I'm back in Chicago and I'm looking for the next step in my career that will help me continue along the path toward a CIO role. I've been thinking about what it is that constitutes the set of skills and experiences that a CIO should have? Is there a "standard" set in any case?
Over the next several posts, I'll go a bit further to demonstrate that a CIO should have expertise in: Technical Operations, Business Analysis, Application Development, Application Deployment, Business Strategy, Technology strategy and Finance. A CIO should also possess soft skills that are often defined as leadership abilities: Mentoring, Motivation, Salesmanship, Effective Communication, Self Confidence and Negotiation.
So, let's start with the most obvious: Technical Operations.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
History
To get us started and to give the reader a bit of perspective, a little history of my career seems appropriate.
I started in IT about 10 years ago as a low level tech for a marketing agency called UPSHOT in Chicago, after a 10 year career recording and producing music professionally. UPSHOT was a fantastic place to work and grow and I'm sure it still is. The culture was free and lively and the company valued ideas and initiative. I fit right in. I was promoted each of the first three years of my employment and I became the head of the department (Director of IT) after a series of cuts in the IT department. The company that had acquired UPSHOT decided on cuts and were intent on bringing in a director level person to manage IT. At that time, I had the vast majority of the domain knowledge of UPSHOT's operations and needs and I was not willing to have another superior take a position that was rightfully mine. Instead, I argued that I should be promoted even if, on the surface, I had not had enough grooming to lead the IT operations of a multi-million dollar advertising agency with name brand clients. They agreed and promoted me. I served as the lead tech and as the administrative head of the department while my staff kept everyone happy and we improved the environment every day. We developed process improvements that took advantage of the existing environment and new technologies that we installed. We created a solid Disaster Recovery Plan. We implemented a software and hardware life cycle policy. We led a server and storage consolidation effort and installed an EMC SAN. We kept up with technology in the marketing world and we had a good time. We made UPSHOT better. I learned a lot from my first position at the Director level and I was at UPSHOT for 7 years. In fact, I still miss that job from time to time.
While I was at UPSHOT, I began my MBA studies at Loyola University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. I had no friends, no social life and no sleep for three years. I graduated in 2008 with an MBA. Ironically, I was so accustomed to the lifestyle of work/graduate school that I found myself bored after graduation and I've already started to consider adding a PhD to my resume along with and ITIL and a CAPM certification. I should take up a hobby...
At some point in my progression at UPSHOT, I realized that I had risen to the highest level that I could attain in IT and I decided to search for my next opportunity to grow as a professional and expand my skill set while I proceed toward the CIO role. I joined a company called MarketForward in Chicago. MarketForward is a great little company (it's part of a larger corporation) that is ostensibly a marketing agency but it's really more like a software development company that caters to the marketing agency world with systems that help agencies manage their campaigns from concept to archiving. I joined MarketForward as Technology Operations Manager. While it seems like a drop in title, the responsibilities of the position encompassed all of the things a normal IT leadership position is charged with and it included the maintenance and improvement of the systems that supported clients all over the world. As new systems were developed or enhancements to existing systems were implemented, I was consulted with regard to the impact of the choices that the development resources were making. I often made the analogy to a car manufacturer while I was working at MarketForward. Developers desinged things but I had to manufacture them. I was responsible for ensuring that their designs would be workable, scalable and usable in the real world. I led a staff of technicians who supported our applications and a worldwide help desk team that included members from Chicago and Paris as we optmized system performance and did our best to improve the end user experience. I spent considerably more time on strategy and process issues and a little less time on serving as the lead tech. I enjoyed my time at MarketForward and the entrepreneurial spirit of a smaller environment was exciting.
To make a long story short, I was recruited by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move to Florida and take command of the IT operations for the team after a corporate reorganization had eliminated the previous IT regime, who had become complacent and left the environment lacking a clear path forward. I entered the IT Manager position knowing that I'd be able to build something from the ground up and modernize the technology systems of the organization while relying on my background to implement process improvements and develop a clear strategy for the future. I developed good working relationships with coaches, the general manager and all other staff. I moved a scaled down version of our environment to training camp halfway across the state of Florida. I helped to plan and execute the technology requirements for Superbowl 43. I modernized systems and helped to bring the Buccaneers systems in to compliance with NFL guidelines. I served on the management team of the corporate side of the business and helped to decide the way forward. To describe this position as fun is understating it.
As I write this, I'm moving back to Chicago to marry my girl and I'm leaving my position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I have no regrets and I learned a few more valuable lessons about management, expectations and making decisions quickly from my time in Tampa. Every position I've held so far has helped me develop in to an IT leader and each has taught me valuable lessons as I progress toward being a CIO.
I'll see you in Chicago....
I started in IT about 10 years ago as a low level tech for a marketing agency called UPSHOT in Chicago, after a 10 year career recording and producing music professionally. UPSHOT was a fantastic place to work and grow and I'm sure it still is. The culture was free and lively and the company valued ideas and initiative. I fit right in. I was promoted each of the first three years of my employment and I became the head of the department (Director of IT) after a series of cuts in the IT department. The company that had acquired UPSHOT decided on cuts and were intent on bringing in a director level person to manage IT. At that time, I had the vast majority of the domain knowledge of UPSHOT's operations and needs and I was not willing to have another superior take a position that was rightfully mine. Instead, I argued that I should be promoted even if, on the surface, I had not had enough grooming to lead the IT operations of a multi-million dollar advertising agency with name brand clients. They agreed and promoted me. I served as the lead tech and as the administrative head of the department while my staff kept everyone happy and we improved the environment every day. We developed process improvements that took advantage of the existing environment and new technologies that we installed. We created a solid Disaster Recovery Plan. We implemented a software and hardware life cycle policy. We led a server and storage consolidation effort and installed an EMC SAN. We kept up with technology in the marketing world and we had a good time. We made UPSHOT better. I learned a lot from my first position at the Director level and I was at UPSHOT for 7 years. In fact, I still miss that job from time to time.
While I was at UPSHOT, I began my MBA studies at Loyola University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. I had no friends, no social life and no sleep for three years. I graduated in 2008 with an MBA. Ironically, I was so accustomed to the lifestyle of work/graduate school that I found myself bored after graduation and I've already started to consider adding a PhD to my resume along with and ITIL and a CAPM certification. I should take up a hobby...
At some point in my progression at UPSHOT, I realized that I had risen to the highest level that I could attain in IT and I decided to search for my next opportunity to grow as a professional and expand my skill set while I proceed toward the CIO role. I joined a company called MarketForward in Chicago. MarketForward is a great little company (it's part of a larger corporation) that is ostensibly a marketing agency but it's really more like a software development company that caters to the marketing agency world with systems that help agencies manage their campaigns from concept to archiving. I joined MarketForward as Technology Operations Manager. While it seems like a drop in title, the responsibilities of the position encompassed all of the things a normal IT leadership position is charged with and it included the maintenance and improvement of the systems that supported clients all over the world. As new systems were developed or enhancements to existing systems were implemented, I was consulted with regard to the impact of the choices that the development resources were making. I often made the analogy to a car manufacturer while I was working at MarketForward. Developers desinged things but I had to manufacture them. I was responsible for ensuring that their designs would be workable, scalable and usable in the real world. I led a staff of technicians who supported our applications and a worldwide help desk team that included members from Chicago and Paris as we optmized system performance and did our best to improve the end user experience. I spent considerably more time on strategy and process issues and a little less time on serving as the lead tech. I enjoyed my time at MarketForward and the entrepreneurial spirit of a smaller environment was exciting.
To make a long story short, I was recruited by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move to Florida and take command of the IT operations for the team after a corporate reorganization had eliminated the previous IT regime, who had become complacent and left the environment lacking a clear path forward. I entered the IT Manager position knowing that I'd be able to build something from the ground up and modernize the technology systems of the organization while relying on my background to implement process improvements and develop a clear strategy for the future. I developed good working relationships with coaches, the general manager and all other staff. I moved a scaled down version of our environment to training camp halfway across the state of Florida. I helped to plan and execute the technology requirements for Superbowl 43. I modernized systems and helped to bring the Buccaneers systems in to compliance with NFL guidelines. I served on the management team of the corporate side of the business and helped to decide the way forward. To describe this position as fun is understating it.
As I write this, I'm moving back to Chicago to marry my girl and I'm leaving my position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I have no regrets and I learned a few more valuable lessons about management, expectations and making decisions quickly from my time in Tampa. Every position I've held so far has helped me develop in to an IT leader and each has taught me valuable lessons as I progress toward being a CIO.
I'll see you in Chicago....
Getting Started
What does it take to be a CIO? How do you obtain the training and experience to lead the technology operations of a corporation? What if you don't work for a large company and you have only limited access to mentoring or grooming for the top position? How do you educate yourself and gain the experience necessary to elevate your career to the executive suite?
I've been aiming at the CIO position since I began my career in technology and this blog will chronicle my progress toward that goal while also offering help to anyone else who'd like to follow a similar path. I'll publish about once a week and the posts will be about whatever topic I'm thinking over that week. I hope it will be insightful and that it will spur commentary, debate and growth for everyone who reads it.
I'm looking forward to getting started so off we go...
I've been aiming at the CIO position since I began my career in technology and this blog will chronicle my progress toward that goal while also offering help to anyone else who'd like to follow a similar path. I'll publish about once a week and the posts will be about whatever topic I'm thinking over that week. I hope it will be insightful and that it will spur commentary, debate and growth for everyone who reads it.
I'm looking forward to getting started so off we go...
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