Lessons in IT Transformation

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.

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

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.

Focusing on the qualities required to transform an organization through the lens of the CIO, Lessons in IT Transformation provides hands-on 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.

Written from the unique perspective of an actively practicing IT practitioner, Lessons in IT Transformation focuses on the human side of IT leadership as well as on the real, pragmatic leadership issues that are critical for your success as a CIO. Practical and actionable, this book delves into the nuts and bolts of what is entailed in transforming an IT organization, including:

• Helping to create a vision that your team will embrace
• The real purpose of IT … driving business value
• How to develop effective communication skills
• Becoming an effective relationship manager
• Developing the people on your team for maximum contribution
• How to lead a major change effort
• Creating an atmosphere of partnership with your people, clients, and vendors
• Working on developing the qualities of great leaders
• How to sustain success once it’s achieved

A timely look at how the IT function can become truly aligned with the strategies and operational direction of your business’s enterprise, Lessons in IT Transformation reveals how you can develop solid leadership qualities in those around you—and in the process, become a better leader yourself. “Leading an IT organization is no cakewalk, and with the increasing impact of technology on business, it is only getting more challenging. Whether you are a middle manager plotting your long terms career goals or a seasoned CIO looking for a refresher course, Larry Bonfante’s book is for you. Through his straightforward writing and direct approach, Larry shows IT professionals of any level what it takes to become a better leader. ”
—Martha Heller, President, Heller Search Associates, LLC,Contributing Editor, CIO magazine.

“Larry has applied much of what he has learned throughout his career and life in how to manage IT. Lessons in IT Transformation connects with you in a practical and applicable way as opposed to many other books on this topic which tend to be academic in nature. Larry exhibits courage, conviction and humor which helps to make a serious topic easy to digest. Being a new CIO, the lessons in this book will help me develop my skills as a leader in a way that can be immediately applied!”
—Claudio Rodrigues, CIO, Noven Pharmaceutical