CIO Unplugged : Quotable

Best and Worst of Leading

Edward Marx — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:06:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age...(read more)

Embrace the Cloud

Edward Marx — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:59:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries. Friends of mine recently returned from a trip abroad. The advanced wireless infrastructures...(read more)

Work-Life Balance…Debunked!

Edward Marx — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:29:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries. The first thing we boys did after disembarking the school bus was head north for the neighborhood...(read more)

Legacy Leaders

Edward Marx — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:31:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries. How can so many of us hold the title of leader, yet never be remembered? Why do some leaders...(read more)

Social Networking: Why Every CIO Must Open the Gates

Edward Marx — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:56:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries. As the printing press fueled a transition from the Dark Ages to the Renaissance, Social Networking...(read more)

Meaningful Meaningful Use?

Edward Marx — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:53:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries. I ran a "night before vacation" errand to Lowe's. As I completed the purchase, the store manager...(read more)

No Pain, No Gain

Edward Marx — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:17:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries.

Sounds trite, I know. Some will accuse me of simplemindedness. Others will say this high school football-coach philosophy is dangerous. I agree, but still embrace.

In my thirties, I got back into playing tennis and started thrashing on the courts with some friends from work. As we verged on competitive levels, I realized we needed to pick up the intensity. A consistent first serve was the performance key. Reliance on the second serve would allow your opponent to take the offensive. Although a high, first-serve percentage alone would not make you a Wimbledon champion, you'd at least guarantee yourself a quarterfinal match. We practiced at 6 a.m. thrice weekly, but I showed up at 5 a.m. to serve buckets and buckets of balls. I'd chase them down and start over again. No pain, no gain.

Now in my forties, I'm taking on the challenge of perfecting the Argentine Tango with my wife. In addition to a weekly two-hour lesson and a monthly milonga, we practice. Even if for only twenty minutes, we practice every evening. We have to, because the Argentine Tango happens to be the most artistic, intellectual and difficult dance ever created by man. If I catch my partner's foot too late, we miss our sweep. If we're too far apart, one of us loses balance. I figure if we aim for expert, we might reach proficient by the time I'm eighty.

Like our dancing, my relationship with my bride of twenty-four years has been full of ups and downs. The overall trend slopes upwards to the right, but it's interrupted with numerous peaks and valleys. Some downturns take years to correct, yet we keep at it. Annual strategic planning vacations, numerous marriage conferences, lots of books, prayer and counsel. We've fought hard to reach the point we're at today, and there is more pain to endure, I'm sure. Had we chosen not to push through the pain during any of the valleys, who knows where our marriage would be? Certainly not growing, not gaining.

And what about a career? Can you ascend the leadership ranks by good luck or good looks? Not in my case. It took pain -- blood, sweat and tears. Which meant not taking shortcuts. Not submitting C-level work. Not shaving time here and there to start the weekend early. But it's so tempting!

I hear you. But do you want to reach the fulfillment of your calling? Then sacrifice. Love the pain.

A few years back, I had to spend a significant amount of time on the road. The librarian at Parkview Episcopal Medical Center (CO) supplied me with endless materials, from business books on tape to vocabulary-building materials. While driving, I'd listen to these resources over and over until they became part of my intellectual fabric. Would have I preferred to listen to U2 or another favorite band? Of course. But to grow, I needed to take advantage of every morsel of time. I also volunteered for everything in my path; some related to IT, others benefited the hospital or another department. Would I have preferred to go home early or have a smaller to-do list? Certainly. But to maximize my potential and opportunity, I needed to self-sacrifice -- so far as it didn't harm my family. Plus, it was only for a season. Every season brings different opportunities, which require fitting sacrifices.

Today, I've made sure we have a library of materials available for our staff to check out. Hundreds of books and CDs on tape. We have subscriptions for "book of the month," a concept I leveraged from the Parkview librarian. Just as serving thousands of balls to ghosts at the break of dawn paved the way to winning several tournaments, or investing the time and money to improving my tango to keep me on the dance floor, pain brings gain.

Don't expect to just show up on the dance floor and look like a pro. If you want someone to ask you to dance, practice.

No pain, no gain.

Other Duties as Assigned

Edward Marx — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:01:00 GMT

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries.

One objective of this blog is to give a transparent window into the life of a health care CIO. Certain aspects of being a CIO, which generally apply to the entire C-suite, are the numerous external "other duties as assigned." The list is by no means complete and only reflects what I've grown to understand from working at two large health care systems. But I suspect every CIO operates in one if not most of these assignments. (I will remain purposefully vague as to which role is current or former.)

Politics. Be involved. Get out there and shake hands to further the cause of health care and your institution. Sometimes this means attending fundraisers for a politician who represents health care or for your city or state hospital association. Take part in advocacy efforts and help educate our governing bodies.

Fundraising. Lead by example through the opportunities that come your way. Create margin in the household budget. In addition to established opportunities, we created our own annual IT fundraiser for a children's hospital that raised over $100,000 this last year.

Parties. Important social gatherings pop up often, and attendance is not always voluntary. I started out naïve; now I own a tux.

Appointments. Consider these an honor and an opportunity to give back to the larger community. I have held very formal state-level appointments as well as less formal city and county appointments on behalf of my employer. But don't be a wallflower. Speak up. Invest yourself to further the cause. Otherwise, don't bother accepting the position.

Boards. Many organizations are in dire need of talented people to help provide direction and ensure accountability. These boards can range from an international for-profit corporation to a local, not-for-profit homeless shelter. Always check for potential conflicts of interest first.

Task forces. Often times these are directly related to health care but in a broader community sense. For instance, you might join a task force to research the feasibility of a regional HIE.

Advisory councils. My all-time favorite was serving on the College of Design and Merchandising (fashion) Council at Colorado State University. I was the only non-model, non-designer asked to join the judging panel at the annual fashion show. Lights, models, cameras, crowds -- and me sitting at the runway's end with a tie that didn't match my suit.

Professional associations. It's critical to remain actively involved to advance our profession. I have served on several national HIMSS committees and as state chapter president (TN and OH). I have spoken on behalf of HIMSS and CHIME throughout the country.

Speaking and publishing. There is a healthy expectation that we add to the body of knowledge by sharing best practices, evaluated experiences and tangible results. I have spoken on behalf of and been published in and outside of health care. The bonus: It contributes to your growth.

The common thread among these "other duties as assigned" is what makes them so valuable and important and why you need to take an active role. They:

allow you to give back to the broader community at large;
provide a framework for you to help advance a specific organization or initiative;
enhance your own personal and professional development;
broaden your networking and social contacts;
enhance your organization's position in the community and profession;
force you to think outside of yourself; and
ideally make the world a better place.