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One of the oldest jokes in the IT world is that the acronym CIO doesn’t actually stand for Chief Information Officer, but rather Career Is Over. Why the joke has endured for so long is hardly a mystery: Being a CIO is a stressful, difficult job in which failure is the norm. And since boards and shareholders rarely understand what the CIO does, it is also an extremely undervalued position that tends to end up on the chopping block whenever cutbacks are introduced.
But it’s not just boards and shareholders that don’t understand what the CIO does. Sometimes not even the CIO has a firm grasp of what the CIO does. The world of technology evolves at such a rapid pace that keeping up with it requires a commitment to learning that’s almost unthinkable in any other profession.
Luckily, there are dozens of magazines out there to help CIOs avoid this unfortunate fate. Here are 10 of them.

PC Magazine

PC Magazine cover
PC Magazine is the quintessential resource for reviews of technology solutions from hardware to security. While it’s not purely geared towards industry professionals, its Features section can provide insights into the competitive landscapes across the technology sector for personal computing that can be carried over to enterprise solutions.

Macworld

Macworld cover
Macworld is a consumer magazine focused on Apple and compatible products and services. Whereas PC Magazine focuses on the broader consumer base, Macworld hones in on the hardware and software nuances of Apple with tutorials, reviews, buying guides, and more. While it is consumer focused, CIO/CTOs can use its content to help colleagues understand technology with less tech-speak.

Wired

Wired cover
Wired Magazine covers how technology connects to various industries from business to entertainment. It’s a mix of consumer and trade publications, giving insights on trends and the impact of technology on individuals and companies.

CIO

CIO cover
No tech leader’s magazine rack is complete without a copy of CIO on it. Leaders not only need to know about new tools, they need to have the data to back up the viability of technology trends. CIO provides it all through informative features, sharp opinions, and case studies/analytical reports. Its online content, including blogs and videos, act as professional development tools for IT managers.

IT Professional Magazine

IT Professional cover
The IEEE Computer Society, an offshoot of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, publishes IT Professional Magazine to connect with developers and enterprise IT managers. They share informative content on a variety of topics from Internet security to system integration. This publication focuses on peer-reviewed, academic research as opposed to news trends or product reviews.

Harvard Business Review

Harvard Business Review cover
No matter your position in business, the Harvard Business Review is a must read. It contains a balance of news articles, professional profiles, case studies, and academic research from across the globe. It explores business from a variety of angles, including technology, marketing, and human resources. Readers can benefit from the information to develop strategy and communicate with other business areas.

Forbes

Forbes cover
Forbes is a classic publication in the business. It is not as academic as the Harvard Business Review, but it digs deep into the business world, no matter the industry. It makes the connection between finance, technology, and efficiency by covering current events, business trends, and top influencers across the globe.

Fast Company

Fast Company cover
Fast Company makes technology news cutting-edge. It focuses on innovation across industries and hones in on how technology has helped people and business thrive. It looks at how creativity is re-inventing how we view business, each other, and the world around us. For CIO/CTOs, it helps to “humanize” technology and make it accessible to everyone across your company.

MIT Technology Review

MIT Technology Review cover
What the Harvard Business Review is to the business world, MIT Technology Review is to the IT world. Based out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this publication features a mix of academic research and current events to report on how technology is filling gaps from education to business to non-profit (and more). It explores innovation, strategy, and development in technology, specifically to business and IT leaders.

Inc.

Inc Magazine Cover
Whether your business is big or small, Inc. reports on current events and business trends to help get your company on track. It provides insights and resources through relatable storytelling while demonstrating success through companies embracing technology and innovation. Their profile business leaders and rank top companies to give readers a view of the competitive landscape in business and what’s on the horizon.
All of the above-mentioned publications are available in multiple platforms: print, digital, mobile, etc. Many offer supplemental content in the form of videos and podcasts. You can read in the office or during your commute. All the way, you’re continuing to learn as a leader in business and technology.
Have a favorite publication we haven’t listed? Tell us about it and how it has helped you develop your leadership skills in IT.
Additional Reading
5 Must-Have AV Products For Your Conference Room
AV System Integrators: Are They Really Necessary?
Top 10 Conference Room Cable Management Fails of 2016

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“True alignment changes the way team members view their actions; they embrace team decisions and organization actions as if they were their own.”
This quote was taken from a SlideShare for an audience of business leaders. A successful leader in a company is able to align disparate silos within the organization to create one, unified team. Yet this remains one of the biggest challenges for most companies. Even under one roof, it is us versus them; the IT guys versus the business guys. And this is a company killer.
So what is business-IT alignment? And what benefits does achieving it have for your business?
Business-IT alignment is achieved when the two separate “silos” come together as one, and share and move toward the same strategic goals, as one. Assuming that the optimal outcome for any business is to make a profit and improve ROI, then both the business side and the IT side should share this overarching goal, and work towards it.
What many business leaders and executives seem to forget about is the important and direct role that IT plays in increasing ROI. But without IT, we don’t have the necessary tools and technology to achieve this goal. IT enables business and simultaneously, business drives IT.
Not only does an IT business alignment result in added business value, but it also makes many challenges and problems that are commonly associated with IT completely disappear, as if by magic. It also allows for IT to stay modern, and keep your business up-to-date. So if you are a CIO, or any other executive, what 3 steps can be followed to promote a business-IT alignment?
Start By Addressing Your Business Processes:
With experience working in a business process consulting and engineering firm, I have found that an invisible problem is the most common: businesses frequently attempt to implement a solution or software, in efforts to automate a process that was broken to begin with. The company then turns to IT, expecting them to tune and customize it to the company, to fix that automated process. There are two problems here: 1) The process is broken to begin with, so automating it only makes matters worse, and 2) IT cannot properly customize software if they are not 100% sure of what the goals of the business are, and the particular hopes for the solution itself.
This is why it is imperative that you asses your business processes first. Identify if your processes are optimal for your company. Conducting a gap analysis will also help you uncover some other problems you may be having, not just within your processes, but among your tools and your people too. Upon conducting the gap analysis, IT can help business leaders better understand some of these problems.
Communicate to Create a Plan:
Gap analysis of business processes will help with devising a realistic strategy that will migrate the business toward their goals. However, it is imperative that the findings and insights  are shared in order to coordinate a plan to achieving a business goal. This planning stage will help close the gap between what business managers need and what IT delivers.
But keep in mind that just because business executives created a plan doesn’t mean that it is a good plan. Both IT and business should be involved in the creation in order to create an optimal plan. The first step to doing this is to talk to each other.
Communication between IT and business can be difficult. There is tech lingo, and there is business lingo; and the two do not mix well. When I think of an apple, I think of a green fruit with a stem and leaf, but you may think of a red fruit with no stem. It is the same concept here.
One way of avoiding barriers to communication is to provide additional resources for both IT and business executives. This can be visuals in a presentation, or even links to articles or case studies that describe a similar goal or outcome.
There should also be an ongoing dialogue to clarify business needs, in business terms for all members of IT. IT executives and their colleagues need to understand exactly what it is that the business expects from their tools, and business executives need to understand exactly what it is that IT can feasibly provide them with.
 
 Implementation and Training:
During this phase, it is again critical to communicate. IT understands exactly how the tools work, but other employees may not understand. So whenever a new solution is implemented, it is imperative to conduct proper training on how to use the tool, and why it is useful.
I think of software or tools like sewing kits. The sewing kit is a great tool that can be used to fix a problem- to repair a torn seam. But if you give that sewing kit to someone who has never used it before, it probably will not get fixed- or at least not well. But if your mom taught you exactly how to tie the needle to the thread, and pull the needle through, and use the thimble to protect yourself, then you can fix the problem, seamlessly.
The same concept can be applied to software solutions. You need to ensure that every user (not just the executives, or just the front line employees) are able to effectively use the tool. This will ultimately optimize the results.

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The CIOs of today and tomorrow are looking very different than the ones from ten, five or even two years ago. The role of the Chief Information Officer could be considered the most evolving executive position right now. In fact, 56 percent of CIOs identify their roles as transformational.
This year, the role will continue to change and develop, but there are significant characteristics that stand out. Expect the most successful, modern CIOs of 2016 to be:
Communicators
Organizational silos are being knocked down to create more open and collaborative exchanges between executive structures. Being able to easily communicate with other departments, customers and constituents of an organization is crucial for today’s CIOs. Therefore, the stereotype of a socially awkward, computer geek as an IT leader is even more unrepresentative now.
Modern CIOs are more accustomed to speaking to small and large-sized audiences through wireless presentation software and other means. Because they are interacting with several different professionals, there is a higher level of expectation to be able to express complex ideas in ways that anyone can understand.
Innovators
Instead of simply being the person that makes sure the technology is operating and the go-to person when something is broken, CIOs are being given much more influence. More than half of CIOs in a survey by CIO.com responded that they see themselves as “drivers of innovation” in the workplace.
The executive team is increasingly looking to tech leaders for insights into the latest business trends and tools that can give them a competitive edge. On the other hand, modern CIOs are searching out opportunities to improve business processes and performance through tech.
Risk Takers
In the past, CIOs may have had less influence in overall business decision-making. Now, their role is one that permeates almost every aspect of an organization. Several different departments like marketing, human resources and many more━as well as CEOs━are beginning to consult them for advice on business investments and other decisions. Forward-thinking CIOs are embracing this new trust by being less restricted in their investments. For example, instead of simply budgeting to upgrade old hardware, they are exploring new tech options like cloud, Bring-Your-Own-Devices (BYOD), and wearable devices.
This doesn’t mean that modern CIOs are more likely to jump blindly into business deals and other negotiations. Instead, it means that they are more willing to invest in newer technologies and consider strategies that may have never been considered before.
Collaborators
CIOs have become an unlikely driver of collaboration in the workplace. This is because of the vast amount collaboration tools and technology available. Technology like Google Drive, Salesforce, Ubiq, Dropbox, and dozens more have made it easier than ever for people to work together from anywhere. Since technology is helping to bring workplaces together, CIOs are one of the primary resources that executives seek out when forming and launching company collaboration initiatives.
The role of CIO is one that will continue to change and evolve every year. In 2016, modern IT leaders will be more collaborative and innovative. They will be more open to new ideas and communicate their own ideas better than those before them. Lastly, the CIOs that take note of the changing environment and adapt are the ones that will be the most effective tech leaders.

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Today, technology is more integral to achieving business success than ever before. Almost every step of the business process from strategy to execution now involves the use of digital technology. Furthermore, studies have shown that its usage━when coupled with great IT leadership━can help improve overall performance.
CIOs, CTOs, and other IT leaders may have been behind the scenes in the past. However, now they are at the forefront of many company initiatives. A recent study by Harvard Business Review reported that companies that combine technology and leadership effectively are more likely to increase their revenue by 10 percent or more in the first two years.
Members of the IT executive team can be your most valuable allies when it comes to implementing technology to improve your business. How can utilizing them help your entire organization grow?
Managing People
Employees are at the heart of every organization. They are the ones that drive your business to success, so it is crucial to know about their working styles, motivations, strengths, and values. Technology is helping organizations learn about what is most important to their employees and identify ways to help them grow professionally. When company leaders are more informed, it can also make it easier to manage teams.
Many companies are initiating innovative benefits programs that reward employees based on their performance and productivity. For example, Google has some of the most expansive employee benefits programs in the world. Employees enjoy free gourmet food, massages, and paid family leave. They have access to bikes, treadmills, nap pods, and even a garden space for planting in the workspace. These perks may sound superfluous, but their success in motivating employees is supported by data that the company tracked and analyzed.
Of course, not every business can offer the same perks as tech-giant Google. But, other organizations can emulate their use of technology to learn more about their workforce to help motivate and manage them.
Optimizing Time With Integration and Automation
Technologies like collaboration tools, wireless presentation software, CRM systems, and more are integrating information between systems. Integration allows organizations to decrease the number of tools they need to log into, and stores their data in a few places instead of several.
Digital technology has also made it easier for organizations to automate menial but time-consuming tasks, giving individuals more time to devote to more valuable projects. Both automation and integration have become crucial for businesses to remain competitive, especially when it comes to marketing and sales.
This is why many CIOs and CMOs have started to collaborate on marketing initiatives. CIOs can help CMOs and other members of the marketing team use integration and automation tools to streamline processes, save time, and optimize revenue. Furthermore, when IT leaders work together with marketing leaders, their data and technology expertise can help improve overall campaign effectiveness.
Paving the Way for Data-Driven Strategy
For the past several years, the term “business intelligence” (BI) has been buzzing in the corporate world. Companies can now collect data about employee engagement, sales, customer behaviors and relationships, marketing, and almost every other facet of a business that affects performance. Data visualization and easy-to-use analytics tools have made it possible for both small and large businesses to take advantage of BI.
Modern-day IT executives are often at the core of these capabilities. Technology makes it easier for companies to learn about their industry trends, competitors, and target audiences. However, the value of business intelligence is only truly realized when organizations turn data into action. The role of a CIO is evolving into a position that works with different verticals within an organization to help make this happen. They are working with CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and other C-suite executives to promote the use of data and technology in making more informed and strategic decisions.
In nearly every industry in the world, technology has become a crucial part of business growth.
With strong IT leadership, companies are more likely to make data-driven decisions, drive employee productivity, and increase revenue. Ultimately, they learn more about their business, and by doing so, boost their overall performance.
Additional Reading
Why CIOs Don’t Become CEOs
What It Takes for CIOs to be CEOs
Making the CIO to CEO Connection

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A little professional development never hurt anyone, even the most senior of your staff! Sure, taking classes and studying for advanced degrees/certifications are great to build your skillset and resume. However, a little knowledge from the printed word can change your perspective on how you lead your team and advocate for your employees.
Here are 5 top books that CIO/CTOs should have on their bookshelves!
Work Rules by Laszlo Bock (Twelve)
Laszlo Bock is the Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google Inc. You may wonder why such a fancy title for someone that’s essentially in Human Resources? After reading Work Rules, it makes sense, Laszlo gives insights into how Google views Human Resources and how their goal is to promote growth and strength at all levels from senior leadership to the individual contributor. While all employers want the best quality employees, Google wants to bring in good people who connect with their mission with transparency and lifelong learning. The lessons learned from the book follow the humanistic approach that people are generally good, who want to do good and be good employees. Leaders should look into how their role not only is to harness that goodness but also promote it in and out of the office.
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek (Portfolio)
In his book, Start with Why, Simon Sinek introduces us the “Golden Circle” and how to connect people to our passions and our business. It’s about how to build trust and loyalty with your audience. In his latest book, Leaders Eat Last, he examines the team dynamic and the role of the leader in it. It discusses how trust and loyalty can grow internally within your organization. Leaders meant to set the tone, create the environment and provide guidance and motivation. In this digital age where works are both working in-house and remotely, this book explores how leaders can use their skills, drive and passion to create a positive work experience for all around them.
How to Look People in the Eye Digitally by Ted Rubin (Substantium)
If you’re not familiar with Ted Rubin (tedrubin.com), do a search on “Return on Relationship.” As leaders, we are all making investments in our company and our teams. To ensure the greatest return is communication. How to Look People in the Eye Digitally brings us back to basics in how we interact with each other offline as we should online. Successful leaders understand the art of conversation. It never hurts to brush up on style to better our interactions, whether one-to-one or one-to-many.
The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential by John C. Maxwell (Center Street)
John Maxwell shares stories of how individuals can unlock their potential to be leaders. The 5 Levels of Leadership gives insights into what makes for a good leader, focusing on the community surrounding him/her. The explanation of the levels explore how and why people connect to effective and successful people, which are noted as: 

  1. Position – People follow because they have to.
    2. Permission – People follow because they want to.
    3. Production – People follow because of what you have done for the organization.
    4. People Development – People follow because of what you have done for them personally.
    5. Pinnacle – People follow because of who you are and what you representLeadership doesn’t mean you stop learning. The professional development continues after the promotion or placement. Maxwell provides to the tools for everyone to understand what makes a leader and what it takes to grow as a leader.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey (Simon & Schuster)
This book is essential for anyone in a leadership/managerial role. Originally released in 1990, The 7 Habits… require the individual to change their perspective on the world, making the paradigm shift. It requires looking your personal belief system and actions and how they relate to the world in which you want to live. It’s not just about being your best self; it’s more about how you connect with the world through focus, direction and organization. Covey presents basic concepts that can help us make changes in small and big ways for personal and community growth.
These titles are just a few to add your personal library. There are many more to be read and shared to enhance and promote our skills to grow and improve as leaders, regardless of level. Have any titles you like to share? Post them in the comments!
Additional Reading
4 Huge BI Challenges Facing CIOs and IT Leaders
How CIOs Can Remaster Their Leadership In the Digital Era
 

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Across many businesses the strongest relationship the CIO has is with the CFO. This is often for pragmatic reasons. The CFO looks after the money, and IT projects can be expensive. This is a relationship born of convenience.
It is time for a rethink though. The mindset of companies across the world is evolving to something that is naturally more customer-centric than ever before, and this is down to increased marketing orientation. For this reason it is crucial that IT teams become closer aligned with marketing teams. This cultural change should be led by the CIO.
Why Increased CIO And CMO Collaboration Makes Sense
Traditionally, the CIO and CMO could not have been further apart in terms of working practices and expectations. Marketing likes to consider itself responsive, and quick to act upon customer feedback. IT on the other hand is all too often considered unresponsive by the wider business, with slow project implementation and feedback mechanisms. It is not, on the face of it, a match made in heaven.
The truth is though that the core competencies and requirements of both the IT and marketing disciplines are changing. As such, it makes sense for IT and marketing to grow together.
CMOs are increasingly spending more of their budgets on technology, with automated digital marketing systems becoming the norm rather than the exception. However, CMO’s often lack the knowledge to make the most of these new technologies. Think of the number of times your company’s marketing people have asked IT to make the conference room technology work before a presentation, and you get the idea.
The CIO can act as an educator, increasing the understanding of technical limitations for new products. For example, if a CMO decides to use a third-party cloud-based solution without consulting the CIO first on practicalities, he or she might it difficult to extract the desired customer data and integrate it with existing systems. Constructive dialogue between the CMO and CIO can prevent such problems occurring in the first place.
Equally, the CIO working more closely with the CMO can directly benefit the CIO’s own knowledge base. For the CIO it is an opportunity to develop his or her general business knowledge by increasing their understanding of the customer base. Over the longer term, it will enable the CIO to make a more solid contribution to a customer-centric business strategy.
There is one further fundamental danger for the CIO to be aware of. If a CMO does not feel comfortable working with the existing CIO, there is an increased chance that marketing teams will seek to appoint their own marketing-focused technology officers. This would be a political disaster for CIOs and their IT teams. With the trend CMOs commanding an increased share of budgets expected to continue, it makes sense for CIOs to align themselves with CMOs in order to prevent this from happening.
Being Practical: How The CIO and CMO Can Work Together
There are several practical ways in the CIO and CMO can work more closely together. The groundwork starts on a personal level. Making an effort to be personable can go a long way as it shows the CMO that the CIO is a real person with emotions and personality, a person with the capacity to understand the CMO’s requirements. Technical knowledge is important, but ‘being real’ is an equally important, yet underrated, skill.
On a more technical level, demonstrating that the IT team is more agile in its overall approach will go a long way towards changing internal perceptions of the department. The CIO needs to show that his or teams can respond quickly to requests, and they can deliver innovative solutions. The CIO needs to make things easier for the CMO. Recommending simple solutions, such as wireless presentation technology, will earn the CIO brownie points. This is an area completely within the control of the CIO. By making efforts to move away from process cultures within IT teams, the CIO is more likely to gain the confidence and trust of his CMO.
Finally, modern marketing is a metric focused discipline. The CIO can show he or she is on the same wavelength as the CMO by developing and implementing an IT metrics programme. This will demonstrate a degree of commercial awareness that will serve to add credibility to the CIO and ultimately will enhance the CIO’s reputation.

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