Flickr Photo: david reeceIn the nonprofit sector, we've been maligned as slow tech adopters for a long time. Having worked in this sector for a decade now, I suspect this used to be one strereotype based on some truth.

But I don't think it's the case anymore. In fact, I see our sector grappling with some of the same technology issues as our much bigger counterparts in the for-profit world.

This is certainly the case when it comes to technology leadership. Witness the recent TechRepublic article: "The CIO is Dead (Long Live the CIO)". The argument?  If your job as CIO is focused on operations and helpdesk, you're worthless. You should be focused on how IT can leverage the program, marketing, and overall strategy of your organization.

From the article:

In this role, the infrastructure is far less important than the strategic direction of the company and a detailed understanding of the company’s markets, processes and relationships. Essentially the "Information" portion of IT becomes far more relevant than the technical aspects.

I couldn't agree more. Note that there's only one chapter in our book, Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission, devoted to actual technology in any way.

What about you? Are you grappling with these questions in your organization?