IT Leaders Program

In an effort to better prepare leaders for 21st century challenges within their respective IT organizations as well as higher education in general, the Big Ten Academic Alliance Chief Information Officers (CIOs) instituted the Information Technology Leaders Program (ITLP) in the spring of 2005. Since that time, more than 340 IT staff from Big Ten Academic Alliance universities are  ITLP graduates.  

The ITLP is conducted by Brian McDonald, principal of Maximizing Organizational Resources (MOR) Associates. McDonald shaped the program he delivers nationally to address the top 10 critical leadership competencies as outlined by the Big Ten Academic Alliance CIOs including:

• Communication
• Working Across the Organization     
• Strategic Thinking                        
• Develops People and Teams 
• Systemic Thinking 
• Putting Customers First
• Integrity & Trust
• Accountability
• Change Management 
• Shared Leadership                        

The IT Leaders Program includes three tracks:

• an individual track with 360-degree feedback and coaching sessions throughout the program,
• 10 to 12 days over eight months of intense, active-learning workshops hosted by the participating five universities, and
• on-going applied learning that targets the application of what participants are learning to their current work settings and project teams.  

ITLP participants are selected by participating Big Ten Academic Alliance CIOs. There is no application process. Interested IT staff should inquire to their CIO's office through their respective supervisor.