Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

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:
Preface xiii Introduction xv Chapter 1 First Things First: What Is Leadership? 1 Defining Leadership 1 Leadership versus Management 2 Misconceptions about Leadership 8 Leadership Roles 11 Chapter 2 That Vision Thing 21 Importance of Vision 21 Deciding Whose Vision It Is 22 Helping Employees Feel Ownership 24 Creating the Vision 25 Aligning Your Vision with the Vision of Your People 26 Inspiring Others to Share the Vision 28 Making the Vision Real for People 29 Chapter 3 It’s the Business, Stupid! 31 The Purpose of IT 32 The Foolishness of Alignment 33 Three Questions about IT’s Role in the Organization’s Mission 34 Fiscal Management—IT Is an Investment, Not a Cost 35 IT as a Tool to Drive Revenue 37 Ways to Engage the Board 38 The CIO as a Business Leader, Not Technologist 42 Meaningful Metrics 44 Focus on What Matters 44 Managing Perception versus Reality 47 Chapter 4 Communication 51 The Importance of Communication 51 The Importance of Listening 54 Who Do I Need to Communicate With? 55 How Should I Communicate with Them? 56 How Often Should I Communicate? 58 The Need for Marketing 60 What Is Your Brand? 64 Leading a Volunteer Army 65 Communicating Tough Messages 67 Focusing on the Issue, Not the Person 70 Honesty and Transparency 71 Chapter 5 Relationship Management 75 No Man (or Woman) Is an Island 76 Helping Other People Succeed 77 Being a Team Builder 79 Building Credibility 81 The Law of WIFM—What’s in it for Me? 83 Leading by Serving 86 What People Feel about You Is More Important than Reality 88 Chapter 6 Developing Human Capital 93 Leading ‘‘Persons’’ 94 Leveraging People’s Unique Talents 96 Engaging the Whole Person 97 Focusing on Strengths 100 Recruiting/Retaining/Developing 101 Making Sure a Person Is Better Off for Having Had the Experience 104 Recognizing and Rewarding Your People’s Efforts and Successes 105 Chapter 7 Leading the Process of Change 109 Change Is Uncomfortable 110 Selling the Need for Change 111 Personalizing the Need for Change 112 Making Change a Part of Your Culture 112 Building Community 116 Ensuring Buy-in 117 Breaking Change into Bite-sized Chunks 118 Supporting Progress along the Way 119 Celebrating and Communicating Progress/Success 120 Comparing Position versus Influence 124 Balancing Change with Disciplined Project Management 125 Developing a Culture of Innovation 128 Developing a Culture of Accountability 129 Chapter 8 Partnering for Success 133 Some Words Are Used Too Loosely 134 Creating an Empowered, Team-oriented Environment 135 Adjusting to the Twenty-first-century Workforce 136 Partnering with Your Team 138 Partnering with Your Clients 138 Partnering with Your Executive Management and Board of Directors 140 Sourcing—Expanding Your Team to Include Outside Partners 141 Networking in the Industry 144 Chapter 9 Developing the Qualities of a Great Leader 147 Being Authentic 148 Inspiring Others 151 Building Trust 151 Showing Humility 154 Having a Bias Toward Action 155 Leveraging Collective Wisdom 157 Building Personal Relationships 161 Influencing Others 164 Showing Your Humanity 165 Empowering the People around You 166 Being Receptive to Feedback 168 Being Likable 168 Being Accountable 170 The Most Important Characteristic of a Leader—Having Integrity 171 Chapter 10 Sustainability 173 Accomplishing Short-term Success Is Only the First Step 173 Individual Leaders Can Drive Short-term Success 175 You Need a Culture of Leadership to Ensure Long-term Viability 176 A Leader’s Job Is Not Only Creating Success—It Is Creating Other Leaders 177 Chapter 11 Homework and Parting Thoughts 181 Leadership Begins with Me! 181 I am IT! 181 Be Wary of Linda Ronstadt Disease 182 Seek Alignment versus Consensus 182 God Gave You Two Ears and One Mouth 183 How Do You Feel When You Are the Customer? 183 Leadership Is a Responsibility, Not a Privilege 184 You Are Either Part of the Solution or Part of the Problem—the Choice Is Yours 185 There Are Three Kinds of People in the World 186 When You Change, Your World Changes 187 About the Author 191 Index 193

About the Author :
LARRY BONFANTE has held executive leadership positions over the past twenty-nine years in the financial, pharmaceutical, nonprofit, consulting, and sports and entertainment industries. He has received numerous industry accolades, including being named one of Computerworld’s Premier 100 IT Leaders in 2009. As Chief Information Officer at the United States Tennis Association, his team is responsible for all information technology–related services supporting the U.S. Open, the most highly attended annual sporting event in the world. A founding member of the CIO Executive Council, he is the founder of CIO Bench Coach, LLC, an executive coaching practice for IT executives. He has served as a mentor and executive coach for many IT leaders in various industries and serves as Chairman of the Fairfield-Westchester chapter of SIM. He has been a guest lecturer for the master’s degree programs at Columbia University, NYU, and Polytechnic Institute and is an accomplished public speaker who has presented at many industry conferences. He writes a leadership column and blog for CIO Insight magazine. He can be reached at Larry@CIOBenchCoach.com. You can learn more about his executive coaching practice at www.CIOBenchCoach.com.