Challenges of Leadership for CIOs podcast (and the concept of podcasts, in general)

For me, up until last week, the idea of listening to a podcast seemed like an enormous waste of work time, and a step backward from Webcasts. What, no visuals?

I couldn't quite get my head around why they were taking off all over the Web. But, I have now been converted to a podcast believer. And, here's why...

First of all, for those of you unfamiliar with them, podcasts are basically mp3 files that you can listen to via computers or mp3 players. They are often organized like interviews or talk radio shows to educate people, or entertain them, and they are changing the way we, as IT executives, are educating ourselves.

As decision-makers, we are often in meetings or on our way to meetings, sitting on the tarmac, in a cab in traffic, and in a car/train coming to or from work. And, because podcasts are so portable you can now make these unproductive gaps of time work for you.

Want to try one?

Here's one (10 min) from CIO Magazine. It's a Harvard Business School professor and his take on the Unique Leadership Challenges of the CIO.

Listen to it from your computer, or download it (your choice).