Behind the Firewall: Notes of a Punk CIO
Where chaos meets clarity in the world of IT.
Category: 🧠Root access
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ears ago, I watched a masterclass on leadership in complex environments. The speaker didn’t show slides of org charts or fancy models—instead, he brought in a jazz band. Each musician knew their instrument, but they also listened closely, adjusted in real-time, and gave space for others to lead. There was no conductor. Just shared rhythm,…
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I’ve been thinking—maybe overthinking—about something lately: what happens to juniors in a world where AI does all the “junior work”?
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f your instructions leave any room for interpretation, people will interpret them. And not always the way you intended.
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Every exec deck demands it. Every transformation promises it. We trim, optimize, automate, consolidate … but what exactly are we sacrificing at the altar of efficiency? Efficiency sounds noble, it feels responsible, but when we chase it at all costs — across teams, meetings, decisions, and budgets — I think something fundamental erodes on the way…
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There are days when I need to cut teams, kill projects, challenge peers, or walk straight into a meeting where I know I’ll be the villain. That’s not me—at least not the “me” most people know. I’m all the way wired for empathy. I tend to overthink and I lose sleep when things I care…
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The vague digs at IT. The shadow critiques of “certain people.” The whispers with no names and no facts. I don’t ignore it — I call it out. Because I’d rather face uncomfortable truth than let fog shape our reputation.
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As CIOs, we spend our days solving complex problems, driving change, and keeping the machine running. But under all the roadmaps, metrics, and escalations, the real challenge is more human:How do we lead with clarity, not just control? What follows isn’t a framework. It’s a mindset. A few principles that keep me grounded when the…
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Your roadmap is bloated. Not because your team is slow — but because you’re afraid to say no.
Behind the Firewall: Notes of a Punk CIO 