The document discusses the many paradoxes that CIOs face in their roles. Some of the key paradoxes mentioned are: 1) CIOs are hired to be strategic but often get bogged down by operational issues ("pants on fire" paradox). 2) IT is deeply involved in all business functions but is often seen as separate ("island" paradox). 3) CIOs must hire staff with both strong technical skills and people/communication skills ("talent" paradox). 4) CIOs must envision the future while upgrading legacy systems ("futurist vs. archivist" paradox).

1. The CIO
What is
ParadoxBy Martha Heller

2. vs
“Operations vs.
Strategy” Paradox1
You were hired to be strategic, but you spend
most of the time on operational issues.

3. “It is really tough to be strategic
when your pants are on fire.”
Ron Kifer, CIO, Applied Materials
vs
“Operations vs.
Strategy” Paradox1

4. Video clip: Martha Heller on Why She Wrote
The CIO Paradox:
Battling the Contradictions of IT Leadership
Click image to play video

5. vs
“IT and the Business”
Paradox2
IT is intimately involved in every facet of the business, yet is
often considered separate and removed from the business.

6. “IT and the Business”
Paradox2
vs
“No one fully understands
what IT does. So we are
on an island.”
Colleen Wolf, CIO, Ventura Foods

7. 3
Your staff is most comfortable with technology, but they must
also possess communication skills and be good with people.
“Talent” Paradox
“I would love to hire
someone to do my hair,
feed my children, manage
my database, and drywall
the basement. But workers
don’t come like that.”
Martha Heller

8. vs
“Futurist vs. Archivist”
Paradox4
As CIO, you must envision the future while changing the
past. This means deploying emerging technologies while
simultaneously upgrading legacy systems.

9. “Futurist vs. Archivist”
Paradox4
vs
“When people are asked to
investment in something that
doesn’t feel competitive, they
resist. But if you cannot sell
foundational improvements,
you will layer complexity on
top of legacy and make the
mess worse.”
Tom Murphy, CIO, University of Pennsylvania

10. “Corporate Board”
Paradox5
“By turning a blind eye to IT,
boards are ignoring one of the
most key components of their
chartered responsibility.”
Bob DeRodes, CIO, The Home Depot
IT can make or break a company, but
CIOs rarely serve on corporate boards.

11. vs
“Accountability vs.
Ownership” Paradox6
You are accountable for the success of a
project, but the business has to own it.

12. 6
vs
“Accountability vs.
Ownership” Paradox
“Getting business partners
to do their part in
implementing IT is like
‘pushing on a rope’.”
Anonymous

13. Martha Heller’s Keynote Address:
video clip from “Breaking The CIO Paradox.”
Click image to play video

14. vs
Cost vs. Innovation
Paradox7
The CIO is the steward of cost containment, yet must also
innovate. This means having no room for failure and
allowing for failure all at the same time.

15. “Our job is to figure out
how to stabilize the ‘run’
side of the business and
then take those cost
savings and reinvest them
in the innovation.”
Kim Hammonds, CIO, Boeing
vs
Cost vs. Innovation
Paradox7

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