#209: Teena Piccione, J.R. Sloan, Mark Wittenberg, Jonathan Feldman & Joe Durante

• How North Carolina's State CIO (from Google, AT&T, Fidelity, and more!) attracted world-class talent by selling the "most insane job" with the biggest data set and playground they'd ever see
• Why shifting from "customers" to "colleagues and partners" eliminated IT roadblocks and built trust with departments like public safety
• How to slash state procurement timelines from 9+ months to 45 days using proactive vendor negotiations and continuous pipeline management that saves agencies money to spend elsewhere
• Arizona's AI governance framework that approved 15+ use cases saving employees 2.5 hours per week while protecting data through questionnaires and sandbox environments across 130+ agencies
• Why city councils care more about AI's environmental impact than security risks, and how CIOs are building sustainability requirements into procurement policies
  

Timestamps

• (01:00) Meet the Powerhouse Pod: State CIOs from NC & AZ + City & County Leaders + Dell
• (06:00) The "Most Insane Job" Pitch: How to Recruit World-Class Talent
• (11:00) Building Your Network Before You Need It: Relationship-Based Recruiting
• (15:00) Screening for Heart: Finding Candidates Who Care About Mission Over Money
• (19:00) Language That Transforms: From "Customers" to "Colleagues and Partners"
• (22:00) Procurement Revolution: Slashing 9-Month Timelines to 45 Days
• (26:00) Arizona's GenAI Use Cases: 15+ Approved Use Cases Saving 2.5 Hours Per Week
• (33:00) AI in Action: Predictive Policing and Real-Time Crime Centers
• (36:00) Surprising City Council Reaction: Environmental Impact Over Security Fears
• (40:00) Legacy Modernization Strategy: Leading with Pain Points and Value
• (46:00) Leadership Philosophy: The Power of Leading to Give vs. Get
• (50:00) Building Teams That Last: Developing People Before Processes
• (53:00) True Collaboration: Staying Curious, Connected, and Innovative

Links Mentioned

• TechTables Collaboratory - Private community for senior public sector leaders
• Carolina Cyber Network - Apprenticeship and internship partnership
• Dell AI Factory - Public sector AI collaboration platform
• Arizona AI Leadership Forum - Multi-agency innovation event
• Patrick Lencioni's "The Motive" - Leadership book featured
  

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