How top IT leaders create first-mover advantage

Randich, too, learned from previous career experiences the value of being calm in times of crisis, having seen the chaos that can erupt when emotions take over and people stop listening to one another. It’s up to the CIO, he says, to the lead the way by making an intentional effort to calm down, focus on the facts, and think rationally. After all, he says, “That’s the way you’re going to get yourself out of the situation.”

Steadiness and calm from the leader create the kind of culture where people are encouraged to take risks and work together to solve big problems and execute on bold agendas. That, ultimately, is what enables a technology organization to capitalize on innovative technologies. In fact, reflecting on his legacy as a CIO, Sample believes it’s not really about the technology; it’s about the people. His success, he says, has been in building the teams that operate the technology.

“What I have found is that the perfect plan with an unqualified team doesn’t matter. They won’t be able to operate it. They will invariably fail. On the other hand, you take a mediocre plan — it’s a little too conservative or a little too expensive — and you put an excellent team behind it, they will not only deliver; they will outperform,” he says. “The lesson is that, the technology of the day is going to change, but the excellent teams are what help you overachieve.”