There is a men's clothing company that used to run television ads with the byline "our best customer is an educated customer". That philosophy speaks to me. It means to me that a customer who knows the value of good clothing knows what to look for and what to avoid makes it easier for the … Continue reading Training →

I am surprised at how many IT organizations I know of that have not gone through a formal strategic planning process. I say process. The plan, yes, is important. The process though is more important. There are many different types of organizations with their own types of IT. It isn't universal. How does an integrated … Continue reading Strategic Planning →

It is a reality that competition in the workplace exists.  People have goals and ambition and you can be someone who can be neutral, can assist someone else with their goals or get in their way.  CIOs must be keenly aware of this as the CIO has an increasingly pervasive roll in all areas of … Continue reading Competition (in the workplace) →

You may consider yourself a change agent.  Let's face it.  If you are a CIO who recently took over the helm of an organization, you probably see significant opportunities for change.  Let's face it again; if you are a CIO who has been at the helm for some time, you also see significant opportunities for … Continue reading Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast →

  I didn't fully understand the value of diversity until recently.  My perception of the topic was influenced by its often partnered value: inclusion.  With that association, it was too easy for me not to realize the full meaning of diversity.  Luckily, I work in an institution of higher education that values diversity. First, yes, … Continue reading Diversity →

CIOs get calls.  CIOs get a lot of calls and a lot of emails and now a lot of LinkedIn connection requests. I have noted the importance of a good client/vendor relationship in the past.  I value a good vendor partnership.  I also have a good amount of respect for people in the sales business.  … Continue reading LinkedIn Prospectors →

I am the technology head for a high profile organization. I receive a lot of solicitations. I remember what it used to be like when I was in sales. The big fish were the ones that were most intimidating. Their decision cycles were longer, they had more elaborate and formal buying procedures and then there … Continue reading The Client-Vendor Relationship →

I don't like to choose favourites. I may have a fav-du-jour but there's just too much great stuff out there to say any one thing is my favourite. I don't have a favourite album but simply by number of plays and what first jumps to mind when I think of what I like best, Supertramp's … Continue reading My Favourite Album →

used to get annoyed when a song would get to the “musical interlude” section. It seemed mandatory and not really necessary for the song to be whole. It was as if the interlude was there to give the vocalist or whoever was leading the song a chance to take a breather. For me, it was … Continue reading The Best Musical Interludes →

For me, formulas are a killer when it comes to music. Most commercial music is the product of some formula devised more to sell records, to appeal to the most people more quickly and elicit a purchase response than to create art! That is why disco was an abomination in the 70's. Rock 'power' ballads … Continue reading The Ballad →