Ep.101 How to Find and Identify Great Leaders with J.R. Sloan, CIO, State of Arizona
Featuring J.R. Sloan, CIO, State of Arizona
Show Notes:
In this episode of The Public Sector Show by TechTables, J.R. Sloan, the CIO for the state of Arizona, joins us to discuss the challenges and successes of leading digital transformation and technology initiatives within a federated state like Arizona. From managing relationships with over 120 agencies to measuring success in a human-centric way, J.R. shares key insights into his approach as a leader and the impact of his work on Arizona's digital experiences. Listen in to discover how J.R. Sloan's leadership is shaping Arizona's technology landscape and digital government program.
Timestamps
00:39 - Introduction to J.R. Sloan and his role as the CIO for the state of Arizona.
01:37 - J.R. Sloan's journey and experiences within the public sector and the digital government program.
05:32 - The parallels between serving franchisees in the private sector and serving the 120 different agencies in the public sector.
06:23 - How success is measured in the public sector and the qualitative and quantitative metrics used for evaluation.
08:39 - Maintaining a human-centric approach while engaging with team members and leaders across agencies.
09:42 - The aspiration to deliver an Amazon-like digital experience for citizens and the efforts towards achieving this goal.
11:08 - Empathy and understanding the citizen's perspective in driving digital experiences.
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