On Top of the Cloud: How CIOs Leverage New Technologies to Drive Change and Build Value Across the Enterprise(Wiley CIO)

Praise for ON TOP OF THE CLOUD "21st-century CIOs have a dual responsibility: driving down costs and creating new business value. Managing this seeming dichotomy is the domain of top business executives everywhere, and CIOs everywhere are learning to step it up. The original research contained in Hunter's book serves as a practical road map for IT strategy in today's ultra-competitive markets." —Randy Spratt, EVP, CIO, and CTO, McKesson Corporation "This is a thoughtfully written book, and the timing is perfect. Hunter really understands the challenges confronting transformational CIOs in today's markets, and he captures the choices they face as they work to create value for their organizations while driving down the costs of doing business in the modern world. The wealth of information contained in this book makes it truly valuable to career IT leaders and future CIOs alike." —Mark Polansky, Senior Client Partner and Managing Director, Information Technology Center of Expertise, Korn/Ferry International, North America "The cloud involves more than just technology. It's really more of a new business model. Hunter grasps the central truth about cloud computing, and that's why this is a valuable book. Hunter understands the issues and conveys them in a conversational tone that is truly refreshing." —Dave Smoley, SVP and CIO, Flextronics International "You may think this is a book about technology; well it's not. It's a book about leadership, packed with stories about real leaders finding new customers and markets, transforming the way their organizations work, and adding value—with the next generation of technology as the enabler. The cloud holds real potential. Read this book to see how top CIOs are positioning their companies." —Tony Leng, Managing Director, Diversified Search "Hunter has the unique ability to distill the best thinking of world-class CIOs into something you can act on. If you are a technology executive trying to find the right balance between generating business value and managing IT costs, this is the right book for you. On Top of the Cloud will be especially useful for transformational CIOs tasked with developing their company's strategies for technology-driven business growth." —Randy Krotowski, CIO, Global Upstream, Information Technology, Chevron Corporation

Table of Contents:
Foreword xi Preface xv Acknowledgments xxiii Introduction xxv A New Business Model xxvii ‘‘Thoughtfully Progressive’’ xxviii Part I: Transformational Leadership 1 Chapter 1 The Rising Tide 3 The CIO as Rock Star 6 Real Stories from Real IT Leaders 7 Learning from Listening 8 More Than Technology 9 The Real Challenge Is Organizational 9 Leadership Is Essential 12 Chapter 2 IT Does Matter 17 Stay Focused on Delivering Value 20 Replacing the Perpetual Pendulum 22 Driving the Innovation Agenda 24 It’s All a Question of Perspective 28 Chapter 3 The Engine of Innovation 31 Bringing Innovation to the Surface 36 Incentivizing Innovation 39 Chapter 4 Finding the Right Balance 45 Winds of Change 49 The Third Bucket 51 The Closer 53 Outside versus Inside 55 Articulating the Value of Technology 57 Chapter 5 The Customer-Focused CIO 61 Top Line or Bottom Line? 65 Driving Business Growth 66 The Rapid Enabler 68 Own, Rent, or Both? 72 Multiple Models 75 Also Consider the User Experience 76 Chapter 6 To Cloud or Not to Cloud 79 Fail Fast, Fail Cheap 83 A Skunk Works in the Cloud 85 Weaving the Seamless Tapestry 87 Part II: Driving Change 91 Chapter 7 In Front of the Firewall 93 Avon Calling 100 When the Model Fits 103 Chapter 8 The New Speed of Change 107 Updating the Mental Model 115 Innovation under Pressure 119 The Cloud on Wheels 121 Campaigning in the Cloud 122 Part III: Building Value 127 Chapter 9 Pushing the Envelope 129 Two Sides of the Same Coin 138 A Multiplicity of Clouds 142 Turn of the Tide 146 Translating ‘‘Speeds and Feeds’’ into Cash Flow 152 Chapter 10 Entering the Cloud 155 Governance Is Fundamental to Success 161 Due Diligence 163 Taking ‘‘No’’ Off the Table 173 Afterword 179 Meet Our Sources 189 Recommended Reading 221 About the Author 225 About HMG Strategy LLC 227 Index 229

About the Author :
HUNTER MULLER is the President and CEO of HMG Strategy, LLC, a leading provider of networking events and professional services to CIOs and senior executives across the IT industry. HMG Strategy, LLC is the producer of world-class events such as the CIO Executive Leadership Series, which provides CIOs and senior executives with opportunities to learn from world-class thought leaders, share knowledge and best practices, and interact with peers and industry leaders representing a wide variety of dynamic markets. Muller has more than twenty years of experience in business strategy consulting with a strong focus on IT organization development, strategy, and business alignment.

Review :
"In his book, On Top of the Cloud Muller interviewed top CIOs about the challenges and opportunities of cloud technology, and how they've learned to lead their companies into a cloud-driven future. These transformational CIOs, as Hunter refers to them, are technology leaders, not followers. They function as champions of innovation and continuous improvement, a role that often requires them to be more like a CEO than CIO." (Monster.com, April 2012)