A couple of weeks back, I put together an article entitled, “7 things experienced web developers wish they knew earlier.” It was filled with great advice from long-time developers, who shared some of the most important lessons they learned over the years.

That got me thinking. What about other professions? In any job, you’re bound to know more today than you knew starting out. There must be at least one important lesson that you wish you knew earlier.

Today, I’d like to approach this topic from a CIO and IT leader perspective. If you’re an experienced CIO or IT leader, what do you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career? If you were to have a conversation with a younger version of yourself, what advice would you give?

We asked those questions to experienced CIOs and IT leaders, and received some great input. I’ve compiled their advice below, but–as always–feel free to contribute your thoughts in the comments. Here are 7 things experienced CIOs and IT leaders wish they knew earlier:
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7 things experienced CIOs and IT leaders wish they knew earlierRead More »

Over the last few years, I’ve seen countless articles predicting the “death of the CIO.” Frankly, I’m tired of it.

Sure, the CIO position is evolving. It’s becoming more challenging. But, it isn’t dying. Far from it. As data expands and technology becomes an increasingly important part of business, the CIO’s role becomes even more critical.

These days, the modern CIO is pulled in all directions. They must keep the business current with rapidly evolving technology. They must address the ever-growing number of consumer devices and consumer applications in the workplace. They must keep the business’ current technology running smoothly while preparing for the future.

I could go on. The point is…CIOs and IT leaders have become even more important than ever before. The responsibilities and duties placed on these positions is only growing.

The question isn’t, “Is the CIO position dying?” Rather, the question should be, “How can modern CIOs address their rapidly growing challenges and responsibilities?”

Here’s one option to consider: Use a web application development platform. How does that help? More than you might think. We’ve put together a short paper that explains how web application development platforms (like m-Power) can help modern CIOs solve many of the issues they face today. You can find it right here.

Back in the 80’s and 90’s, major record labels essentially owned the music industry. They controlled the production and distribution of music, leaving limited options for consumers. If you wanted music, you bought a tape or a CD.

Then, digital music emerged and threatened the record label’s business model. Users could bypass the record label altogether, and instead download music online. The record labels didn’t like this one bit.

How did the record labels respond? They feverishly fought to maintain their business model. They went after those who downloaded music online, suing them for outrageous sums of money.

Meanwhile, other companies (like Apple) swooped in and gave these consumers what they actually wanted: A cheap, legal way to download music. While the record labels were busy fighting to maintain an outdated business model, other companies profited off of their customers.

I give this example because I see parallels with the current shift happening within IT departments. In the past, IT departments controlled technology within an organization. End users had no choice but to go through the IT department for their tech needs.

Then, mobile devices exploded onto the scene. Cloud-based software emerged. Now, users have options. Users are increasingly bypassing IT, and instead using their own devices and third party cloud applications for business purposes.

As a result, CIOs and IT departments are slowly losing control of the technology within their company.

How can CIOs address this growing trend? Some try to fight it. They enforce strict rules within their organizations. They attempt to maintain the former IT model.
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A CIO’s guide to alienating business usersRead More »