Behind the Firewall: Notes of a Punk CIO

Your roadmap is bloated. Not because your team is slow — but because you’re afraid to say no.

Every week, I see it happen:

• “Just a small request from the business…”
• “Can we squeeze this in before quarter-end?”
• “Leadership wants to explore this new idea…”
• “We lose competitiveness, unless…”

❌ Death by a thousand yeses.
❌ Noise creeping into the signal.
❌ Goals blurred. Teams burned out. Value diluted.

As a Punk CIO, I’ve learned:

Saying no isn’t being difficult. It’s being focused. It’s defending outcomes. It’s leading with intent.

Here’s my ‘no mercy’ filter:

• ✅ Does it accelerate our strategic goals?
• ✅ Does it reduce complexity or increase autonomy?
• ✅ Does it create real, measurable value?

If not? — > it’s a f…ck no.

But let’s be real — saying no isn’t easy. So here are 3 powerful tactics:

1. Bring the cost into the light
“We can do it — but here’s what we’d need to drop. Are you comfortable with that trade-off?”
➡ Shift the conversation from “yes/no” to value vs. value.

2. Reframe it as a focus decision
“Right now, we’re focused on delivering X, which is critical for Y. Adding this would compromise that.”
➡ Show leadership through clarity and conviction.

3. Say no with a scoreboard
“This doesn’t score high on our impact-effort matrix. Let’s revisit it later.”
➡ Use data, not ego, to protect priorities.

I know, “Yes” feels safe. But “no” builds clarity, momentum, and trust.

So ask yourself this week: How often do you say “no” to protect what truly matters?

And if the answer makes you uncomfortable — good. You’re growing.

—-

PS: this also applies to your private life 😉