to CIOs’ Strengths 12
The Big Shift Embraces and Accepts the Realities of Customer-Centric IT 14
CIO Focus Shifts from Creating Internal Productivity to Driving External Value 15
Competitive Success Is Linked to Collaboration and Innovation 17
Shifting Consumer Demands Require CIOs to Adjust to the Experience Economy 19
Shifting Consumer Economy Raises the Bar for CIOs 21
Case Closed: IT Still Matters 23
Notes 24
Chapter 2 The CIO and the C-Suite 27
Executive Summary 27
Speaking the Language of Business Is Essential for Exceptional CIOs and IT Leaders 31
Leverage the Power of Great Habits to Drive Relationships across the C-Suite 33
Maintain Relevancy and Set the Agenda 35
Team Leaders Are Not Lone Heroes 37
Leaders Need “Triple Package” of Critical Traits 39
In Changing Times, Innovative Leadership Is a Critical Asset 41
Are You Proactive or Reactive? 43
Leaders Build Trust, across the C-Suite and within 45
Preparing for the Future of IT Includes Waging the War for Talent 46
Find the Best People—You’ll Need Them as IT Expands Its Role 48
Achieving the Right Mix of Talent and Technical Abilities 50
Why I’m Genuinely Optimistic about the Future of IT 52
Notes 54
Chapter 3 Innovation 55
Executive Summary 55
Great CIOs Leverage Innovation to Create New Products and Drive Real Growth for the Business 59
CIOs Are Essential for Enabling Innovation 61
CIOs Are Evolving from Tactical Support to Strategic Leadership 63
Leaders Create Tangible Value for the Modern Enterprise 65
Bringing the Consumer Service Experience into the Modern Global Enterprise 67
Leaders Leverage the Interplay between Consumer and Business Technologies 69
CIO Leadership Must Move beyond the Boundaries of Traditional IT 71
Great CIOs Learn the Business’s Needs and Use IT to Drive Success across the Enterprise 73
Chapter 4 Exceptional Leadership 77
Executive Summary 77
Great CIOs Leverage Trust and Deep Knowledge to Provide Real Business Value in Rapidly Changing Times 81
Great CIOs and IT Vendors Work Together on Long-Term Strategy 83
Keep IT Relevant to the Business in Modern Dynamic Markets 85
Use Best Practices for Building Bridges across the C-Suite 87
Will CIOs Experience Similar Career Trajectories as CFOs? 90
When Building Tighter Relationships with the C-Suite, Location Matters 93
Delivering Real Business Value from Technology Investments 95
Transforming Vendor Relationships from Transactional to Strategic 97
In EMEA, Demand Rises for Two Types of CIOs 100
Forecast: Trends Point to Growth for Visionary CIOs and IT Leaders 102
Note 104
Chapter 5 How Much, How Fast? 105
Executive Summary 105
Create a Smart Process for Engaging Successfully with SaaS Providers 109
Great CIOs Know When They Have Hit the Limits of IT Outsourcing 111
Building Trust in the Enterprise Requires Focus, Energy, and Great Leadership 113
Use the CenterPoint to Maintain Alignment, Adapt to Change, and Sustain Execution 116
Build Deep Foundations of Trust with Simple Contracts 118
True Leaders Embrace the Challenge and Accept the Risk 119
Notes 121
Chapter 6 Security, Big Data, and the Internet of Things 123
Executive Summary 123
You Can’t Build a Wall High Enough to Keep out the Bad Guys 127
Leveraging Data across the Enterprise 128
The New Water Cooler for Better Decisions 131
As Markets Evolve, IT Focus Shifts to Business Results 137
Hadoop and the Enterprise Data Warehouse 139
Great CIOs Perceive the Opportunities and Benefits of Consumer IT in the Enterprise 141
Connected Devices Are Smarter and Smaller 143
Transforming IT Is a Critical Step in Building Strong Relationships with the Business 145
Create a Process and a Platform for Change and Innovation in the Modern Enterprise 147
Worried about UI versus UX? Focus Instead on Delivering Great CX 149
Will IT Build the New Front End for the Customer-Centric Enterprise? 151
Smart Companies Leverage Innovation to Drive Value into the Business 153
Great Firms Leverage the Skill and Expertise of Their CIOs Before Leaping into Newer Technologies 154
Getting Serious about Cybersecurity 156
Hunting on the Network: Q&A with Cybersecurity Expert Shawn Henry of CrowdStrike 158
Dealing with Cyber Crime Requires a Realistic Mindset 166
Focusing on Future Trends 173
Five Key Trends that Are Fundamentally Transforming IT Leadership 177
Notes 179
Recommended Reading 181
Meet Our Expert Sources 185
About the Author 229
About HMG Strategy LLC 231
Index 233
