Recommended Reading

When it comes to professional status, women CIOs may have arrived, but they are never done learning. Successful IT leaders are always on a quest for new knowledge. Following are some books on technology, business and leadership that women IT managers say have helped them in their careers. (See “No Girls Allowed ” on page 26.)

Leading Change, by John P. Kotter

This change management book was the first recommendation by Amelia Tynan, Tufts University CIO and vice president for IT, and Tracey Leger-Hornby, assistant vice president for business redesign at Brandeis University. It's a thought leadership piece and a practical guide to leading and accomplishing enduring change in organizations.

Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide, by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever

Women earn 73.2 percent of what men earn. Why? Because they don't ask for more, explain authors Babcock and Laschever. Men initiate salary negotiations four times as often as women. When they do negotiate, women typically ask for and receive about 30 percent less than men. By presenting women with the information, confidence and strategies to negotiate a good salary, this book will hopefully encourage more women to ask for and receive salary increases, says Telle Whitney, president and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology.

Evolve! Succeeding in the Digital Culture of Tomorrow, by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

This book provides an insightful, energizing discussion of endless collaborative possibilities created by our networked world, according to Tufts' Tynan. Our connectedness brings interdependencies that will reshape our world in terms of business, education and politics.

You Can Negotiate Anything, by Herb Cohen

This book is full of advice about how to approach topics from another's perspective. It offers great strategies to get your ideas heard when people aren't grasping what you're trying to say, says Lucy Sanders, CEO at the National Center for Women and Technology.

The Way of the Owl: Succeeding with Integrity in a Conflicted World, by Frank Rivers

When seeking personal inspiration, this book is a favorite one of Tufts' Tynan. It's overflowing with insightful ideas about the importance of balance, getting out of one's comfort zone, and responding gracefully to challenges and enemies, she says.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick M. Lencioni

This is an easy read and one that resonates from the first page, says Joanne Kossuth, CIO and associate vice president for development at Franklin W. Olin College. After reading this book, share it with a group, and the ensuing discussions have the potential to create an awesome team, she adds.

The Mirage of Continuity: Reconfiguring Academic Information Resources for the 21st Century edited by Brian Hawkins and Patricia Battin

This book is a collection of essays from leaders in the industry talking about change and trends. The messages are not always easy to take, but everyone should read it to get a broader perspective about IT work, recommends Brandeis' Leger-Hornby.

Monday Morning Leadership for Women, by Valerie Sokolosky

While she typically stays away from “women's” leadership books, Olin's Kossuth says this one had a title that intrigued her. She found the information practical and easy to implement, and felt it provided her with a good sanity check.