452 -Make IT A Business Partner w/Jim Harden

Jim Harden began his IT career in the Marine Corps, building tactical data networks from commodity gear before moving into corporate technology and leadership. Now CIO at Singleton Schreiber, Jim joins Phil Howard to explain how IT can move from break-fix support to business strategy. He shares why his team is giving lawyers one governed entry point for AI workflows, how infrastructure as a service cut new-office deployments from days to hours, and why growth requires two- and three-year technology plans. Jim also explains what he wants from specialist vendors, including a project that consumed about $40,000 before being scrapped, and why a strong project manager can be worth every penny. The conversation closes with lessons from bad leaders, useful feedback, humility, and the questions Jim asks at the end of every one-on-one.