Chapter 7: CTOCIO Reference

Important Quotes

This chapter includes the important quotes of the industry leaders to demonstrate major issues of our time that are important areas to senior management in medium to large organizations. The focus is on the IS departments, governance, structure and how the IS Manager plays an important role in the company.

Lewis Eigen and Jonathan Siegel have published a book titled "The Manager's Book of Quotations," AMACOM (American Management Association), with 47 chapters having quotations on topics including "Information Management" and "Computers and Robots."

CIO.com - Home Page

http://www.cio.com/

"These systems are hugely important and a key part of our competitive advantage. Last year we had the worst year in our history, yet we were able to grow revenue and maintain our costs."

Amy McPherson, senior VP global revenue management, Marriott
April 15, 2003
CIO Magazine

http://www.cio.com/archive/081503/marriot.html

"A computer will not make a good manager out of a bad manager. It makes a good manager better faster and a bad manager worse faster."

Edward M. Esber
CEO, Ashton-Tate
Fortune Magazine, March 2, 1987

"Computers can automate the mechanics of work of all kinds - whether they generate payroll checks or perform sophisticated statistical analyses. So far they cannot even come close to doing the kind of work that involves JUDGMENT on the part of managers."

Andrew S. Gove
CEO, Intel Corp.
"One-on-One with Andy Grove," G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1987

"The highest art of professional management requires the literal ability to 'smell' a 'real fact' from all others."

Harold Geneen
CEO, IT&T
"Managing," Doubleday, 1984

"Individual contributors who gather and disseminate know-how and information should be seen as middle managers, because they exert great power within the organization."

Andrew S. Grove,
CEO, Intel Corp.
"High Output Management," Random House, 1983

As Andy Grove has written extensively on management -- and the use of technology and information -- you'll undoubtedly find his other writings fertile ground as well.

Late Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper loved a good quotation and knew how to use them. She was a "bureaucrat" all of her life but knew how to communicate and how to get things done. You probably know her for creating the computer term "bug" and perhaps for her role in developing COBOL. At her speeches, she'd have a piece of wire to show what a "nanosecond" was. She was unlikely to praise a job function but rather focus on the importance of action. Some of her quotes:

"Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, 'We've always done it this way.' I try to fight that. That's why I have a clock on my wall that runs counter-clockwise."

"A businesses' accounts receivable file is much more important than its accounts payable file."

"You manage things, you lead people. We went overboard on management and forgot about leadership. It might help if we ran the MBAs out of Washington."

"One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions."

"A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are for. Sail out to sea and do new things."

"If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It is much easier to apologize than it is to get permission."

The Norfolk Navy base had an excellent Grace Hopper page at one time but seems to have taken it down. Nevertheless, here's an excellent resource for Grace Hopper quotes.

James S. Huggins Pages
"Grace Murray Hopper" (Aug. 19, 2003)

http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/grace_hopper.htm