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Decision Making

Industry Articles

Why CIOs Avoid Explicit Tradeoffs... And Why It Hurts Them

CIOs routinely omit the one piece of information executives need most: what is being given up to fund the ask. The executive room reads that omission as incomplete prioritization, and adjusts trust accordingly. The CIOs who declare the sacrifice ... and stand behind the call ... earn a kind of credibility that thorough analysis alone cannot produce.
Scott Smeester
March 2, 2026
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What Most CIOs Get Wrong About C Suite Peer Groups

Most executive peer groups reward comfort and validation. CIOs who settle for affirmation over structured confrontation are weakening their decision quality and eroding the political capital they need when it matters most.
Scott Smeester
February 17, 2026
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CIO Mastermind vs. Gartner? Why You Don’t Have to Choose.

Already using Gartner? See how CIO Mastermind can turn research into strategic action through peer collaboration, accountability, and implementation support.
Scott Smeester
June 17, 2025
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Leadership Blogs

How Effective CIOs Determine What The Real Problem Is

Problems surround the CIO. Solving for the wrong problem wastes time, energy and money. Five shifts help the CIO determine real problems from presenting issues.

Scott Smeester

October 28, 2021

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How Leaders Maximize Outside Input And See Results Overnight

Most sources of outside input end up as waste. The CIO is more valuable than that; your velocity and capacity of growth depend on the source of influence. A well-led peer advisory group will give you the results you need in the time you need it.

Scott Smeester

June 3, 2021

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The CIO Driver: Retool Your Leadership By Rethinking Your Definition

Leaders get frustrated when they aren’t getting anywhere. That’s why leadership is more than influence; it involves knowing how to rally, craft and drive. Of the three, drive seems to be the least emphasized in modern perspectives of leadership. It’s time to recover that.

Scott Smeester

April 13, 2021

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