CIOs need an alternative perspective on how similar but different challenges arise and are addressed in other situations, “If you learn lessons from the best people in your industry, you can become as good as the best in your industry. If you seek lessons from the best people outside your industry, you can be better than the best in your industry,” Gartner analysts John Mahoney and Mark Raskino write in the CIO New Year’s Resolutions 2014 report.
Darrin Hackett, CIO of the Waikato District Health Board, looks at taking the concept further – look for a ‘shadow a peer’ partner in another industry, and in another C-level role – a chief executive, chief financial officer, chief operating officer or a general manager for HR.
Target: Quick tips to attain your goals in 2014
Goal setting is especially important for people working in a fast changing business environment, such as ICT executives. Without it, you can end up feeling as though you are forever chasing your tail, says time management adviser Robyn Pearce. Plus: CIO reader giveaway of a goal setting kit from www.gettingagrip.com.
Hot IT job skills in 2014: Mobile, web development and big data
Companies are also looking for workers with more traditional skills for security and quality assurance jobs.
The idea was to get people outside of their silo thinking and understand how to address a similar problem from a very different view.
Is 2014 the Year of the 'Big Data Stack'?
Will 2014 see the emergence of a big data equivalent of the LAMP stack? Richard Daley, one of the founders and chief strategy officer of analytics and business intelligence specialist Pentaho, believes that such a stack will begin to come together this year as consensus begins to develop around certain big data reference architectures--though the upper layers of the stack may have more proprietary elements than LAMP does.
Security analysis of mobile banking apps reveals significant weaknesses
A security analysis of mobile banking apps for iOS devices from 60 financial institutions around the world has revealed that many were vulnerable to various attacks and exposed sensitive information. Many apps failed to validate SSL certificates and exposed sensitive information.
Consumer Electronics Show flops: A brief history of high hopes and bad guesses
From our archives
What is the best leadership advice you have received?
Today's CIOs are busier than ever, but business strategist Donna Sturgess says a day off from the office for an "immersion" will refresh their view of the organisation, and generate new ideas for innovation. She explains why and how top technology companies are taking this approach.
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