“Shit. How the hell are we supposed to write an IT outsourcing contract if we don’t even know what the business needs?” he says, slamming his hand on the table.

I was surprised to learn that much of his demeanor is a carefully crafted persona. While he’s outwardly very loud and outspoken, he’s actually an introvert by nature, very analytic and passionate about sales discipline.

“Some of the wisest auditors say that there are only three internal control objectives: to gain assurance for reliability of financial reporting, compliance with laws and regulations, and

that connection. Preventive oil changes and vehicle maintenance policies are like preventive vendor patches and change management policies. By showing how IT risks jeopardize business performance measures, you can start making better business decisions.

“As part of the First Way, you must gain a true understanding of the business system that IT operates in.

customers? Sales forecast accuracy: Can we factor this into

When you spend all your time firefighting, there’s little time or energy left for planning.

What we need to do isn’t merely to prioritize better.

What got worked on was based on who yelled the loudest or most often, who could engineer the best side deals with the expediters, or who could get the ear of the highest ranking executive.”