The Columbia Executive Master’s Program, geared toward aspiring C-Suite Officers, continues to attract top talent. Mentoring Arif was a pleasure and I wish him well on his journey! (February 2023)
A new CTO in Connecticut inherited a hybrid cloud debacle, called a Frankenstein cloud, and asked for suggestions on managing it. I shared my recommendations in The Maven Report. Please click on the picture below for more information. (January 2023)
I spent a lot of time thinking about how to foster a better work environment for my colleagues. In no particular order, these are the items I focused on for the cultural evolution program I developed and led, “The People Project”. For more information, please click on the picture below.
Honored to be appointed to the Board of Advisors at Mensura Capital, an investment banking firm in Atlanta. (August 2022)
Happy to be included among the nominees. (July 2022)
With change being difficult for many people, it’s our responsibility to understand, empathize, and do our best to help. Having transformation experience, I hope these tips help you and your company. (July 2022)
No better way to spend a virtual Saturday morning than to join fellow mentors at Columbia University in the Executive Master’s Program, to review grad candidates’ business plan pitches and prep them to be the next generation of leaders. There’s a lot of great talent in the pipeline and I wish them success on their journeys! (June 2022)
One of the greatest pleasures is helping someone else succeed. (June 2022)
Thanks for reading my approach to unleashing a company’s potential. Click here or on the picture for a newer downloadable version with links to tools. (May 2022)
Congrats to Columbia University’s Executive Master’s Program candidates. On Saturday, they presented their “thesis defense” business plans to a panel of CIO, CTO, COO and tech CEO mentors, of which I’m a part. The program continues to develop a pipeline of top-notch future business and technology leaders, and I wish them success on their journeys! (January 2022)
One of the best gifts you can give is to help someone else succeed. (January 2022)
Coaches, Mentors, and Sponsors: Understanding the Differences. New York: Catalyst
As one of the most frequently used terms, “digital” has different meanings for different companies. (December 2021)
Kudos to the grad candidates in the Executive Master’s Program at Columbia University, for presenting their thesis defense. The program continues to develop a pipeline of top-notch future business and technology leaders. Always a pleasure to mentor and be joined by esteemed friends and colleagues. (September 2021)
Honored to accept a board position with the Chirino Investment Group. (June 2021)
Polished soft skills are highly valued and have become an essential ingredient for success. One of the most important is to be able to tailor your communication style to the preference of the person you’re talking to. A tool I’ve used for years is Deloitte’s Business Chemistry. It provides insight on how to identify the different styles and best interact with others. (April 2021)
A McKinsey report on 366 public companies found that those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean, and those in the top quartile for gender diversity were 15% more likely to have returns above the industry mean. (March 2021)
Best wishes to the aspiring next generation of leaders that presented their business plans to a panel of global CIOs and CTOs at Columbia University’s Center for Technology Management. The Executive Master’s Program continues to develop a great pipeline of business and technology leaders. I wish them great success and am honored to be a mentor in the program. (February 2021)
No better way to spend a virtual Saturday morning than to join fellow C-suite executives, also mentoring at Columbia University in the Executive Master’s Program, to review graduate candidates’ business plan pitches and prepare them to be the next generation of leaders. This was the third “thesis defense” where they presented their complete plans whether as a corporate executive or entrepreneur. There’s a lot of great talent in the pipeline and I wish them success in their journeys! (October 2020)
Congrats and “job well done” to the aspiring C-suite executives and entrepreneurs that just presented their second thesis defense. As a Columbia University mentor in the Executive Master’s Program, I have the privilege of helping to guide our future leaders. The section we just completed consisted of corporate strategic positioning, customer acquisition strategy, go-to-market strategy, value proposition, business model, financial plan and multiple case studies. It’s a great program and I highly recommend it! (June 2020)
It’s an honor to once again be asked to judge the annual innovation and transformation awards, sponsored by Strategy Meets Action (Boston). Each year, the bar is raised as Insurtechs and companies push the boundaries of innovation, transformation, customer engagement, digital distribution, data and analytics, and technologies. Congratulations to all participants on their significant breakthroughs and the value they’ve delivered. (Dec 2019)
Blink and you’ll miss one of the greatest examples of teamwork! This Formula 1 pit stop took only 1.82 seconds. Everyone on the team knows what needs to be done and performs their best, each person is critical and relies on their teammates and no one lets the team down. Truly a winning example of a high-performance team! (Nov 2019)
Earlier this month, I met with 10 startup CEOs / Insurtech entrepreneurs. There were a lot of great ideas and I’d like to wish them well on their journey. As a mentor, it’s always a pleasure to help others succeed. (Oct 2019)
I served as Board Observer for a shareholder and conducted a strategic company assessment of the Capson Physicians Insurance Company. In reviewing their strategy, risk management, KPI/KRI, technology, and execution capability, I uncovered material issues. After presenting my findings and advice, the shareholder withdrew his investment. The advice proved accurate as two and a half years later, June 28, 2019, Capson Physicians Insurance Company was placed in liquidation. (June 2019)
I’d like to thank the New York Chief Human Resource Officer Community for inviting me to present my approach to building a world-class IT department at their annual summit. I described my method for elevating employee engagement and transforming IT into a high-performance department, the challenges and leadership lessons that I learned as well as my advice and key takeaways for any company embarking upon such a journey. (June 2019)
It’s a privilege to help other people. I’ve been appointed as a mentor at Columbia University in their Executive Master’s Program at the Center for Technology Management. (March 2019)
I recently met with 22 startup CEOs from around the world. It was a great opportunity to discuss innovation and see how their creative ideas have become products. As a mentor, I advised on business strategy, product development and technology, and vetted their innovations for inclusion in the accelerator program. Congrats to those that were accepted! (Dec 2018)
I’m honored to once again have been chosen as an Insurtech Innovation Judge for the “Innovation in Action Awards”, sponsored by Strategy Meets Action (Boston). I had the pleasure of working with many firms that completed transformational initiatives and reshaped the foundational areas of business model, customer, innovative culture, technology and/or data. (Oct 2018)
It was an honor to have spoken at the NY CIO Summit on our Journey to the Cloud. (July 2018)
Having elevated employee engagement, developed and retained talent, and transformed IT into a high-performance department, I’m happy to share my roadmap and many of the salient points, just click on the thumbnail below. (April 2018)
If you’re an aspiring leader seeking to help others and expand your own skills, find a mentor, be a mentor and stick to the basics. Additional perspectives on leadership and helping bring a company to the next level are in my interview with MicroAgility President, Sajid Khan. (Feb 2018)
Few would deny the importance of a CIO’s skills in the area of vendor contract negotiations. An attorney and I teamed up to offer advice for going from good to great as a technology contract negotiator. (Oct 2017)
I believe that people genuinely want to do a good job, and as leaders, we can help them. One thing we can do is to create an environment in which staff can find purpose in their work. When they understand how their work benefits others, whether it’s the company, its customers, employees, stakeholders, or other people, they take pride in their work, have self-esteem, and do a better job. The information I’m sharing provides insight on how we can help our staff find meaning in their work. (Aug 2017)
As a member of the Governing Body, I felt it important to introduce content on “soft skills” for the summit. As the CIO job has evolved from being a technologist into that of a true leader and trusted business partner, proficiency in soft skills has become essential. The governing body agreed and we sought speakers. I anticipate that the theme of “soft skills” will continue into future CIO summits as well. (June 2017)
These are some insights I learned over the years from our digital transformation that you may find helpful when managing yours. (March 2017)
Having digital transformation experience, the real conversation is about the many lessons learned. As operations transformation is within the sphere of influence of a CIO/CDO, no surprise it’s a primary target. More complex are sales, customer, and business model due to risk and the adoption rates of external entities. (Jan 2017)
I’m honored to be chosen as an innovation judge for the “Innovation in Action Awards”, sponsored by Strategy Meets Action (Boston, MA). This was a great opportunity to work with 18 firms that completed transformational projects or initiatives that have reshaped foundational areas of: business model, customer, innovative culture, technology and/or data. (Sept 2016)
With business and IT alignment now being table stakes, the next step, in my opinion, is to work hand-in-hand to build a strategic relationship. This can take many forms, including the Business Relationship Manager (BRM) role. I’ve seen companies implement this in a strategic and forward-looking position, and in others, it’s an operational service. The information I’m sharing resonates well with the strategic view of BRM. (Sept 2016)
The New York CDO Inner Circle was an excellent event. With a cross-section of industry CDOs and CIOs, it was an opportunity to discuss among peers how each of us is using, or plans to use, data and information strategically to drive insight and value for our stakeholders. The vendors that joined the conversation had hands-on experience and were able to advise accordingly. Its also an honor to serve as a member of the Governing Body. (July 2016)
This was a great event which I found to be informative, insightful and thought provoking. I also liked that it included cross-functional business leaders so the discussion contained various points-of-view in addition to those of fellow CIOs. (June 2016)
I hope the insight and information that I’m sharing will help fellow CIOs create new value, earn stakeholder support, and successfully lead change whether it’s building IT from a blank slate or managing transformations. (March 2016)
Honored to have spoken @ the Strategy Meets Action summit. I described how I’m using digital, cloud and analytics to rapidly deliver business value and facilitate the development of a highly efficient and scalable company. I also spoke of the benefits and challenges of going digital, and how I earned stakeholder buy-in. (Nov 2015)
I’m excited to be part of a global Deloitte University class on Cognitive Technologies and Artificial Intelligence. My team consists of people from India, Turkey, Germany, Japan, and Spain. (Oct 2015)
With many definitions of big data, one way to understand it is to envision it. Picture a race car with hundreds of sensors providing thousands of data points in real-time during a race, being analyzed by race engineers, also in real-time, formulating strategies so they can achieve the best result. (Oct 2015)
Earning a seat at the leadership table isn’t easy. I hope the insight and information that I’m sharing will help fellow CIOs earn the seat. (June 2015)
Digital and technology coupled with ecosystems have many opportunities to create memorable customer experiences (Feb 2015)
Having done 35 acquisitions, I was recently interviewed for the Heller Report (Boston). I describe some of the tools and processes I created to improve various stages of the M&A process. (Nov 2014)
To truly understand customers, create memorable experiences across channels, and convert them into raving fans in which they recommend your company, there’s a sweeping trend among the leaders (22% of Fortune 100s) to create the Chief Customer Officer. This is a strategic role and its emergence stemmed from the recognition that customer expectations sharply increased and their loyalty has to be continuously earned. The information I’m sharing provides further insight into this phenomenon. (Oct 2014)
With technology’s potential to disrupt business models, and with consumerization as the paradigm for technology entering the workplace, the winners may be those companies that attend the major consumer electronic shows as they may spark opportunity & innovation. The information I’m sharing lists the most disruptive technologies from the previous show; the next one is in January. (Oct 2014)
With customer expectations rising exponentially, companies focused purely on their products rather than on creating a memorable customer experience may lose business. The innovators are using data and tools to anticipate customer needs and then to proactively provide service. The information I’m sharing provides insight into a new approach that Amazon is working on. (Sept 2014)
As an IT Leader, I can tell you that formulating innovations that can help a company grow, gain new efficiencies and cut costs is not enough. The real challenge lies in influencing business executives to invest. I’ve developed a few techniques over the years and would like to share an article from Harvard Business that is spot-on. (July 2014)
M&A: Should all integrations be fast? As an IT leader for 30+ deals, my experience is that it varies and my advice is that the plan and pace be tightly aligned with the strategic intent. For example, a roll-up could be faster than a transformation M&A. However, within a roll-up, the customer-facing integration may be slower than the back-office if there’s an opportunity to enhance value and build new relationships. Join the debate on this. (July 2014)
With M&A activities expected to rise, there’s an opportunity for new and innovative methods of valuation. For example, in sales and distribution, enriching the target with 3rd party data coupled with predictive analytics may identify new up and cross-selling opportunities. This recalibrates the value of the transaction whereas the acquirer gains a better understanding of the potential worth and the seller can price it with greater precision. Everybody wins. The information I’m sharing describes the economic drivers behind the increase in forecasted M&A. (Apr 2014)
With digitization as a tool that can help drive growth, enable new efficiencies, and cut costs, there is a growing trend among CEO’s (31% surveyed) to personally sponsor these programs. With customer engagement as the #1 area of investment, companies in “digitization denial” may be constraining their performance. The information I’m sharing identifies the key trends and specific opportunities ripe for transformation. (Feb 2014)
We live in an information-driven society. With data being the key that can unlock value and drive growth through customer intelligence, new product development and recalibrating customer purchasing decisions, the time is ripe to harness its strategic capabilities. My own experience commenced in the 1990s when designing sales opportunities based on data architecture and predictive analytics. The industry is maturing and for companies that are ready, we’re seeing the rise of the Chief Data Officer. The information I’m sharing provides insight into the role of the CDO and how it brings strategic value to a company. (Jan 2014)
I was Invited to speak on the “Talent Panel” at the CIO Summit in New York where I shared my approach to talent development and retention, deepening employee engagement and building a high-performance culture. (Nov 2013)
Are “customers” the new “business advisors”? A growing trend among CEOs (60% surveyed) revealed plans to directly engage customers to gain insight into the development of their business strategies and pricing structures and to take an outside-in approach to innovation. This is up from prior years which suggests a growing trend. The information I’m sharing identifies Customer Advisory Boards and other methods of facilitating direct engagement. (Oct 2013)
With digitization and technology’s evolution disrupting the “business as usual”, the difference between winners and losers may very well be the ability to understand IT’s potential, implementing a practical business and IT strategy, and having an execution culture. The information I’m sharing can help you get started by asking the right questions about technology. (Sept 2013)
Fisker vs. Tesla. Build vs. buy. R&D (higher risk; longer payback period) vs. adapt existing (lower risk; Speed-To-Market). Vendor selection; choose carefully! Having business and technology strategies grounded in simplicity and practicality makes all of the difference. The failure of Fisker and the success of Tesla are now in the history books and a worthy case study. (Aug 2013)
There’s a lot of buzz on “The Internet of Things” and how it can provide opportunities to grow revenue, gain new efficiencies and cut costs, however, it is complex; managing big data is new territory and many companies don’t have experience in this domain. The information I’m sharing can help you get a better understanding of the business opportunities as well as the challenges to overcome. (Aug 2013)
Want to ignite employee engagement? As leaders and mentors, we have the opportunity to earn our staff’s commitment as long as we’re authentic and take the time to understand what’s important to them. Staggering research shows that overall engagement is only at 30%, yet organizations with top scores in employee motivation are 60% more likely to be in the top quartile for overall business health. The information I’m sharing provides tips on how to re-engage staff. (July 2013)
Praise, leadership attention, and a chance to lead task forces. Are these the key motivators of employee engagement? Leading research suggests that they play a critical role in helping employees recognize that their employers sincerely value them. The information I’m sharing provides insight into the effectiveness of these and other motivators. While the article is not new, it still remains very relevant. (July 2013)
With the promise of EBITDA growth and increased business retention, big data may be the next great frontier. The challenge is that for many companies, blending data, analytics and tools together to create business value is new territory and they may not know how to proceed. The information I’m sharing provides insight into how to get started and what a strategic data plan should contain. (April 2013)
Gravitas, communication, and appearance – are these the key ingredients of Executive Presence (EP)? In addition to talent, don’t underestimate the importance of having “EP” when setting sites on a leadership role. The article I’m sharing provides insight on “EP” as well as tips on how to learn it. (Feb 2013)
With consumerization as the new paradigm for technology entering the workplace, it behooves forward-thinking companies to attend major consumer electronic exhibitions as they may spark business innovations. Attached is an article from his year’s CES, which is one of the largest consumer electronic shows, and a write-up of the most disruptive technologies. (Jan 2013)
Can you predict which customers are likely to buy? Dell has been doing this for years. The information I’m sharing reveals how they do it and identifies the vendor they use. (Dec 2012)
As a leader, do you achieve greater value by trying to move the needle across a whole company, or by focusing purely on your top talent? The HBR article I’m sharing has interesting points and examples. (Nov 2012)
Many CEOs compare Fly Fishing to running a company. It has elements of focus, strategy, patience and perseverance. If you enjoy the sport, which I do, you may want to read the article as it quotes several CEOs. (Oct 2012)
With 93% of communication conveyed by nonverbal cues, a valuable skill is the ability to interpret body language. However, of equal or arguably greater importance is the ability to align our own body language with the message we want to convey. The article I’m sharing provides insight on how to do this. (Oct 2012)
As leaders and mentors, we have the opportunity to encourage and motivate people and help them grow and be successful. One of the ways in which we can do this is through coaching. I’d like to share a coaching technique I read about. In my opinion, it’s effective because it isn’t aggressive and it gains buy-in from the person being coached. (July 2012)
Thank you for the emails on my post on “Influence”. To answer the questions, storytelling utilizes a “pull” energy (pulling the person you’re trying to influence closer to you) rather than a “push”. After you’ve decided on your influence objective, determine the energy (pull or push), strategy, tactics, and behavior to use. Influencing is situational so all of these vary based on the specific situation. (June 2012)
One of the most valuable skills in business is to be effective at influencing. I’ve tried different influence strategies and have concluded that each influence attempt needs to have the correct strategy, there is no “one size fits all”. While relationships and credibility are critical components of influencing, I’ve found that being able to create an emotional connection and tell a powerful story can be very effective. The article I’m sharing provides insight on how to tell a great story. (June 2012)
As leaders, we strive to create a passionate work environment in which people are challenged, self-motivated, take ownership of their work, and are personally committed to the company’s success. The article I’m sharing presents ideas and tips that in addition to other “People Strategies”, can help move culture in this direction. (June 2012)
For mergers & acquisitions, should companies follow a standardized, repeatable approach to post-merger systems integration, or is each deal so unique that a standard approach cannot apply? Having done 15 deals, my experience is that standard processes and tools definitely expedite the integration, however, there are rare occasions in which the standards need to be recalibrated due to the uniqueness of the transaction. Join the debate on this topic. (June 2012)
What’s the real innovation? Do customers want more features or do they want products that are smarter and effortless to use? The article I’m sharing explores this debate and provides compelling examples. (June 2012)
It’s all about people! (May 2009)
