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Why should I read this book? Be honest—that’s what you
are really trying to figure out before you decide to invest
the time and money required to read any book. There are thousands
of books available on the topic of leadership. Why is this
book different, and why should you care? Here are a few
answers to your question.
First of all, this book is written for the IT professional as its
stated audience. It focuses on the topic of leadership through
the unique perspective of an IT practitioner. It is also written
through the lens of an actively practicing CIO who lives the challenges
of leading and managing a complex technology organization
every day.
The book is also very different from many resources written
for the IT community in that it focuses on what I lovingly refer to
as the human side of IT leadership. Many IT executives have
risen through the technical ranks and already have a great handle
on leading IT projects, implementing technical solutions,
and handling the day-to-day operations of a technology organization.
What most CIOs or aspiring CIOs don’t always have is a
great deal of experience or focused education in dealing with
the human elements of leading an organization that ultimately
will decide whether you, as well as your organization, succeed.
In this book we will focus on real, pragmatic issues that are critical
for executive success. These topics include:
* Helping to create a vision that your team will embrace
* The real purpose of IT—driving business value
* Developing effective communication skills
* Becoming an effective relationship manager
* Developing the people on your team for maximum
contribution
* Leading a major change effort
* Creating an atmosphere of partnership with your people,
clients, and vendors
* Developing the qualities of great leaders
* Sustaining success once it’s achieved
These topics are critical to executive success but are not
often taught in MBA programs or easily learned on the job. I will
cram nearly 30 years of lessons from the school of hard knocks
into these pages in the hope that you can avoid having to invest
as much time (and make as many mistakes!) as I have.
Finally, the book has two major focuses—helping the individual
evolve from a technical expert to a business executive
and helping his/her organization evolve from a utility service
provider to a trusted business partner that drives true business
value. If these are goals you hope to accomplish, then this is the
right book for you at the right time.
Introduction
xvi
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