Being a CIO is a lot like being a doctor. There is a similar sense of professionalism, a common commitment to making things better, and then, there’s the blood on the floor…

But the thing that is most similar about us is that we both get cornered at parties or events by people who want to tell us about their problems. “I have this pain in my left shoulder” vs “I can’t get my wireless router to work”.

Yes, Virginia, CIO’s do know about technology.

Recently a friend asked me to spec out a replacement laptop for their family. As I idly clicked away on the Dell website I found myself adding things to the laptop configuration which I would never use myself but which “normal people” would need. By the end of this the cost of the laptop worked out double that of the last laptop I bought myself.

And I belatedly had a revelation, this 100% surcharge represented the value of my experience and knowledge.  So I now know that all my years in IT, all my expertise and skills, everything, is worth a grand total of … £427.53.

*sigh*