The Wolf in CIO's Clothing

A Machiavellian Strategy for Successful IT Leadership

By: Tina Nunno

Narrated by: Karen Saltus

Machiavellians are few in number in IT. The massive pressure on CIOs continues to increase as the opportunities to use technology in business become more prevalent and more competitive. As CIOs often find themselves at the center of business conflict, they must not only familiarize themselves with Machiavellian tactics as a defensive weapon, but also learn to use them as an offensive weapon in extreme situations so that they can increase IT's contribution to their enterprises.

As Italian political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli implied, you're either predator or prey, and the animal you most resemble determines your position on the food chain. In The Wolf in CIO's Clothing Gartner analyst and author Tina Nunno expands on Machiavelli's metaphor, examining seven animal types and the leadership attributes of each. Nunno posits the wolf - a social animal with strong predatory instincts - as the ideal example of how a leader can adapt and thrive.

Technology may be black and white, but successful leadership demands an ability to exist in the grey. Drawing on her experience with hundreds of CIOs, Nunno charts a viable way to master the Machiavellian principles of power, manipulation, love, and war. Through compelling case studies, her approach demonstrates how CIOs and IT leaders can adjust their leadership styles in extreme situations for their own success and that of their teams.

©2015 Gartner, Inc. (P)2015 Gildan Media LLC

Great strategies for all managers

Although written for CIOs, the principles of this book can and should be used by managers across the organization. Great insight on how the successfully lead and get things done in a competitive business

A must read for every CIO

It doesn't matter if you are new to the role or a seasoned vet Nunno delivers nugget after nugget of powerful insights backed with real world examples.

48 Laws of Power for the CIO

this read very much like Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power. it was good, but redundancy kept it from being 5 stars. a lot of the themes were stated over and over. Still, it worth the read.

Director of IT review

As the director of IT for a software company, and one without a CIO, I I liked this short book. They gave me a tune up and a different perspective on how to approach the different partners in the business. Knowing when to play the nice guy and when to be the bad guy is not always easy, but knowing the justification for keeping it in balance is a smart tactic overall.

CIO power plays

loved it. a must read especially for introverts who need to tap into their stronger xtics