New year, new you: The IT manager’s revitalization guide

Tuesday, January 1st 2013. | Software News

As we say goodbye to 2012 and start looking forward to another exciting year in tech, it’s a good time to pause and take stock of your professional and personal progress as an IT manager.

Take a few moments to read through the best of Computerworld‘s management and career, or click a link below to skip directly to your chosen topic.

Embrace big ideas
Build productive relationships
Be a better boss
Take care of your career
Make a big move
Try something completely different

Embrace big ideas

Invest for transformation in 2013

Maximize the return on your investments in disruptive trends like big data, cloud computing and mobility.

Bust down the info silos

Some companies have discovered that the benefits of sharing data more widely are well worth the costs and effort.

Let go of your ‘command and control’ mindset

The consumerization of IT has some managers giving up gatekeeping. The result? More productive employees, more rewarding tech jobs.

Prepare for the coming Cobol brain drain

When the last Cobol programmers walk out the door, so may 50 years of business processes within the software they created. Will you be ready?

Embrace ‘shadow IT’

Tech-savvy employees have long bypassed IT to get their hands on hot technologies. Rather than standing in the way, smart CIOs are now embracing and even encouraging shadow IT.

Stop searching for the elusive ‘purple squirrel’

Despite the talent shortage, some managers still search for employees with an impossible set of skills. Instead, they should work to improve the talent they have.

Give employees time off to innovate

Companies like Google and 3M give tech workers free time to follow their passions. Could it work for your organization?

Say goodbye to the corporate phone

Users are demanding their own smartphones, and support-weary IT is only too happy to hand over the reins.

Know when to say no to new technologies

Sometimes not adopting a hot new technology is the wisest business decision you can make. Four CIOs tell their tales.

Get over your addiction to rock star developers

You want the best and the brightest money can buy. Or do you? In fact, you’re better served by a group of developers with mixed skill levels who focus on getting the job done.

Mine your organization for good ideas

Idea management can help your organization stay competitive. Here are 10 best practices for getting the most from it.

Prioritize tech projects

Barraged with requests for mobile, social and analytics apps, IT must prioritize projects to give the business what it wants.