?The CIO
What is Paradox
By Martha Heller
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“Operations vs. Strategy” Paradox1
You were hired to be strategic, but you spend
most of the time on operational issues.
“It is really tough to be strategic when your pants are on fire.”Ron Kifer, CIO, Applied Materials
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“Operations vs. Strategy” Paradox1
Video clip: Martha Heller on Why She WroteThe CIO Paradox: Battling the Contradictions of IT Leadership
Click image to play video
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“IT and the Business” Paradox2
IT is intimately involved in every facet of the business, yet is often considered separate and
removed from the business.
“IT and the Business” Paradox2
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“No one fully understands what IT does. So we are on an island.”Colleen Wolf, CIO, Ventura Foods
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Your staff is most comfortable with technology, but they must also possess communication skills and be
good with people.
“Talent” Paradox
“I would love to hire someone to do my hair, feed my children, manage my database, and drywall the basement. But workers don’t come like that.”Martha Heller
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“Futurist vs. Archivist” Paradox4
As CIO, you must envision the future while changing the past. This means deploying
emerging technologies while simultaneously upgrading legacy systems.
“Futurist vs. Archivist” Paradox4
vs“When people are asked to investment in something that doesn’t feel competitive, they resist. But if you cannot sell foundational improvements, you will layer complexity on top of legacy and make the mess worse.” Tom Murphy, CIO, University of Pennsylvania
“Corporate Board” Paradox5
“By turning a blind eye to IT, boards are ignoring one of the most key components of their chartered responsibility.”Bob DeRodes, CIO, The Home Depot
IT can make or break a company, but CIOs rarely serve on corporate boards.
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“Accountability vs. Ownership” Paradox
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You are accountable for the success of a project, but the business has to own it.
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“Accountability vs. Ownership” Paradox “Getting business partners
to do their part in implementing IT is like ‘pushing on a rope’.”Anonymous
Martha Heller’s Keynote Address:video clip from “Breaking The CIO Paradox.”
Click image to play video
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Cost vs. InnovationParadox7
The CIO is the steward of cost containment, yet must also innovate. This means having no room
for failure and allowing for failure all at the same time.
“Our job is to figure out how to stabilize the ‘run’ side of the business and then take those cost savings and reinvest them in the innovation.”Kim Hammonds, CIO, Boeing
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Cost vs. InnovationParadox7
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