“Women make up more than 2/3 of the world’s 796 million illiterate people.” Source: United Nations Women First, let’s digest that almost 800 million, about 26%, of the world’s population over the age of 15 cannot read. This is an appalling statistic with negative ripples, as less education equals higher risk of negative life consequences… Read More Why Supporting Women Makes Sense: International Women’s Day 2018

  “You may delay. But time will not.” Benjamin Franklin If information technology professionals have one goal in the early 21st century, it is to start becoming a business unit and therefore stop the separation implied by the phrase “IT and the business.” Information technology department are the business units accountable for technology. They should… Read More The Starts & Stops of 21st Century IT

“Drive thy business, or it will drive thee.” Benjamin Franklin Measuring and managing is an all-year round activity, however as the year winds down there is an uptick in reviewing the happenings and progress of the prior 12 months. I’m thankful to still be learning and experiencing new things. An important reminder for me this… Read More The Realization Was The Hardest Part, Or “What I Learned In 2017”

“What is right to be done cannot be done too soon.” Jane Austen We make commitments all the time, through the choices we make. Which person should we hire for this role? What’s the best use of capital dollars? Which product should we choose? Small or large coffee? Should we accept this vendor’s pricing? Choices… Read More The Gravitas & Grit Series, Part 4: The Making of the Right Commitment

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” Dr. Spock (Not the one from Star Trek. The other one.) 21st century IT organizations should not be order takers. Whether a service desk ticket or a strategic program, IT needs to have a data-driven gut check for any request. Here’s some Choose a product.… Read More The Gravitas & Grit Series: Part 3 The Gut Check(list)

“I gravitate towards gravitas” Morgan Freeman, actor Gravitas is defined as “dignity, solemnity and seriousness of manner.” In business, people with gravitas are seen as intelligent and serious; they unconsciously command respect. While the degree to which gravitas is valued within a particular organizational culture may vary, gravitas is useful to have, and arguably essential… Read More The Gravitas & Grit Series: Part 2 “Deliberate Gravitas”

This is the first in a series dedicated to important characteristics of leadership: gravitas & grit. “Courage and resolve; strength of character” – “Small, loose particles of sand” Both are definitions of “grit.”  Grit is a word defined in two ways: one definition positive and soaring, the other speaking to the dirt beneath our feet.… Read More The Gravitas & Grit Series: Part 1 “Go Small to Go Big”