In this episode of Tech Whisperers, we are unpacking the amazing journeys of two CxO giants and industry leaders: Kim Mackenroth and Chris Nardecchia. Kim is the Global CIO for Textron, a Fortune 500, multi-industry company with 33,000 employees worldwide. Chris is the SVP and Chief Digital & Information Officer for Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest pure-play industrial automation and IoT company. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the industry or early in your tech leadership career journey, there is something for everyone in this conversation as we explore over 3 decades of combined digital leadership experience.
Join us as we discuss:

• How to lead effectively when wearing multiple hats
• The keys to success for any business transformation
• Strategic initiatives for 2023
• How Rockwell Automation made data a part of its business DNA
• How Kim has made Textron a go-to employer for top technology talent
• Generational shifts and trends for new digital professionals

As companies and workers continue to adjust to constantly changing workplace environments and cultures, there remain many questions about what it means to “return to work,” what the future holds for in-person, remote, and hybrid work, and how that will impact the way people relate to their work.In this episode, Bob Johansen, Joseph Press, and Christine Bullen join the show to talk about their brand new book, Office Shock, which aims to paint a vivid picture of the future of work, and equip workers and businesses with the tools and mindset they need to be successful moving forward. In their book, they describe “Office Shock” as an “abrupt, unsettling change in where, how, when, and even why we work.” In this episode, we discuss:

• Why organizations and workers need to be “Future-Ready”
• “The Seven Spectrums” that guide our decision-making about our work and home life
• The concept of the “Officeverse” and how it relates to the Metaverse
• How to think “Present-Forward” while properly weighing the next 10 years and the previous 50 years. 

Leadership takes a certain level of boldness that not many people can achieve, but even with that boldness, many leaders are still afraid to say what they think and be honest about their experiences. Then there’s Wendy Pfeiffer, CIO at Nutanix. Wendy is known for her courage to say what everyone else is thinking and sharing what’s on her heart. That radical transparency and courage is what sets her apart from her peers, and as a CIO, makes her uniquely poised to handle the ever-changing job expectations that can sometimes evolve even faster than the world around it.  
In this episode, we discuss:

• How CIOs can deal with the increasing pressure and responsibilities placed on them
• How to build and run a highly effective IT team despite a tightly-constricted budget
• Why leaders should prioritize one-on-ones with their team members
• How to speak from your heart even when it may put you at risk
• Predictions for the next 10 years in tech leadership

Recruiting the best technology talent has been on everyone’s mind throughout 2022, and CIOs still struggle to find the very best talent to their teams that are not only experts in their field, but also a perfect fit for the organization. So we’ve invited two of the top executive recruiters, Martha Heller and Art Hopkins, to unpack everything you should be considering as your team looks to bring on the best talent possible in 2023.Martha Heller is the CEO of Heller Search Associates, and the author of several books including Be the Business and The CIO Paradox. She is a thought leader in the CIO and recruitment space, and shares her knowledge through the monthly newsletter, Movers and Shakers.Art Hopkins is global co-leader of the Technology Officers Practice for Russell Reynolds Associates and is a member of Board & CEO Advisory Partners. He brings expertise in the CTIO, digital, data, and CTO roles, as well as diversity and inclusion best practices. In this episode, we discuss:

• What qualities hiring authorities are looking for in technology leaders
• How to properly assess a candidate’s desire to leave their current role and their interest in the role they’re applying for
• The right and wrong questions people are asking around technology talent
• How to acknowledge and own when you’ve been fired in the past.

Ensuring a smooth transition between an outgoing and incoming CxO is one of the most complex projects for any organization to take on, but Owens Corning CIO, Steve Zerby, is taking a different approach.Steve has more than doubled the average CIO tenure during his time at Owens Corning, with the key to his success being his dedication to investing in his team members to ensure that as Owens Corning finds success, so do his people. Annie Baymiller is one of those people, currently serving as a VP of IT and a Market-Facing Digital Leader for Owens Corning. After a legendary 36-year career as CIO at Owens Corning, Steve is preparing to hand the reins to Annie, so we’ve invited both of them to talk about what it really means to craft a high-quality succession plan and how strong mentorship can make or break any leadership transition.In this episode, we discuss:What it means to consider succession as the end of a journey, rather than the beginning of a new oneHow to build a great organizational culture as a data leader to become a great place to workThe importance of matching the actual employee experience to the promised “brochure” experience.Why the greatest technology leaders focus far more on their people than their technology

What kind of career experience, confidence, and leadership capability does it take to have a company’s CTO, CIO, and CDO all report directly to you? As Teladoc’s Chief Innovation Officer, Claus T. Jensen is the answer. He holds a PhD in Computer Science, he has 17 patents to his name, and has published six books, including the most recent, Digital Transformation for Dummies.
Throughout his career, which includes experience in all the roles that now report to him, Jensen has become expert at leading multi-year transformations. He brings his unique talents and skills to the table to help companies get to the next level.
Join us as we discuss:
Creating a healthcare experience that is more personalized, connected, and meaningful
Why leaders need to deal with the “pink elephant” in the room
Recruiting the right multidisciplinary talent
Successful learning programs for developing talent
The importance of living out one’s values as a leader 


More information about Claus T. Jensen and today’s topics:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claustorpjensen/ 
Company Website: https://www.teladoc.com/

Leadership accomplishments are always significant, but when put in the grander context of a leader’s journey, that significance can increase dramatically. How does someone find the inspiration and motivation to become a global leader in digital and transformational leadership having come from a small town in India, where he was raised by his mother?
Sanjib Sahoo, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Digital Officer at Ingram Micro, joins our show to share insights from his career journey, how he took hold of his life to build a successful career, and how his team’s work at Ingram Micro is transforming the way people engage with technology.
In this episode, we discuss:
How experience-driven organizations should think about digitization and personalization
How Sanjib led the development of XVantage, Ingram Micro’s new integration platform and digital operating model, from vision to reality in only 15 months
Building trust with senior executives before trying to drive business transformation
How Vision, Convocation, Credibility, Communication, and Compassion all work together in transformational leadership
The importance of continued learning and growth for digital and technology leaders


More information about Sanjib and today’s topics:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjibsahoodigital/
Company Website: https://corp.ingrammicro.com/
About XVantage: https://media.ingrammicro.com/

The military is often regarded as the best leadership development organization in the world, and for good reason. Discipline, focus, accountability, execution, planning, vision, and more are vital components of any successful military member, and they translate into civilian life in profound ways.
Digital leaders need to simultaneously understand the grand vision and what their team is seeing from their boots-on-the-ground perspective. Like military leaders, they also need to be able to support their teams, execute under pressure, and make the tough calls when necessary.
In honor of Veteran’s Day, we bring together three powerhouse CIOs and military veterans:
Mike Goodwin, CIO of PetSmart and former Army officer
Woody Groton, CIO of Draper and Brigade Commander for the Army National Guard
DiAnna Thimjon, CxO mentor, four-time CTO/CIO, and former Army officer
In this episode, these IT leaders share how their military experience has shaped their careers and discuss the skills tomorrow’s digital leaders need in order to get ahead.
Join us as we explore:
How military leadership experience can inform civilian leadership
The importance of supporting team members by asking for input and providing logistical support
The importance of reacting well and executing plans well, even if they aren’t perfect
How veterans contribute to the workforce
Maintaining a “complete-the-mission mindset” while also avoiding burnout
Balancing leadership soft skills and teachability with technical skill expertise

What does it mean to be a trailblazing CIO in one of the biggest and most celebrated sports organizations in America, the National Football League (NFL)? How can a digital leader leave their mark in such a complex organization with countless moving parts to manage every day?
Michelle McKenna, Founder & CEO of the Michelle McKenna Collaborative, served as the first-ever CIO for the NFL and its first female C-suite executive. She went on to achieve a number of other “firsts” during 10 seasons with the organization before she stepped away in April of 2022.
In addition to driving digital transformation and launching new businesses, Michelle led the league through the 2020 virtual draft and the 2020 season during a global pandemic. She spearheaded the implementation of new technologies and processes that have led to better experiences for players, coaches, refs and fans alike. Michelle knows what it takes to think differently about the possibilities of technology and how to create a powerful legacy of digital leadership.
Join us as we discuss:
How Michelle laid out a 10-year plan during her interview process
How to shape the role you’re interviewing for before you’re hired
Why all tech projects are really about the human experience
Why digital leaders need the curiosity and courage to move out of their comfort zones
How Michelle led her team through complex production and operational challenges
Some of the unique moments Michelle experienced while working on the field
How Michelle led the charge to replace sideline printers for play information with digital tablets 


More information about Michelle and today’s topics:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-mckenna-194472a/
Company Website: https://www.mckennacollaborative.com/

As businesses embrace more digital technology and tools to drive revenue and transform their operations, CEOs are expecting their tech leaders to step up to a new role: transformation leader. This elevation in the organization requires not just a technology leadership mindset but also a business leadership mindset.
To make that transition successfully, it takes a true visionary, someone who is dialed in to what the business needs and proactively anticipates and guides innovation rather than waiting around for marching orders. It takes the ability to lead with grace, empathy, and confidence even while under extreme pressure to perform. Rich Gilbert, Aflac’s Chief Transformation Officer, is the embodiment of this kind of executive.
While Rich’s career journey has spanned technology leadership roles at a number of major companies, he’s now not only responsible for the digital services organization at Aflac but also its largest P&L. In this episode, recorded at the CIO 100 Symposium & Awards, he draws on his experience to share how to break through glass walls, create business value as a digital executive, and lead through an inspiring vision.
Join us as we discuss:
How to develop and cast a grand vision and inspire your team to embrace it
The importance of iteration and starting from the right place when tackling goals
Rich’s secret sauce for leading with grace even while under extreme pressure
The story behind Aflac’s famous mascot, the Aflac Duck 


More information about Rich and today’s topics:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richlgilbert/
Company Website: https://www.aflac.com/