Each week, senior executives and prominent thought leaders join Vala Afshar and Michael Krigsman on CXOTalk to explore the impact of technology on innovation and disruption in the enterprise.
This is a collection of some of the best words of advice these business and technology experts have shared on the show.
Business and Technology Advice from the World's Top Executives
1.
2. • Prioritize the projects that enhance value.
• You cannot deal with modern problems using antiquated systems.
• Creativity needs to come from everywhere, not just the C-level.
• Stay focused on what moves the needle.
RAMON BAEZ
@RamonfBaez | HEWLETT-PACKARD
SENIOR VP & CIO
3. • Seek not to influence, but to be influenced.
• It‟s not about where the budget sits, but where the conversation starts.
• Marketing influence is market strategy built from the influence of others.
• As marketing fuels up, so does IT and everyone ends up at the same table.
JOHN TASCHEK
@jtaschek | SALESFORCE.COM
VP OF STRATEGY
4. • Don‟t chase shadow IT, chase innovation.
• Technology is ubiquitous.
• Embrace social media as a means of doing business.
• Work at the speed of your customers, not the speed of your processes.
ANDI KARABOUTIS
@AndiCIOatDell | DELL
VP & GLOBAL CIO
5. • There are no IT projects, only business projects.
• Business executives should have higher expectations of IT.
• CIOs can use social channels to stay current and well informed.
• Connect to new sources and influential people.
KIM STEVENSON
@Kimsstevenson | INTEL
CIO
6. • IT must develop a deeper understanding of the business through
collaboration.
• In order to move forward, you must abandon the past.
• CIOs must cultivate a culture of agility and customer service.
FRANK MODRUSON
@Accenture | ACCENTURE
CIO
7. • Position is what angle you want to take. Message is how you deliver
that single position to the audience you want to reach.
• When can we be digital first, when can we be digital only and when
do we need to be digital to be on top?
• If you focus on what your end customers want everything else takes
care of itself.
JONATHAN BECHER
@jbecher | SAP
CMO
8. • It‟s all about the outcome, not who has authority.
• Good people trump bad organizational structure every time.
• Spend your time on outcomes.
MIKE CAPONE
@MikeCaponeADP | ADP
CIO
9. • IT must enable people who come to work to make a
difference and to have an opportunity to contribute.
• Rapid delivery of quality services bolster strong business
partnerships.
• CIO is a choreographer or a conductor of an orchestra,
bringing various services together to co-create value.
CASEY COLEMAN
@caseycoleman | General Services Administration
CIO
10. • The foundation of crowdsourcing is built on trust. Trust the crowd.
• Social amplifies voices and choices.
• CIOs must empower CMOs to focus outwardly.
• Luck favors the people who are willing to grind it out.
GUY KAWASAKI
@GuyKawasaki | ALLTOP
FOUNDER
11. • CIO owns the platforms to deliver Big Data, but the CMO owns the
results of Big Data.
• The source of influence is becoming the source of education – be the
source of influence.
• The market is moving in the direction of ad-hoc decision support –
CMO and CIO must collaborate to deliver value.
MIKE FAUSCETTE
@mfauscette | IDC
GROUP VP
12. • The last decade of the enterprise was defined by mass collaboration, the next
decade will be defined by mass integration.
• IT should be the information enabler.
• If you're not the simplest solution, you're the target of one.
• History repeats itself in the technology industry. Pay attention to where
customers are going.
AARON LEVIE
@levie | BOX
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
13. • Continuously add value to a customer‟s experience.
• Don‟t forget the importance of face-to-face interactions.
• Deliver integrated campaigns for a multi-touch world.
CHIP COYLE
@Infor | INFOR
CMO
14. • Social media cuts through organizational hierarchy.
• Technology is bigger than IT.
• Ideas do not become reality without CMO and CIO collaboration.
MARK P. McDONALD
@markpmcdonald | GARTNER
GROUP VP
15. • Know your customers.
• IT infrastructure is a business asset.
• Big Data rewards customer engagement.
FRED KIRSCH
@Fred_Kirsch | KRAFT SPORTS PRODUCTIONS
VP OF CONTENT
16. • Great culture attracts great employees.
• Answer customers‟ questions before they ask.
• Content can be the magnet that pulls new customers in.
BRIAN HALLIGAN
@bhalligan | HUBSPOT
CEO
17. • Maintain a winning attitude.
• Cultivate a culture of teamwork across all departments.
• Adore what you do. Passion drives excellence.
JAY WESSEL
@celtics | BOSTON CELTICS
CIO
18. • You can't default to "yes" or "no," you need to be strategic
in your decisions.
• Take care of the basics, then take care of the parts that
help the business.
• Theories are no match for field experience.
BEN HAINES
@bhaines0 | PABST BREWING CO.
CIO
19. • Know what your customer wants and deliver it.
• Build upon social interactions.
• Learn to read between the lines of data analytics.
LAUREN BROUSELL
@LBrousell | CIO MAGAZINE
STAFF WRITER
20. • Don‟t speak at people, engage with them.
• People want to know you‟re listening.
• Customers are your best influencers. Choose your
influencers wisely.
STEVE GILLMOR
@stevegillmor | SALESFORCE.COM
HEAD OF TECH MEDIA STRATEGY
21. • CIO is an internal coach, bringing innovation and ideas to the
business, orchestrating the use of various technologies.
• Promote an open and adoptive culture.
• The relationship between the CIO and CMO is key to digital business
transformation.
ANDREW WILSON
@Accenture | ACCENTURE
CIO
22. • The centerpiece of your world is your customers.
• Encourage your customers to engage their networks on your
behalf.
• Communities extend the shelf life of social interactions.
WENDY LEA
@WendySLea | GET SATISFACTION
CEO
23. • Convince your colleagues that working together will yield stronger
systems.
• IT no longer has the option to say, „It is what it is.‟
• If you‟re given a shot, take it.
MARC TOUITOU
@SFCityCIO | CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
CIO
24. • Put the right people in the right place doing the right things.
• Nobody wins on their own. You need a great team behind you.
• When collaborating, find people with the right skills.
SHAWN PRICE
@ShawnPrice1000 | SUCCESSFACTORS
PRESIDENT
25. • Leaders know how to put together the right teams.
• Success depends on best use of individual talent to support
the team.
• An assist is as important, if not more, than scoring.
JO JO WHITE
@celtics | BOSTON CELTICS
FORMER NBA PLAYER
26. • Business model innovation is just as important as technology
innovation.
• Solve customers‟ problems, not yours.
• Social media marketing must be handled in-house.
EVANGELOS SIMOUDIS
@esimoudis | TRIDENT CAPITAL
SR. MANAGING DIRECTOR
27. • Digital Business Transformation is hard because humans are involved.
• Innovation and technology are important in any business strategy discussion.
• The CIO must ensure that the technology supports the brand‟s mission.
• Build trust in your brand.
RAY WANG
@rwang0 | CONSTELLATION RESEARCH INC.
FOUNDER
28. • Be open to innovation.
• Social accelerates contribution.
• Default to the cloud.
• To better the customer experience, you must fully understand it.
JOANNA YOUNG
@unhcio | UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
CIO
29. • Mobile-first is expected.
• Use social media as your personal learning network.
• You cannot stay relevant with a command-and-control mindset.
Collaborate to co-create value.
PHIL KOMARNY
@PhilKomarny | SETON HILL UNIVERSITY
VP IT & CIO
30. • Culture eats strategy.
• Mobile first, social always.
• To stay relevant, be part of the conversation.
STEPHEN DIFILIPO
@S_dF | CECIL COLLEGE
VP & CIO
31. • It all comes down to culture and purpose.
• We are in the age of advocacy.
• Skills can be taught, passion can‟t.
• Engage your brand advocates.
EKATERINA WALTER
@Ekaterina | BRANDERATI
CO-FOUNDER & CMO
32. • Marketing has become fragmented, empower advocates.
• Influence is not scientific, its talking to people.
• If you have to tell someone you are influential, you are not.
ANDREW GRILL
@AndrewGrill | IBM
GLOBAL PARTNER, SOCIAL BUSINESS
33. • Social media enhances communication effectiveness.
• IT needs to be accessible.
• React fast and move priorities to meet customers‟ demands.
KELLY WALSH
@EmergingEdTech | THE COLLEGE OF WESTCHESTER
CIO
34. • Smart companies don't focus on technology, they focus on positive
outcomes.
• Companies must strive to be “customer focused.”
• Listening is the prequel to action.
• People partner with companies that share their values.
PAUL GREENBERG
@pgreenbe | THE 56 GROUP
PRESIDENT
35. • Experiment. Learn. Apply. Iterate.
• Just like any organization, IT has to prove why they exist.
• Control is both an illusion and a delusion. Control is for beginners.
• Innovation is taking stuff that exists and putting it together differently.
DEB MILLS-SCOFIELD
@dscofield | MILLS-SCOFIELD, LLC
OWNER
36. • If you want to be influential you need to add value.
• Be great at communicating your story and be useful to others.
• Influence > popularity.
FLEMMING MADSEN
@FlemmingMa | ONALYTICA
FOUNDER
37. • Good Communication is about mutuality. It‟s not about me, it‟s not
about you.
• Leave your ego at home.
• Our goal is to make someone feel heard and understood.
• Don‟t tell people what to do. Engage them.
KARE ANDERSON
@KareAnderson | SAY IT BETTER
AUTHOR & SPEAKER
38. • Be interesting. This can‟t be automated or bought.
• Content should be a conversation starter.
• Useful data, not the free stuff, has earned social capital.
MARSHALL KIRKPATRICK
@marshallk | LITTLE BIRD
CEO
39. • We all have to look at government in a different way.
• The rip and replace approach of introducing innovation can be
catastrophic for government.
• We are trying to make an intimate connection with the citizens of the
nation by harnessing social and mobile.
KRISTIN D. RUSSELL
@KristinDRussell | COLORADO
CIO
40. • Knowing who to ask can be as important as knowing what to ask.
• Learn how to leverage customers to sell more product.
• Companies can‟t control how a product is used.
• You can‟t manage customer experience.
ESTEBAN KOLSKY
@ekolsky | THINKJAR
FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL
41. • If you are the only one talking, what are you going to learn?
• People do business with people, not logos.
• Businesses need the right tools to adapt in real time.
MARK FIDELMAN
@markfidelman | EVOLVE! INC.
CEO
42. • The risk of not doing social is actually much bigger than the risk of doing it.
• The Chief Digital Officer is becoming the next generation CIO.
• Social media is bigger deal than the printing press was.
• Social allows business to be faster than ever.
DION HINCHCLIFFE
@dhinchcliffe | DACHIS GROUP
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
43. • Executives must develop data analytical competencies.
• Inspiration in the enterprise comes from the customer.
• Know what the consumer needs and deliver it.
NENSHAD BARDOLIWALLA
@nenshad | PAXATA
CO-FOUNDER & VP OF PRODUCTS
44. • 90% of our behaviors are driven by our subconscious brain and
only 10% of decisions are made by intellect.
• We all crave safety, belonging and mattering.
• Instead of telling people what to do, ask questions in a tone that is
curious and fascinated.
CHRISTINE COMAFORD
@Comaford | CC ASSOCIATES
AUTHOR & STRATEGY CONSULTANT
45. • CMOs sit at the intersection of creativity and strategy.
• Make Big Data work for you.
• Engagement trumps consumption.
STEVE MANN
@stevemann | LEXISNEXIS
CMO
46. • The best people won‟t work for companies that aren‟t social.
• CMOs must take advantage of the analytic opportunities of big data, or
they will drown in it.
• Cultivate multiple skillsets to understand the big picture.
NAOMI BLOOM
@InFullBloomUS | BLOOM & WALLACE
MANAGING PARTNER
47. • The passion for work is what separates good CIOs from great
ones.
• CIOs must embrace IT Consumerization.
• Transformative CIOs serve as true business executives.
• Digital transcends social media.
MICHAEL KRIGSMAN
@mkrigsman | ASURET, INC.
CEO
48. • If you are not helpful, you are not influential.
• Your brand is what people say about you when you‟re not in the room.
The web is the room and it‟s social.
• Modern CMO: storyteller, scientist, artist, customer advocate,
technologist, designer, experience architect.
• Culture is what happens when the manager leaves the room.
Empower your employees to delight customers.
VALA AFSHAR
@ValaAfshar | EXTREME NETWORKS
CMO