Reviews

“Haunting the CEO is a great and useful read. John has given readers important and immediately implementable advice wrapped into a suspense-filled corporate tale. It’s a must-read for all IT leaders!”

Lisa Haneberg, Leadership Expert and author of 13 business books

“Haunting the CEO is a new spin on the classic business book, packaging important life lessons for today’s CIO into a first-person novel. Highly recommended!”

Gregory R. Simpson, CTO, GE

“Haunting the CEO is much more than a book about IT. Its lessons apply to anyone who needs to lead people, whether CEO, CIO or mid-level manager. Authenticity, humility, selecting the right team, creating and communicating a vision, and setting people free to reach their potential are keys to success for any leader, and they are convincingly illustrated in this modern business fable.”

Jim Ewel, CEO, Adometry, Inc.

“I decided to sit down and get through the first couple chapters of Haunting the CEO and within an hour and a half found that I had finished it. The story format really helped to put things in perspective, and to see the character’s inner monologue helped highlight his challenges in a realistic scenario. Overall I think it is a great read and would serve anyone in a leadership position well, not just in IT.”

Ron Abbett, IT Consultant

“Haunting The CEO ‘nails it!’ The age of IT as ‘technology only’ is over. IT is all about the business! While many in technology careers ‘get it,’ many don’t. Those who did not ‘get it’ in the past and want to be successful in their technology careers should be able to make adjustments and embrace the business role of technology. This book is certainly for them.

“However, this book is also an important read for technologists at all levels, not just CIOs – as well as for leaders and those who want to become leaders in all parts of a business. The leadership advice that can be gleaned from the story as well as the portrayal of the personal and professional challenges business leaders struggle with on a daily basis promotes understanding across all lines of a business. This should be required reading and a topic of discussion in business and technology schools across the country.

“Besides the most important lesson of the story regarding the role of technology in a business, the book presents some terrific pearls of wisdom that are integral to the successful career development of business leaders. For example, the story reinforces the importance of understanding the objectives of a business and the expectations of your CEO; the key role that ‘vision’ plays in leadership; the benefits of having a mentor or ‘success coach;’ the need for humility in order to be able to achieve a career breakthrough; and, how important it is to have a sense of humor to get you through some of the tough times!”

Larry Kinder, Executive Management Consultant and former Global CIO, Cendant Corporation and former CIO, Avis

“I have been in IT for 31+ years and a CIO for about 15 at various companies, and I can tell you that these examples of challenges are very real. I especially liked the conversational style and the logical and reasonable approaches to success. It’s given me several action items to start working on Monday morning!

“Haunting the CEO is a book for new and seasoned CIOs. There are many real-life examples that can be applied quickly. In addition, it provides a roadmap for transforming the organization to help IT drive strategic growth and innovation.

“The book is a breeze to read. It is packed with reminders and lessons to help increase leadership effectiveness for anyone in a business support function. The scenarios and IT challenges presented here hit home, and the ideas and approaches to success in the book are all actionable and realistic.”

Raj Rawal, Senior VP and CIO, Burger King Corp.