Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago · 2 min. reading time · 0 ·

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The CIO’s Declaration for Potential Partners

The CIO’s Declaration for Potential Partners

The CIO’s Declaration for Potential Partners

On more than one occasion, I've been asked to give a talk to groups of high performance salespeople on "Selling to the C Suite". I always enjoy sharing my perspective as a CIO to other groups who we interact with on a regular basis. (If you happen to be having your annual sales meeting in Toronto, or some warm exotic location during the Canadian winter - hint, hint.)

I try not to be boring (and in some cases I succeed). In one case, as I prepared the presentation, I felt that it would be interesting to put the context of the presentation into a Rick Mercer type of rant, or the "I AM Canadian" declaration.  If you are not from Canada and missed the cultural reference, I would encourage you to look them up.  It may help you understand how well a nation can still be masters at being passive aggressive, even when ranting.

Below is my attempt.


The CIO’s Declaration for Potential Partners

In my mind, you are not selling me a piece of equipment. The highest value is not on feeds and speeds, or promises, but in your ability to help me solve my problems through a partnership that provides service. 


If a piece of hardware assists you in delivering exceptional service that makes my organization more successful, then I will acquire that hardware. This is why the lowest price doesn’t always win the bid. 


The successful bidders are those that have found a way to build a valuable relationship long before the RFP goes out. These partners invest in learning about my world, about the things that keep me up at night, and find ways to make it worth my while to break out of my busy schedule to discuss how their services will be an investment. (Hint: Cold calling and asking for a “few moments” of my time will not work.) You make it easy for my team to work with you.


My colleagues and I are loyal to partners who deliver exceptional support, not necessarily to a particular brand.
Ask yourself… “Am I trying to sell a drill, or do I know what kind of hole he needs?”

About the Author:

Kevin Pashuk is Chief Information Officer for Appleby College, in Oakville, Ontario Canada, where his team is transforming the delivery of education through innovative application of technology.

Kevin is convinced that IT leadership needs to dramatically change how IT is delivered rather than being relegated to a costly overhead department.

In addition to transforming IT in his role as CIO, he looks for every opportunity to talk about this... writing, speaking and now blogging on BeBee, LinkedIn (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kpashuk), ITWorld Canada, or at TurningTechInvisible.com.

He also is an avid amateur musician and photographer (but not at the same time).  Check out his photostream on Flickr  or on beBee hive: serious-amateur-photographers

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