29 October 2004
A 12-Step Program for Aspiring CIOs
Posted by Ryan Sarver under: Business .
Good article over on CIO.com with 12 strong points to remember. It is focused on helping someone become a CIO, but it pertains to all technical people who want to succeed in business. The one that rings the most true to me is:
5. Purple monkey water wrench. Got that? Exactly. Your customers no more understand your techno-speak than you understand the heading for this point. Never talk down to anyone. One condescending exchange can erase years of hard lobbying
Its so critical to never talk down to anyone. Its amazing how a little respect can go a long way…
You can read the article here: A 12-Step Program for Aspiring CIOs
2 Comments so far...
Josh Dura Says:
31 October 2004 at 12:50 pm.
9. Stay as far away from company politics as you can. Do not partake in petty infighting in your company. If you are approached or tempted to be drawn in, find a business trip and go on it. Be your own person. You will be respected when the mudslinging stops and the dust settles.
This one (while I couldnt agree more with it) is easier said than done. In every job I have had, in the beginning, I promise to myself that I will do this, but in the end, 1 little piece of politics gets in my brain and screws things up 
Ryan Sarver Says:
31 October 2004 at 12:54 pm.
True that… much easier said than done. At my last company their CTO was amazing at it. Everyone respected him even though you knew where he stood relative to the petty office disagreements. If you can pull it off, it will pay off.
