top banner

Flapping to Flying

Information technology (IT) has the potential to transform a business or to bring it to its knees.
Is it an asset or a curse?

When it comes to implementing IT initiatives, many organisations simply flap.
This book will enable your organisation to fly.

With information leadership: knowledge management, information systems management, and information management become aligned by the way the professionals of each discipline work together and measure success. It’s a new way of thinking, coupled with models you can use to shape IT implementations more successfully; in terms of behaviour, systems and processes.

Flapping to Flying describes twelve mind-tools that will give you new ways of scoping, implementing and reviewing projects. If you are a senior leader, these mind-tools will help shape your strategy for how information can further organisational goals. Because of their power and flexibility, these mind-tools will also prove invaluable to mid-range managers, IT professionals and IT solution vendors.

 book
Contents  

Part 1

Getting Started

We introduce the metaphor 'Flapping to Flying' and provide examples to start you thinking about the flapping behaviour that is holding back your organisation.

Part 2

Information Leadership Thinking

 We introduce and explain the central concepts on which the book is built. These are core concepts around the role of IT, and how it can be an excellent enabler when it is aligned to providing people with the information they need to do a great job.

Part 3

Flying Tools

 The thinking from Part 2 is extended and applied in a number of common business scenarios. This part supplies the pragmatic thinking and some of our mindtools that you can apply to your organisation to help diagnose and manage common problems.

Part 4

Flying in Formation

 Part 4 brings the thinking and mindtools together to show how they can help you develop Information Leadership practices organisation-wide.

Part 5

Your turn to fly

 One of the strengths of this book is that it provides a context for people with very different roles and experiences who play their part in IT implementation and day to day use. This part summarises for each role, the key insights about how to apply and promote Information Leadership practices. In addition, we provide a summary of the twelve 'for your convenience'

Review - CIO Magazine (December 2005)

We progress as we turn information into knowledge.  It’s tough out there and the lessons can be challenging.  Help is at hand, though, in a book with the whimsical title ‘Flapping to Flying’.  It’s probably what many CIOs need to help them along.  Even better, it’s written by real flyers in the Kiwi marketplace, Grant Margison and Sarah Heal.  Tom Jaap, president of the Centre for Enabling Leadership, describes Heal as being well known in the local government community and at the forefront of successful information management strategies.  Margison’s leadership and general management experience has provided a breadth of perspective.
Books such as this one should be read by everyone in business today.