Clické Start

Gary C. Kern
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Clické Start is a short-episode podcast about leadership, technology, common sense, and the clichés and sayings that connect them — the ones we roll our eyes at, until they save us. Hosted by Gary C. Kern — seasoned ("old") CIO, exec, & lifelong learner with 40+ years in tech and nearly 25 in community banking — each episode delivers a practical idea you can actually use. No fluff. No jargon. Not 12-steps Whether you're navigating a tech crisis, developing a team, driving change, or just trying to survive Monday — Clické Start gives you tools that click. New episodes Monday & Thursday.

  1. 1d ago

    Clické Start - ep. 26 - Root Cause Analysis

    Every shop has a "Monday fix," the restart everyone knows by heart. This episode shows how quick fixes quietly become normal, and how the Five Whys can end the problem for good. Mop if you must, but find the leak. Fix the leak, not just the puddle.

    Clické Start - ep. 26 - Root Cause Analysis

  2. 5d ago

    Clické Start - ep. 25 - Dealing with Auditors

    Auditors and examiners will find something. That’s the job. This episode covers why fighting them is the expensive way to handle an audit, and three moves that turn them into partners: find it first, be open and responsive, and treat findings as work with an owner, an action, and a date. Row in the same direction. #Leadership #Technology #ClickeStart #Audit #CIO

    Clické Start - ep. 25 - Dealing with Auditors

  3. Oct 19

    Clické Start - ep. 24 - Saying NO

    “No is a complete sentence”—but effective leadership often requires a little more. Gary Kern explores why saying no is difficult, how saying yes to everything can undermine priorities and security, and how to set boundaries without damaging relationships. Learn the three-part approach: acknowledge the need, anchor to your commitments, and explain what you can do instead. A practical lesson in leadership, communication, and managing expectations. #Leadership #Communication #Prioritization #TimeManagement #Management #ClickeStart

    Clické Start - ep. 24 - Saying NO

  4. Oct 15

    Clické Start - ep. 23 - Tech Debt

    “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” That’s how technical debt starts, and why Tuesday never comes. A CIO’s take on the hidden bill in your infrastructure, plus three things you can do this week to make it visible and pay it down. Technical debt isn’t the sin. Ignoring it is. #Leadership #Technology #ClickeStart

    Clické Start - ep. 23 - Tech Debt

  5. Oct 12

    Clické Start - ep. 22 - MultiTasking

    Multitasking feels productive. The research says otherwise. In this episode of Clické Start, I share that I always thought I was good at it but wasn't, why every task switch costs you, and what leaders signal when they're half in the room. ✅ Protect one block for the work that matters ✅ Batch the small stuff ✅ Leave yourself a note before you switch Multitasking is a myth. #Leadership #Technology #ClickeStart #Productivity

    Clické Start - ep. 22 - MultiTasking

  6. Oct 8

    Clické Start - ep. 21 - Priority

    Everyone thinks their request is THE priority. In Episode 21, I share the filter that actually settles it — tying requests to corporate strategy instead of who asked loudest, and why"not yet, and here’s why" beats silence every time. ✅ Ask "compared to what?" before agreeing something’s urgent ✅ Score requests against strategy, not volume ✅ Set the filter before the fire drill, not during it ✅ Make the queue visible so people see what else is in flight ✅ Say "not yet," and say why When everything is important, nothing is. #Leadership #Technology #ClickeStart #Prioritization #ITLeadership

    Clické Start - ep. 21 - Priority

  7. Oct 5

    Clické Start - ep. 20 - Project Process

    No project managers. No project office. No process. Sound familiar? In Episode 20, I share the simple project process I built for organizations with none, and why slowing down at the start makes everything after it faster. ✅ Create a simple charter before anyone commits ✅ Score size and risk so rigor matches the project ✅ Name a sponsor, a coordinator, and a business owner ✅ Define 'done', scope, and who owns it afterward ✅ Track every project on one page: overall, cost, schedule ✅ Close with lessons learned, then celebrate Want help using my template or building your own? Message me. I want to help! Slow down to speed up. #Leadership #Technology #ClickeStart #ProjectManagement

    Clické Start - ep. 20 - Project Process

  8. Oct 1

    Clické Start - ep. 19 - Assumptions

    Assumptions don't announce themselves — they eat away at clarity in silence, until the day the floor gives out. Episode 19 of Clické Start breaks down why the most dangerous assumptions are the ones that feel like facts or common sense, and how a simple verification mindset can catch them before they cost you. 🎧 New episode up now.

    Clické Start - ep. 19 - Assumptions
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About

Clické Start is a short-episode podcast about leadership, technology, common sense, and the clichés and sayings that connect them — the ones we roll our eyes at, until they save us. Hosted by Gary C. Kern — seasoned ("old") CIO, exec, & lifelong learner with 40+ years in tech and nearly 25 in community banking — each episode delivers a practical idea you can actually use. No fluff. No jargon. Not 12-steps Whether you're navigating a tech crisis, developing a team, driving change, or just trying to survive Monday — Clické Start gives you tools that click. New episodes Monday & Thursday.

Information

  • Creator
    Gary C. Kern
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Gary C. Kern
  • Show Website
    Clické Start