Implementing New Technologies while Building Your People with Robert Napoli, Ep #6

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In this episode of Tech Talent Today, I’m joined by visionary technology leader Robert Napoli. With over 25 years of delivering innovative technology solutions that have improved patient care and had an immeasurable business impact. He enjoys taking organizations that are technologically deficient and transforming them into a state of operational excellence. Robert serves as Chief Information Officer, EVP information services of a national nonprofit health care organization. Robert has a lot to teach us about technology, processes, and people. Listen in to gain from his experience.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • Bringing companies into new technology [02:16]
  • Technology is the least challenging component [06:19]
  • Overcoming resistance to change [07:42]
  • Complete technology overhaul [10:47]
  • The importance of having the right peers [19:36]

Integrating technology and teams

Robert has been involved in four different mergers throughout the last 20 years. Mergers are challenging because you’re not only integrating systems; you’re integrating teams as well. Roles and responsibilities change, and a lot of tough decisions have to be made. One thing that has helped Robert to encounter less resistance to change is his management style. Rarely does he make an executive decision, and his teams have always been an integral part of his decision-making process from the beginning.

There are three facets to a technology group that technology leaders need to be mindful of and need to manage and maximize: equipment, technology, and people. If any one of those three facets is off or not working optimally, the organization’s technology footprint will be diminished.

Creating a plan

One of the first things Robert did in his new role was to create a team to identify the company’s risks. Within the first 30 days, he presented the data and provided 30-day, 90-day, and annual plans to address the operational issues. He then used that data to structure and prioritize what the risks are. This initial process created a clear understanding of what he and his team needed to do.

While plans are great, systems unexpectedly break and pull us in other directions. We have to be nimble enough to be aware of those situations and to address them. These occasions showed up plenty during Robert’s first couple of years, but overall, the initial assessment served him and his team well regarding what needed to be done. Robert enjoys this work and the frantic pace because, otherwise, he’d be bored easily!

Bringing technology to companies

Since stepping into the role of CIO, Robert has led the refresh of the organization’s entire technology stack and successfully deployed predictive analytics, mobile health, and leading patient engagement solutions. He thoroughly enjoys bringing companies to the next level of technology. He receives a lot of satisfaction from working with organizations and introducing them to tools that further the organization’s greater business objective and implement those technologies in ways that the rest of the executive team and organization can appreciate.

The cultural aspects of introducing digital transformation are usually more difficult than the technology. #DigitalTransformation #Tech Click To Tweet

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Robert Napoli

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