Notes from the real world of technology leadership.
Thoughts on technology, leadership, AI, cybersecurity, transformation, decision-making and the reality of getting things done inside organisations.
When the Pencil Was Enough
Several years ago a wonderful former colleague of mine told me the old story about NASA spending a fortune developing a pen that could...
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Copilot is Not an AI Strategy
There’s a pattern emerging across organisations — and it’s particularly visible in local government. London councils are rolling out Microsoft Copilot licences and presenting...
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What Actually Goes Through Your Mind During a Marathon?
My wife asked me this the other evening: “What do you actually think about in all those hours when you ran the Dubai marathon?”...
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Why Simplification Is Harder — and More Important — Than Transformation
Transformation gets a lot of attention – new systems, new platforms, new initiatives — it all creates a sense of progress. It’s visible, easy...
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CTO Perspective – Why Delivering Technolology Isn’t The Hard Part
For a CTO delivering technology isn’t the hard part. Most organisations, given enough time and budget, will eventually implement systems, platforms, or tools. Where...
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When Fear Holds the Wheel: How Some Institutions Use AI to Pretend, Not Perform
“We live in a time when the institutions that run society are struggling to cope with the complexities of the real world, and so...
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Fix Forward: What My Colleague Taught Me About AI Adoption
I used to work with someone who had a saying that drove some colleagues mad. He’d ship early. Launch things that weren’t quite ready....
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Speed vs Depth: How System 1 Thinking Shapes AI Decisions at Work
Daniel Kahneman’s research on System 1 and System 2 thinking helps explain why some workplace decisions — especially around technology like AI — feel...
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Ghosts in the Tech Stack – What Undead Tools Reveal About Leadership
“Every abandoned tool in your tech stack tells a story about a decision no one made” Most tech stacks aren’t pristine ecosystems. They’re haunted...
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Hacked by Hurry: How Forced Time Hijacks Your Prefrontal Cortex
We’ve got a group of students with us this week, shadowing different teams and working on a project about decision-making under uncertainty. After a...
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Procurement Transformation in Action
Transforming procurement and supply chain operations requires more than just the right tools—it demands a clear strategy, strong leadership, and seamless execution. Hear from...
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The Innovator’s Dilemma in Established Enterprises: Why Success Can Be Your Biggest Threat
Explore how established enterprises can fall into the trap of their own success, using Barnes & Noble's response to the eBook revolution as a...
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Podcast Interview with Threatspike Labs
Learn more about how I used Threatspike’s Blue service to protect our information assets
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Strategic Mastery: How Cold War Game Theory Shapes the Modern CTO’s Edge
Introduction:The historical application of game theory during the Cold War unveils strategic principles that offer a distinctive advantage to today’s Chief Technology Officers. This...
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From Stress to Success: Optimizing Cognitive Resilience in Tech Leadership
Where innovation thrives, the positive influence of stress management on cognitive well-being becomes a cornerstone for CTOs. This perspective, inspired by a Harvard Health...
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Tech Replicators: CTOs and the Evolutionary Power of Digital Ideas
Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) act as architects shaping the evolution of digital landscapes. Drawing inspiration from the evolutionary theories of William Hamilton and Richard...
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Breaking the Chains of Tech Hypernormality: Embracing Change in Persistent Environments
Quite often, teams can unwittingly fall into a state of “tech hypernormality,” a condition where the team operates in a seemingly stable environment despite...
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Bricolage and Beyond: Turning Unwinnable Tech Challenges into Triumphs
In the vast expanse of technology leadership, challenges often arise that mirror the infamous Kobayashi Maru scenario from Star Trek—a test designed to assess...
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Close Quarters, Big Gains: Unleashing Propinquity Power in Tech Leadership
After a recent optimisation workshop with one of our business units I realised that propinquity theory takes center stage as a guiding principle that...
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The siege of the Great Library of Alexandria – the world’s first Cyberattack?
The Great Library of Alexandria is often seen as a tragic loss in history. But what if we view its destruction as an early...
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Daring Experimentation as a CTO – Coltrane style
In the realm of technological leadership, picture the CTO as a maestro, drawing inspiration from the unparalleled jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane. The innovative improvisation...
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From Ancient Prophecies to Modern Preparedness: BCP with Cassandra’s Insight
In the annals of Greek mythology, Cassandra was renowned for her gift of prophecy, a blessing that often came intertwined with a curse—her prophecies...
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Commodifying Identity: The Digital Age’s Hidden Reality
In her 1994 essay, “Pandora’s Vox: On Community in Cyberspace,” Carmel Hermosillo astutely observes that the advent of computer networks and the digital age...
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The Iron Horse and the Digital Age: Linking Past and Present
The late 19th century marked a remarkable period in American history with the construction of the transcontinental railroad, often referred to as the “Iron...
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How can SMBs create a culture of curiosity and experimentation?
Leadership Engagement: The leaders within the SMB must set an example. When executives and managers show a genuine interest in exploring new ideas and...
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How your home router might be the backdoor in to your corporate network. Beware of the bear!
How your home router might be the backdoor in to your corporate network. Beware of the bear! As the world becomes increasingly connected, the...
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The Art of Inheritance – Get It Wrong and You’ve Lost Before You’ve Even Started
The Art of Inheritance – Get It Wrong and You’ve Lost Before You’ve Even Started When you join a new organisation or you are...
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How to do Tech with heart
How to do Tech with heart Sometimes it’s good to reflect on some of the good things you’ve done, the lives you’ve touched, and...
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Junkyard Tornado – why you need to get your house in order before going for Digital Transformation
Junkyard Tornado – why you need to get your house in order before going for Digital Transformation “…complex structures do not arise in a...
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IT Strategy with Donald Rumsfeld
IT Strategy with Donald Rumsfeld In a 2002 Department of Defense brieifing held by Donald Rumsfeld, then Secretary of Defense, regarding WMDs, he stated...
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Hi res audio? Just gimme some truth.
Hi res audio? Just gimme some truth. The audio world has long been a place where small incremental upgrades have been seen (or heard...
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Bluffer Syndrome – How do unqualified people get into technology leadership positions?
Bluffer Syndrome – How do unqualified people get into technology leadership positions? When I left a previous role I was able to meet my...
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Bitcoin Mining Slaves – the story of the miner botnet
Bitcoin Mining Slaves – the story of the miner botnet Bitcoin Mining Slaves – the story of the miner botnet Bitcoin is a wonderful...
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You won’t find drones delivering pianos anytime soon
How drones will reshape Middle East enterprises How many neglected online shopping carts are a result of expensive shipping costs and lengthy delivery times?...
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Why Blockchain’s only limit is human imagination
Why Blockchain’s only limit is human imagination Back in the mid-90s when I first had access to the Internet, I couldn’t really understand what...
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Linux on the Desktop – the right kernel at the wrong time
Linux on the Desktop – the right kernel at the wrong time On the 25th August 1991, an unknown 21-year-old student at the University...
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NeXTSTEP – the father of Apple’s iOS and OS X
NeXTSTEP – the father of Apple’s iOS and OS X In 1985, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, left the company due to board room...
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Extension of the self – why you always want the latest gadgets
Extension of the self – why you always want the latest gadgets When the first iPhone went on sale on 29 June 2007 its...
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