No one ever said being a CIO was easy. And over the past few years, it rarely has been. But at least it hasn't been dull. No one ever said being a CIO was easy. And over the past few years, it rarely has been. But at least it hasn’t been dull.In this series, “What It’s Like To…,” IT leaders share their stories from the front lines—CIO to CIO, in their own words, from the gut, without vendor spin or PR meddling, without fear or favor. We’ve identified situations—both common and sui generis—that other CIOs can relate to or experience vicariously. And what we’ve found is that the CIO experience is nothing if not multidimensional. It is, at turns, rewarding and disappointing. Maddening and moving. Mundane and, occasionally, extraordinary.In these sometimes painfully candid, first-person stories, CIOs talk about what it’s really like to lay off loyal employees, or get fired themselves. How it feels to bet the farm on a new technology and come out on top, or pull the plug on a multimillion-dollar project and take the heat. To be the winner in a merger, or the loser. To deliver more with less. To handle logistics in Iraq, survive a hurricane, or simply walk a mile in your customers’ shoes. You may already know what it’s like to work for a 24/7 boss. You may even know what it’s like to take a real vacation. But do you know how it feels to save a life, or risk your own? So what is it really like to be a CIO in the 21st century?What It’s Like To… Achieve 100% UptimeSend People into DangerSurvive CharleyTake Your Application Source Code Out of EscrowBear Witness To IT HistoryWalk In Your Customers’ Shoes Work For A 24/7 EntrepreneurBe The Last Man StandingBond On Mt. FujiBe An Early Adopter Lose Your JobSave Four LivesPull The Plug On A Multimillion-Dollar ProjectBrief The PresidentTestify Before CongressBe The First CIO Of The U.S. SenateWalk Into An IT DisasterGet The JobNot Get The JobBuild The World’s Most Powerful SupercomputerBe The Fall GuyLive In A Two-CIO FamilyMove To A New IndustrySurvive The Pentagon AttackTake A Real VacationBe Treated Like A Rock StarBe An American AbroadCatch A KillerBe DifferentWork In IraqBe A Man In A Woman’s WorldBe Hired By The FBIStart Your Own CompanySave $55,000Fire Half Your StaffDownshift Your LifeGo From CIO To CEOStories We Couldn’t Get: There were some subjects that CIOs absolutely, positively would not (or could not) address. Related content brandpost Sponsored by Freshworks When your AI chatbots mess up AI ‘hallucinations’ present significant business risks, but new types of guardrails can keep them from doing serious damage By Paul Gillin Dec 08, 2023 4 mins Generative AI brandpost Sponsored by Dell New research: How IT leaders drive business benefits by accelerating device refresh strategies Security leaders have particular concerns that older devices are more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. By Laura McEwan Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Infrastructure Management case study Toyota transforms IT service desk with gen AI To help promote insourcing and quality control, Toyota Motor North America is leveraging generative AI for HR and IT service desk requests. By Thor Olavsrud Dec 08, 2023 7 mins Employee Experience Generative AI ICT Partners feature CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process. By Moira Alexander Dec 08, 2023 8 mins Certifications IT Skills Project Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe