CIOs need to recognize that high performing teams are hard to improve. If the teams are not high performers, they are likely to improve little-by-little rather than make a great leap forward. The same is true of customer satisfaction or system reliability. Just because incremental improvement is the norm, that doesn't mean one should stop looking for new approaches. A radical breakthrough will pay big dividends. Focus on tactics, but don't forget to also be strategic--and don't fail to recognize innovation when it occurs.
7. Just because you've mastered one task doesn't make you master of all
All Angry Birds screens are arranged differently, but they share many similarities. Unique configurations within the levels, from the interconnected structure of materials to the arrangement of the scene, require strategies. As mentioned above, IT has grown into an umbrella around many specialties. Being good at one aspect of IT does not mean you are good at everything.
For CIOs that means recognizing personal strengths and weaknesses and making sure you have a staff that complements your knowledge. For the organization, it means admitting when you don't know something, and either committing the time to experimentation and learning, or bringing in a trusted partner. Don't assume that success in one project will translate to the next. Make sure you ask your organization to ask and answer the question: "what is different this time, and how are we planning for those differences" before proceeding.
8. You can never do the same thing exactly the same way
An analog to number 7. Even when doing exactly the same thing in the same way is the right answer, it probably won't generate the same result. In Angry Birds, you have to think about launcher tension and aim, and then in some cases, a second action that causes a bird to drop a bomb or turn on its after burners. Getting the timing on all elements, over the course of multiple volleys, exactly the same is nearly impossible.
Think about common IT projects, like PC deployment. The repeat won't be a repeat. CIOs need to encourage broad learning and experience so people can adapt to change effectively. And CIOs also have to avoid placing the unfair pressure on their staff that comes from naively thinking tomorrow is just another today.
9. Some goals require more birds
