Everyone has a plan till I punch
them in the face.
- Mike Tyson
Topics and Guests
CIOs and Title Equiv
CISOs and Title Equiv
Top Manufacturers
Authors
Leaders
Scientists
Inventors
Philosophers
Topics and Guests
Exponential Technology
Leadership
Strategy
Innovation
Transformation
Creativity
Neuroscience
10X Performance Mindset
Leadership, Strategy & Innovation
(Offense and Defense)
I believe that all businesses are digital businesses. Top IT leaders are the epicenter of business for the
future. Never has it been more important to be a business IT leader. Businesses now, more than ever,
depend on you to be the leader who works with your business to usher change into your organization.
Never has there been a better time to be a business IT leader. IT is the nervous system of every business.
All businesses are digital businesses.
Offense = Profit and Value Creation
Defense = Security and GRC
10X Performance and Mindset
My goal through these interviews is to inspire personal high-performance leadership so that
you can seize this opportunity to lead your business, families, vendors, and community.
•Unprecedented and unparalleled changes are being brought before you.
•Questions that have never been asked are being asked.
•Assumptions that have never been questioned will be questioned
•Disruption is a business norm
•Ambiguity and the unknown are the only certainty.
My goal is for you to thrive in times of exponential change. My goal is for you to be certain in
times of ambiguity. My goal is for you to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. My goal
be courageous and brave when others are afraid. My goal is for you to surround yourself with
high-performance leaders and thinkers so that you are constantly up-leveling your mindset,
capabilities, leadership, and results.
Possible Questions During the Interview
• Remember I want to know what you are passionate about. Focus on what excites you.
• If you can explain a success with a story, go with the story.
• The top IT Leadership spot is rare. Others want to learn and emulate and need mentors.
They will be listening to you as a mentor.
• Think of your major message. Sometimes this is not tech related and is more of being
influential, having an impact, mission, vision. It is what you aspire to. If you know your
reason ‘why’ you can sustain and thrive with any ‘how’.
• I generally will ask you how you got to where you are. Your story and what sparked you to
achieve higher level of success via a mentor or experience.
• What is your Unique Ability/Super Power? Everyone at the top has one. What is yours?
Sample Topics are Below.
Spurred by Not Necessarily by COVID
1. What will it look like for Offense opportunities?
2. What Efficiency opportunities are there?
3. What Defense opportunities exist?
4. What about leadership? How has your leadership shifted?
5. What do you appreciate now more than ever?
6. Are there new skills you are seeing on your team being developed?
7. Are there opportunities for fixing sloppy process?
8. What can you take advantage of to save money?
9. What can you take advantage of to make money?
10. Are there partnerships within the company worth fostering?
11. Are there collaborations external to the company worth exploring?
12. How do you want to be remembered 1 year from now?
Offense and Defense – What Does This Mean?
Offense for me is putting points on the board, revenue and profit generated and IT’s role in supporting
directly or indirectly. Some CIOs have a direct link to customers via App Dev etc. and some CIOs are
indirectly but critically supporting Offense via Innovation, Sales, Marketing, and etc.
Defense for me is Security, Compliance, Agility in the face of biological (Covid-19) and / or digital
compromise.
Without a solid defense, it is hard to have a good offense.
An example to consider - businesses are moving fast into the cloud to enable new capabilities for
customers, however, are you scaling defense (secure Azure/AWS for example) as you do this?
How is Security being the department of yes vs no with supporting the business moving into the cloud?
How to Use the Interview After it is Produced
I have been running my podcast for 6 years now and have recently opened it up to YouTube, LinkedIn,
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. A recent Orbie award winner, Judith is using two of my interviews with
her below to highlight her ‘superpowers’ ( I call them) in order to highlight her strengths and how she
serves people.

RedZone10X: innovation strategy leadership and Transformation

  • 2.
    Everyone has aplan till I punch them in the face. - Mike Tyson
  • 3.
    Topics and Guests CIOsand Title Equiv CISOs and Title Equiv Top Manufacturers Authors Leaders Scientists Inventors Philosophers
  • 4.
    Topics and Guests ExponentialTechnology Leadership Strategy Innovation Transformation Creativity Neuroscience 10X Performance Mindset
  • 5.
    Leadership, Strategy &Innovation (Offense and Defense) I believe that all businesses are digital businesses. Top IT leaders are the epicenter of business for the future. Never has it been more important to be a business IT leader. Businesses now, more than ever, depend on you to be the leader who works with your business to usher change into your organization. Never has there been a better time to be a business IT leader. IT is the nervous system of every business. All businesses are digital businesses. Offense = Profit and Value Creation Defense = Security and GRC
  • 6.
    10X Performance andMindset My goal through these interviews is to inspire personal high-performance leadership so that you can seize this opportunity to lead your business, families, vendors, and community. •Unprecedented and unparalleled changes are being brought before you. •Questions that have never been asked are being asked. •Assumptions that have never been questioned will be questioned •Disruption is a business norm •Ambiguity and the unknown are the only certainty. My goal is for you to thrive in times of exponential change. My goal is for you to be certain in times of ambiguity. My goal is for you to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. My goal be courageous and brave when others are afraid. My goal is for you to surround yourself with high-performance leaders and thinkers so that you are constantly up-leveling your mindset, capabilities, leadership, and results.
  • 7.
    Possible Questions Duringthe Interview • Remember I want to know what you are passionate about. Focus on what excites you. • If you can explain a success with a story, go with the story. • The top IT Leadership spot is rare. Others want to learn and emulate and need mentors. They will be listening to you as a mentor. • Think of your major message. Sometimes this is not tech related and is more of being influential, having an impact, mission, vision. It is what you aspire to. If you know your reason ‘why’ you can sustain and thrive with any ‘how’. • I generally will ask you how you got to where you are. Your story and what sparked you to achieve higher level of success via a mentor or experience. • What is your Unique Ability/Super Power? Everyone at the top has one. What is yours?
  • 8.
    Sample Topics areBelow. Spurred by Not Necessarily by COVID 1. What will it look like for Offense opportunities? 2. What Efficiency opportunities are there? 3. What Defense opportunities exist? 4. What about leadership? How has your leadership shifted? 5. What do you appreciate now more than ever? 6. Are there new skills you are seeing on your team being developed? 7. Are there opportunities for fixing sloppy process? 8. What can you take advantage of to save money? 9. What can you take advantage of to make money? 10. Are there partnerships within the company worth fostering? 11. Are there collaborations external to the company worth exploring? 12. How do you want to be remembered 1 year from now?
  • 9.
    Offense and Defense– What Does This Mean? Offense for me is putting points on the board, revenue and profit generated and IT’s role in supporting directly or indirectly. Some CIOs have a direct link to customers via App Dev etc. and some CIOs are indirectly but critically supporting Offense via Innovation, Sales, Marketing, and etc. Defense for me is Security, Compliance, Agility in the face of biological (Covid-19) and / or digital compromise. Without a solid defense, it is hard to have a good offense. An example to consider - businesses are moving fast into the cloud to enable new capabilities for customers, however, are you scaling defense (secure Azure/AWS for example) as you do this? How is Security being the department of yes vs no with supporting the business moving into the cloud?
  • 10.
    How to Usethe Interview After it is Produced I have been running my podcast for 6 years now and have recently opened it up to YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. A recent Orbie award winner, Judith is using two of my interviews with her below to highlight her ‘superpowers’ ( I call them) in order to highlight her strengths and how she serves people.

Editor's Notes