The Top 5 Challenges CIOs Will Face In 2013

This is the time of year when every blogger puts out a "Top 5", or if they are prolific... a "Top 10" list of the top issues / challenges / opportunities / predictions / opinions that we bloggers feel is important.

This is my list.

These are the things that I believe should be at the top of my "Pay Attention" list, and I'm bold enough to say that they should be on yours too.

But before I get to it, let me go on the record with my problem with lists of this type.

Getting your team over the 1st dysfunction...

In his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni describes a five tiered model for building high performance teams.  In his exceptional gift as a story teller, we follow the character Katherine Petersen as she takes over the reigns of a struggling technology company.  You will likely recognize the characters as you read this short book, and by the time you finish the story, you will have a much better appreciation of the five dysfunctions that cause teams, even the best ones, to struggle.

Even if you are not a "reader", invest the time in this book.  I have given away several copies to my Managers and Directors.  If you only read one book this year, make it this one!  Am I clear that I'm a big fan?

Hopefully you've ordered your copy of the book by now, and while you are waiting for it to arrive, here's a sneak preview of the first dysfunction to overcome: Lack of Trust.  This is fundamental to any relationship, and especially to high performance teams.

There are lots of "I"s in "Team"

You've heard it a dozen times as a kid... usually at a low point in your life... like when the opposing team is crushing you and the coach is trying to motivate you, but his frustration shines through any encouragement.

"There's no I in TEAM"

As you advance in your career, and things are not going well, you could bet that someone drags out that "motivational" talk again.  At this point, some smarta** usually pipes up "But there is in WIN".

You advance some more, and you are now leading a team.  Things start to take a turn for the worse, and you hear that well worn phrase forming on your lips...

Give it up.  Banish this phrase from your vocabulary.

Teams need to work together. But teams are not composed of homogenous androgynous robotic people.

Marcus Buckingham, in his book "The One Thing You Need to Know" describes Leadership as the ability to motivate people around the things that are common to all, and Managing as working with individuals, and their unique blend of strengths and capabilities.

Your skill in recognizing and leveraging the core skills of your team will allow you to build a high performing group of individuals who work together to accomplish great things.

This book is full of great advice for IT leaders.  Highly Recommended.



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