Category: Sanity Savers

There are lots of reasons why about two-thirds of all IT projects fail, but most of the time it doesn’t have much to do with the technologies involved. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers looks at the six categories of project failure, based on some great insights from project management experts Michael Krigsman and Michiko Diby.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Krigsman that this episode was based on: Six types of IT project failure.

Operating systems have become very utilitarian and are not something IT leaders spend much time thinking about. But, Windows 7 is poised to replace Windows XP as the standard OS for businesses, so CIOs need to know what it can do and how it can help them. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers looks at five different aspects of Windows 7 and how they can impact IT.

For those of you who prefer text rather than video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video player or you can read: Windows 7 report card: The hits and misses or TechRepublic’s Windows 7 article collection.

One of the most widely hyped technology products of 2009 is the Verizon Droid smartphone, the first device to use the new Google Android 2.0 platform, which offers much tighter integration with Microsoft Exchange. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers looks at the pros and cons of the Verizon Droid from a business and IT perspective.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read: Verizon Droid: Doesn’t match iPhone, but brings Android out of beta.

Getting more done while using fewer resources is one of the great challenges in business life. But, there are always things you can do to be more effective with your time. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers looks at some time-tested tips that leaders can use to raise their game.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from John McKee that this episode was based on: 9 favorite tips to improve your effectiveness as a leader.

Smartphones are becoming a standard tool for many of today’s knowledge workers and IT professionals. However, the number of smartphone choices on the market is exploding. We’d like to help IT leaders pinpoint the top smartphones for workers who are looking for serious productivity. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers counts down 2009’s five best smartphones for businesses.

If you prefer reading text to watching video, please click the “Transcript” link underneath the video. Below the video window you’ll also find links for more information about the top five smartphones that made the list.

Here are links to read more about each of the top five:

1. BlackBerry Tour
2. Apple iPhone 3GS
3. Palm Pre
4. HTC Touch Pro2
5. Nokia E71

Some of you may ask why the Motorola Droid didn’t make the list. After all, it’s a new smartphone that has received excellent reviews and is made to be very business-friendly. The reason is simple: It’s still too new at this point. We’d like to see it get adopted by some business users and hear their thoughts on how well the Droid integrates into business. However, an upcoming episode of CIO Sanity Savers will examine the Droid as a business device and report on TechRepublic’s perspective of it.

IT budgets are stretched thin while IT is doing more things than ever as technology has become more critical to almost every aspect of business operations. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers looks at five of the most common ways that IT departments let precious dollars slip right through their fingers.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Deb Shinder that this episode was based on: 10 ways IT departments waste money.

If you really want to be a great leader then you have to regularly ask yourself some tough questions, and answer them truthfully.  This episode of CIO Sanity Savers gives you some examples of the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself if you’re serious about becoming a top-notch IT leader.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Bob Artner that this episode was based on: 10+ questions to help determine how well you’re performing as an IT manager.

Every good leader wants a successful team with an innovative spirit. But, the only one way to build that kind of team is to be absolutely diligent about hiring only the right people. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers explains five innate qualities you should look for in the people you hire.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Ilya Bogorad that this episode was based on: Lessons in leadership: How to build a winning team.

Some of the greatest success stories in business come from groups whose leaders saw opportunities where others saw roadblocks. It’s no surprise that their teams were more positive and more productive than their competitors. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers discusses five powerful tactics that can help boost your chances for success as an IT leader.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from John McKee that this episode was based on: 10 great ideas from five great bosses.

In today’s highly-competitive business environment it’s essential for IT leaders to know how to instigate and manage change within your IT department and within your organization. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers discusses five key factors that will help your change initiatives succeed.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Ilya Bogorad that this episode was based on: Lessons in Leadership: How to instigate and manage change.

There are a number of ways you can shoot yourself in the foot during a presentation to the board. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers helps sidestep some of the obvious landmines.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the BNET article from Steve Tobak that this episode was based on: 5 Classic Boardroom Mistakes.

CIOs need to be skilled at bringing a diverse group of opinionated leaders and executives into alignment. Consensus-building is always tough, but the higher you climb up the corporate ladder, the more critical this skill becomes. Today’s episode of CIO Sanity Savers passes along a few tricks that can help you bring diverse groups together and enable effective decision-making.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the BNET article from Steve Tobak that this episode was based on: How to build and drive consensus.

Today’s CEOs have to be transparent and accountable, while still creating and growing revenue. They also have to build customer loyalty, comply with regulations, please shareholders, and inspire employees amid layoffs and pay reductions. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers share a few ideas about how CIOs can best provide their CEOs with critical value and support.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Polly Schneider Traylor that this episode was based on: CIOs: Here are 10 ways you can support your CEO.

In lean times, a business process metrics program might seem like something that’s nice to have but not essential. However, identifying, redesigning, and monitoring just one critical business process can quickly reap benefits in cost savings or happier customers. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers shares some pointers to help you build a successful metrics program.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from Polly Traylor that this episode was based on: 10 best practices for business process measurement.

Innovation is an almost-sacred business pursuit. Unfortunately, many organizations throw up barriers that make it difficult to foster innovation, such as viewing the value of a project only in terms of its ability to generate calculated revenue. This episode of CIO Sanity Savers explains how to identify and demonstrate the value of a proposed project by looking beyond just dollars and cents–an approach that can fuel innovation and position you as a thought leader.

For those of you who prefer text over video, you can click the “Transcript” link underneath the video or you can read the original article from John McKee that this episode was based on: Costs and benefits of projects: Looking beyond the dollar signs.