Fostering Innovation

How to Build an Amazing It Team

De: Andrew Laudato

Narrado por: Paul Bellantoni

Proven and practical strategies for leading IT teams and departments

In Fostering Innovation: How to Build an Amazing IT Team, accomplished technology strategist, executive, and leader Andrew Laudato delivers an eye-opening exploration of how to design, build, staff, and run a high-performing IT department. The book is filled with universally applicable strategies and techniques that can transform any IT team into an all-star cast perfectly aligned with your organization's objectives.

Incorporating proven and practical processes throughout the narrative, the book offers useful continuous improvement concepts the reader can apply to their team, company, and professional development. Listeners will also find: foolproof ways to put people before technology; detailed discussions of perennially important topics, like the importance of uptime, how to deploy redundancy, and creating the perfect organization chart; and strategies for managing and motivating the wonderfully unique individuals we refer to as "technologists." The perfect resource for newly minted chief information officers and chief technology officers, Fostering Innovation will also earn a place in the libraries of non-technical professionals who work closely with IT, and business leaders seeking a better understanding of how to lead an IT team.

©2022 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (P)2022 Ascent Audio

Great book

This book is a practical guide for how to be successful in the CIO role. For example, the section on legal items. You can (and should) know more, but Laudato provides excellent advice on the minimum.
I also appreciated the little injections of humor and humility.
I highly recommend this book for those in a CIO role.

You are Never too Old to learn!

I have been in a Realtor for 33 years, and this book isn't just for IT professional, this book addresses "how to" for salespersons as well and now that there are "teams" in the real estate industry and we are all connected to our computers and smart phones, understanding the IT departments that run our websites and our Boards, ( HAR Houston Association of Realtors) MLS etc. they should also read this book, it would make the life a Realtor so much easier! Great book!

For beginners must read

For beginners must read, but if you working more than 3 Y as CIO - you don't need to read book.

A CIO handbook

Andrew Laudato succeeded in writing a veritable handbook for both experienced and rookie CIOs. Paul Bellantoni was an excellent choice as narrator.

Andrew’s learnings over the years provide such great value to those willing to invest the time in listening. His willingness to use his own early career mistakes to outline a better path resonated with me as a CIO.

This is an easy read, written in a language IT leaders will appreciate and brought to life perfectly in this performance.

Insights not only for CIO”s

As a non-technical sales executive, I found this book to be very insightful. It equips with values and challenges that drive IT departments, enhancing any executives ability to listen better and tailor conversations and solutions to the specific needs and innovation cultures of particular leaders. Andy’s emphasis on fostering a collaborative and innovative environment resonates! I started recommending this book to my fellow IT sales professionals as it enhances our ability to connect, empathize and propose only those valuable and relevant solutions. Thank you!

Mixed bag - large company bias

Fostering Innovation provides some decent lessons learned on the "softer" (people) side of a CIO role. However, most of the examples are set inside of a large, mature corporate structure that has significant specialization in functional roles that is not present in smaller to mid-sized businesses (where there are many more first time CIOs). As there are very few first time CIOs in large companies, Laudato misses an opportunity to connect with the majority of his target audience. That said, I've worked with many CIOs - particularly ones that had highly technical backgrounds - that have soft skill "blind spots" that Fostering Innovation can help address.

As to the "performance," the narration was fine, but any audiobook with tables and exhibits needs to provide them on a website in visual form as a supplement. I could not find any supplemental info for Fostering Innovation, making it hard to recall and apply some of the key lessons. That's unfortunate when listeners spend just as much (or more) than readers.

An uninspiring rehash of old ideas

The author offers very little in the way of new ideas. I guess this could act as a good summary of what others have already said on the subject but you would be better served going directly to the source. Overall the book is fine on some of the theories and research but the authors offer very little or even bad insight into what the theories look like in practices.

Additionally, the chapters dedicated to financial definitions and etiquette felt like a high school student trying to make a word count.