The consumerization of IT means it's a changing world for CIOs and IT departments. Those who want to join in the business leadership of their organizations would do well to consider some recent headlines and how they reflect on IT realities. That advice comes from Mike Puglia, CIO of Kaseya, a cloud-based IT management software provider. Here are three current news stories Puglia says contain lessons for CIOs and CTOs smart enough to see them:
1. RadioShack Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
How is this relevant to today's technology leaders? Because RadioShack is emblematic of the old style of IT, Puglia says. "When I was young, RadioShack was our own little domain where we had specialized knowledge," he says, speaking for many a geek. "That's going away. Today technology doesn't belong to a few, even my mother is tweeting. The death of the RadioShack world means CIOs and CTOs must change both what they deliver and how they deliver it," Puglia says. "If you want to stay in the RadioShack age where we are the experts and the only ones who can manage technology, that won't work," he says. "The lesson is it's really been democratized. Anybody has access to the best technology almost instantaneously."
2. Hillary Clinton Used a Personal Email Address for State Department Business
"Because her work as Secretary of State is governed by stringent transparency rules, that slip-up is now causing major headaches for Clinton. But what this story tells us is that for just about everyone else, BYOD and BYOC is an expected norm," Puglia says. "People today have access to everything out there and they're all on pretty equal footing. So users will do what's fastest, easiest, and cheapest for them. As well they should," he adds.
"In this environment, IT can no longer lay down the law about what people can and can't use," he says. "If IT is the road block, they'll go around us. It's no longer the case that you can be the gatekeeper. We need to be the ones who guide them about using technology, and change from a yes or no viewpoint to a guidance viewpoint."
3. Hotspot in Troposphere Confirms Global Warming Is Happening
"Most scientists and journalists agree that the Earth is growing warmer and that human activity is the cause. All we see in the mainstream press is—is it happening or not? And how are we going to stop it?" Puglia says. "What if we look at the numbers, assume it's going to happen, and do what we need to do to prepare now?"
He likens this approach to what CIOs and other IT leaders must do faced with the changes brought on by the consumerization of IT and shadow IT. "Rather than argue about whether and how much it's happening, and trying to figure out how to stop it, prepare for a world where people controlling their own technology is the norm. We can learn from these headlines that early action to fend off challenges down the road is the key to success," he says.
Mike Puglia brings over 20 years of technology, strategy, sales and marketing experience to Kaseya. He most recently served as the company’s VP of Technology Programs, responsible for implementing Agile processes across its development and delivery organizations. Prior to joining Kaseya, Mike was Vice President of Marketing for TimeTrade Systems where he was responsible for managing and executing marketing, program and communications strategy.
