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A ‘must read’ for CIOs

When I was younger, my answer for finding anything I wanted to know was to buy a book. Now, of course, we look things up on the Internet.

But books — and increasingly ebooks — are still a font of knowledge. Take Peter High’s just published Implementing World-class IT Strategy. Reviewer Gil Press calls it  “a must-read for anyone interested in making IT a leader rather than a follower.”

High is president of Metis Strategy, a Maryland-based CIO-advisory firm that he founded in 2001. A columnist who has interviewed some 150 CIOs, and a number of his case studies are featured in the book.

High argues CIOs must have is the ability to impose an IT strategy without waiting for the CEO to point in the right direction. “Too many (CIOs) match inaction with inaction, rather than proceeding with IT’s own vision of where the company will be several years out and information technology’s role in realizing this vision,” Press quotes High as saying.

According to Press, High recommends that CIOs become “more strategic.” By this High means “weaving one’s self and one’s team more into the strategy-setting process for the rest of the organization, to articulate the many ways in which IT can bring those plans to life, to suggest new strategic possibilities to one’s peers who head other divisions, and to artfully and clearly articulate the plans that IT has for itself.”

That’s not new advice: another way of putting it is that IT has to be part of business planning. But this book sounds like another kick in the pants for those who need it.

The book, published by Wiley, is available for $44, or in digial for $35.99.

Howard Solomon
Howard Solomon
Currently a freelance writer, I'm the former editor of ITWorldCanada.com and Computing Canada. An IT journalist since 1997, I've written for several of ITWC's sister publications including ITBusiness.ca and Computer Dealer News. Before that I was a staff reporter at the Calgary Herald and the Brampton (Ont.) Daily Times. I can be reached at hsolomon [@] soloreporter.com

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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