Secrets Of Successful CIOs: An Interview With Martha Heller

In this episode of InformationWeek's Expert Voice podcast we talk with Martha Heller, president of Heller Search Associates, about her new book "Be the Business" and about what that idea means for CIOs.

Curtis Franklin Jr., Senior Editor at Dark Reading

September 16, 2016

2 Min Read
<p align="left">(Image: Martha Heller)</p>

5 Ways IT Leaders Can Lure Top Tech Talent

5 Ways IT Leaders Can Lure Top Tech Talent


5 Ways IT Leaders Can Lure Top Tech Talent (Click image for larger view and slideshow.)

In this episode of InformationWeek's Expert Voice, executive editor Curtis Franklin Jr. talks with Martha Heller, president of Heller Search Associates. Heller is an executive recruiter, a frequent speaker on IT leadership issues, and the author of several books, most recently Be the Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Heller discussed the changing landscape faced by the enterprise CIO and how the successful CIO is navigating the complex new business terrain. She began with the idea that IT must support the business is old-fashioned and hopelessly out of date.

Instead, she said, IT must be woven into the very fabric of the business and treated as a part of the business -- as integral to its operations and success as accounting or human resources.

As the conversation progressed, Heller spoke about the CIO's role in the mix of jobs that make up the C-suite, and how the CIO must relate to the CEO -- a relationship not always under the CIO's control. She also tackled "shadow IT" and explained how CIOs should -- and most definitely should not -- deal with the controversial trend.

If you are a CIO, or if the CIO's office is part of your career plan, then you owe it to yourself and your organization to spend a few minutes with Martha Heller. Drop into the comment section to let us know what you thought.

How do her ideas mesh with your organization? The InformationWeek community would love to hear from you.

 

Title music for InformationWeek's Expert Voice is "Parasite" by Lamprey. Music for this episode is by Audionautix.

About the Author

Curtis Franklin Jr.

Senior Editor at Dark Reading

Curtis Franklin Jr. is Senior Editor at Dark Reading. In this role he focuses on product and technology coverage for the publication. In addition he works on audio and video programming for Dark Reading and contributes to activities at Interop ITX, Black Hat, INsecurity, and other conferences.

Previously he was editor of Light Reading's Security Now and executive editor, technology, at InformationWeek where he was also executive producer of InformationWeek's online radio and podcast episodes.

Curtis has been writing about technologies and products in computing and networking since the early 1980s. He has contributed to a number of technology-industry publications including Enterprise Efficiency, ChannelWeb, Network Computing, InfoWorld, PCWorld, Dark Reading, and ITWorld.com on subjects ranging from mobile enterprise computing to enterprise security and wireless networking.

Curtis is the author of thousands of articles, the co-author of five books, and has been a frequent speaker at computer and networking industry conferences across North America and Europe. His most popular book, The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting, with co-author George Colombo, was published by Que Books. His most recent book, Cloud Computing: Technologies and Strategies of the Ubiquitous Data Center, with co-author Brian Chee, was released in April 2010. His next book, Securing the Cloud: Security Strategies for the Ubiquitous Data Center, with co-author Brian Chee, is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2018.

When he's not writing, Curtis is a painter, photographer, cook, and multi-instrumentalist musician. He is active in amateur radio (KG4GWA), scuba diving, stand-up paddleboarding, and is a certified Florida Master Naturalist.

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