Laughing at the CIO. A Parable and Prescription for IT Leadership

Citation

Ellis‐Barrett, L. (2009), "Laughing at the CIO. A Parable and Prescription for IT Leadership", Library Review, Vol. 58 No. 9, pp. 690-691. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530910997973

Laughing at the CIO is a prescription for Information Technology (IT) executives or any professional who has suffered as a result of technology solutions that do not solve anything. The aim of Boiko is to encourage executives and technology staff to see how they can take control, emphasising the “I” in IT while explaining how to become a leader by taking measurable steps towards strategic goals. A modern parable for business, it aims to lead the reader to a set of methods for creating an IT strategy and course of action in their own organisation or workplace. It is about recognising the power of information and having the desire to be an information leader.

Information management is meant to be the most effective way of managing a resource – information. When it is applied to IT this is not always the case: too often IT is a burden rather than an asset. Information holds power, and when used effectively can directly benefit an organisation. It is crucial to meeting objectives. It is a necessity in the Information Age and yet it is often mismanaged. The Information Age is in its infancy, and it will take time to understand the most effective way to manage all the material that it generates, but effective management now will mean staff and customers are informed and that services run efficiently. Written for executives, managers, project staff, students or academics and consultants this book is an introduction to information management with suggestions for bringing about practical management of information effectively.

The parable, part one of this text, is also part case study, looking at a CIO trapped by demands placed upon him by his organisation and a lack of personal understanding of the way in which information has developed. The CIO begins in a position of authority and gradually becomes ineffectual. He realises, at the end, that modern information systems require modern methods of thinking and it may be necessary to make major changes to the organisation in order to change the attitude to the process of managing information. Underlying this introductory parable is an important and sobering message – that it is essential for organisations to realise that if they are to prove effective they must move with the pace of change, being prepared to adapt.

Part two, Getting Perspective, instructs the reader on the most effective methods for understanding what information is and what it could mean to an organisation. Information is simple and natural, we use it constantly and yet when the time comes to manage it we seem to be flummoxed. It is persuasive and it is a resource. We manage information by putting in place information systems allowing us to talk to people who are not immediate to us. It is a method of communication that has been recorded and which we desire to use, understand and even consume. Information is a requirement for the day‐to‐day lives of us all – this is why it matters. All businesses can use information to persuade but they can also use it to build systems in order to run the business effectively. In order to make information work for you it is important to understand both its traditional and modern purpose and use.

Lead Up, part three of this book, explains what is required of the reader if they would like to become an information executive. There are concepts to grasp and attitudes to assume. In order to become an information executive, someone with control over the information systems in your organisation, it is necessary to convince the team and the management that you know how to use information effectively and efficiently. Use information to solve problems and show people how this can be done. Be prepared to explain how information can work for the organisation in the long term. In order to do this, it is vital to understand the goals that you are working towards, to create a strategy, and then to ensure that everyone in the organisation feels that they have some ownership of this information. In this way the information executive or leader retains control but ensures the whole organisation is working together to use information in the most effective way to benefit themselves and their wider working environment.

Leading Across is about blending differing aspects of one organisation together effectively, encouraging them all to take control of their information needs and feed this into the organisation as a whole. Leading Across takes skill and good management: it is about out‐reach, communication, education and advocacy. There are plenty of tips on doing all this effectively for those new to the process and ideas on how to move forward and ensure that you are managing rather than controlling information.

Finally, in Leading Down, Boiko helps the reader to understand how to manage the information department with some useful tips on effective management of people and departments as well as the crucial resource, information itself.

Ultimately an effective information department will be the place that people turn to when they need help because they will understand that the people working here know about information and how to use it effectively. If this can be achieved then you have been successful, and if the advice in this book has been followed then success indeed should be the outcome.

Accessible, relevant and easy to read with short, snappy chapters this is an excellent resource for all those afore‐mentioned as the potential audience. It is entertaining, with some wonderful images and great captions about the management of information – all in all, a pertinent and worthwhile purchase.