Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »
Public Council Teleconference: Application Rationalization — Hidden Costs and Smart Decisions
November 17 at 11:00 am US/Eastern (GMT-5)
Join Honorio Padrón, of The Hackett Group, who will share the drivers for companies to tackle application rationalization and the results of research that define the hidden cost of complexity. Additionally, we will discuss key decision milestones—to start or not, holding the course steady and fulfilling expectations.
Virtual Desktop Cost-Benefit Analysis — Michael Jacobs, Catlin Group
The analysis contained in this presentation measures the cost of everything from the machines and licenses to the infrastructure for virtual vs. traditional desktop environments.
Honor your best senior team members - Apply for the CIO Ones to Watch Award
Get well-earned public recognition for your top up-and-coming team members, your IT organization and your enterprise. Award winners will be announced, publicized and feted in May 2010, great timing to help attract new IT recruits to your company.
Learn more about the CIO Executive Council »December 08, 2006 — CIO —
Between all the holiday parties and good tidings sent in the form of greeting cards, special luncheons and Harry & David fruit baskets, the Yuletide season presents ample opportunities for business people to reconnect with one another, deepen their relationships and express their gratitude for colleagues’ and customers’ business and support.
And ample opportunities for good intentions to backfire. All it takes is one too many servings of hot buttered rum before someone is swinging from the chandeliers at the holiday party. Or wishing devoutly Jewish/Muslim/atheist business partners a Merry Christmas. Or giving an extravagant gift to a customer that smacks of a bribe. (To read about the luxuries vendors have offered to some CIOs, check out Doesn’t Matter If You’ve Been Bad or Good from the CIO magazine archives.)
Given all the potential missteps, it’s no surprise that many companies say “bah, humbug” when it comes to the holidays, especially to exchanging gifts internally and externally.
Wendy Cebula, the CIO of the Lexington, Mass.-based graphic design and printing company VistaPrint, says her company discourages gift-giving because thinking about what kinds of gifts to buy, for whom, and how much money to spend tends to generate more stress than goodwill among employees.
The business process outsourcing services provider US Technology Resources also frowns on exchanging presents. “We try to avoid giving holiday gifts internally and externally,” says Bob Dutile, US Technology Resources’ general manager of enterprise consulting. “The vast majority of our customers have fairly significant limits on accepting gifts, and we have our own limit on acceptance of gifts from our own external business partners.”
Companies seem to make up for any Grinch-like behavior by inundating the U.S. Postal Service with holiday cards. Dutile plans to send cards to 60 people this year, including 10 of his co-workers. He also plans to send a “Happy Holidays” e-mail to approximately 200 people in his organization. He sees sending out holiday greetings as an opportunity to keep in touch with associates. “We’re all so busy all the time. Sending cards around the holidays helps make sure you’re renewing that acquaintance even if you haven’t been in touch all year,” he says.
To make the holiday season as stress-free and productive as possible—and to prevent any awkward faux pas—we offer the following Do’s and Don’ts related to sending and receiving cards and gifts, and attending holiday parties.
On giving and receiving holiday gifts and sending cards…
Do…