CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 26

no one has laid it out for them. They'll take a little

Near-constant change in our business landscape

of what they did before, try to adopt some of what

has provided me the opportunity to meet and

they see happening in the company that's new to

work with a lot of very talented people. In

them, and somehow combine the two. The longer

assigning roles following a merger, we conduct

people are left to figure it out on their own, the

a very fact-based and transparent talent

more problems arise. You don't get 100% of what

assessment, from the board level to the front lines.

the employee actually has to give because he or

We always try to retain the people with the best

she is unsure what is expected. The faster you

skills not for the company we were, but for the

can give them clear direction about their new

company we are becoming. This is a nuance that

responsibilities, the more effective the transition

some people may find hard to understand, but it

will be. The more you communicate to them

is a real differentiator for us in building a world-

about what they're going to be doing and the

class IT organization. Ultimately, this has created

results they're responsible for, the quicker they

an environment where top IT talent work and

adapt to the new organization. And the quicker

collaborate to develop innovative solutions with

their adaptation to the new culture, the sooner

the business.

they actually become drivers of the change, as

During the transition period as the two

opposed to somebody to whom this change

organizations are merged, we provide our people

is happening.

opportunities to gain new skills and work on

Managing During Uncertain Times
Transformative change ultimately brings benefits, but in the short term it creates
fear, uncertainty, and doubt for CIOs and their teams. I have four tips for managing
this kind of upheaval.
1. Understand the expectations for the change. Who is driving it? What are the
goals? Is this a single change on the path to a bigger strategy, or is it a change
that will set the baseline for the organization for the future? If you simply
approach change mechanically without understanding the end game, you'll
make decisions that may not serve the company well long term.
2. Quickly establish the new organization structure and individual roles. Be
willing to make bold decisions in order to keep the best of the best talent,
whether from your organization or the acquired company.
3. Establish aggressive goals for IT's impact on the change. Identify important
Day One deliverables as well as the operational end state. And involve the entire
IT organization in the exercise so it's not a top-down mandate for change.
4. Don't just make bold plans, make bold commitments. Then be sure you deliver on
the commitments you have made. At the end of the day, you can be bold in what
you're choosing to do and you can be the nicest guy that everybody wants to follow,
but if you can't execute, the company cannot stay on the path that has been laid.
26



CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8

Contents
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - Cover1
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - Cover2
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 1
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - Contents
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 3
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 4
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 5
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 6
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 7
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 8
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 9
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 10
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 11
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 12
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 13
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 14
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 15
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 16
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 17
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 18
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 19
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 20
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 21
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 22
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 23
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 24
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 25
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 26
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 27
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 28
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 29
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 30
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 31
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 32
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 33
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 34
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 35
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 36
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 37
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 38
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 39
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 40
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 41
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 42
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 43
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 44
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 45
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 46
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 47
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 48
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 49
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 50
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 51
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 52
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 53
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 54
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 55
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 56
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 57
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 58
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 59
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 60
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 61
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 62
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 63
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 64
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 65
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 66
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 67
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 68
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 69
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 70
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 71
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 72
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 73
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 74
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - 75
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - Cover3
CIO Straight Talk - Issue 8 - Cover4
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