Don't start the new year with a dejected staff. Inspire them! they'll take IT to new heights.

Whether your IT staff is reeling from layoffs or you just want to energize the team for projects and growth in the new year, it pays to know how to motivate. That skill doesn't come naturally to most CIOs. But it's one worth learning; A CIO who can't motivate isn't likely to get much done.

Kevin Stack knew this when he began his job as CIO of crafts and fabrics retailer Jo-Ann Stores Inc. last year. One of his first goals was to give his staff -- which had previously been cloistered within the confines of the IT department -- more exposure to the business side so they could figure out how to use IT to increase sales and profits.