How to Be Smarter Than Your Boss

Ever said to yourself, "My boss is a moron, I could do his job!"? Despite your confidence, you're probably wrong. Not everyone is cut out to be a CIO or IT executive. Any successful IT leader needs to balance technical smarts, business acumen, relationship building and negotiating skills, as well as other attributes (and probably a knack for being in the right place at the right time). But maybe you can catch up. Want to truly outwit your boss? Take the time to understand what's gone wrong with IT since its inception. Read what experts say about the critical skills for IT, and start putting what you learn into practice. And look at the big picture, as well as the fine details, because chances are your boss has been shelled with more demands and priorities from his C-level peers than he or she can keep up with. Today's IT organizations are changing, and their leaders must change with them. To get started, check out these books-there's a good chance your boss hasn't gotten around to them yet.