Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
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Michael R. Wood is a Business Process Improvement & IT Strategist Independent Consultant. He is creator of the business process-improvement methodology called HELIX and founder of The Natural Intelligence Group, a strategy, process improvement and technology consulting company. He is also a CPA, has served as an Adjunct Professor in Pepperdine's Management MBA program, an Associate Professor at California Lutheran University, and on the boards of numerous professional organizations. Mr. Wood is a sought after presenter of HELIX workshops and seminars in both the U.S. and Europe.
Despite popular stereotypes, not all IT professionals are programmers. When asked what I do, I respond, “I am an Information Technology Consultant.” It never fails to amaze me that the next thing I here is, “Oh, so you are a programmer?” or “Can you help me fix my PC?” Even in the 21st century, the stigma of computer geek hangs on.
As CIO, I was responsible for developing an annual business plan. As part of the plan I always included objectives related to maintaining and growing staff competencies. I soon realized that in order to meet that objective, each member of my team would need to get serious about planning their own careers and growth paths. Enter the first complication. Within IT there are many career paths that can be followed including: infrastructure (networks, communications, web, operating systems, etc.), application software, operations and security, project management and of course IT executive management. Each path has its own areas of emphasis, challenges and rewards.
The training program I deployed focused on three areas: classroom education, coaching and practice (on-the-job experience). This integrated training model provided a complete approach to ensuring that IT staff could achieve and sustain their growth.
While simple in concept, the approach implied a vigorous commitment from management in terms of philosophical…Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.
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Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. - Will Rogers |