In the midst of innovating, adopting new technology or strategizing for next year, the holiday season can cause stress for tech leaders. The worst of which, for some, is knowing what to get family members, fellow tech leaders or yourself.
While CIOs may want tools to cut cloud costs, optimize operations or a fix-everything gadget, unfortunately, those things can’t fit in a stocking (unless you specifically want a Swiss Army Knife).
With thousands of options, finding the right present can be hard. But there is something every CIO or tech leader will love in this year’s holiday guide. Here are ideas for CIOs, CTOs and the tech leaders in your life:
The CIO who loves their kitchen
For the CIO who loves to cook with family or alone, a subscription to Cook’s Illustrated is the perfect gift. Cook’s Illustrated releases new publications bimonthly and has books available for purchase.
- Cook’s Illustrated 1 year subscription: $24.95
- Bon Appetit 1 year subscription: $18
- The New York Times Cooking 1 year subscription: $40
Other gifts could range from blenders to French press coffee makers. The kitchen is a great place for gift-givers whether a tech leader needs help saving time in the morning or getting enough greens in their diet.
- KitchenAid K150 blender: $50
- Nutribullet Pro 900: $120
- Espro P6 French press coffee maker: $120
- Cafe Du Chateau French press coffee maker: $35
The CIO who loves to read and journal
There are many books on the market for leaders in search of advice on leading teams, technology strategy and career growth. Gift givers could even get an extra copy of the book for themselves and read it together like a book club.
- “The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win” by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr and George Spafford: $17 (Don’t miss its sequel, “The Unicorn Project: A Novel abou Developers, Digital Disruptions, and Thriving in the Age of Data” by Gene Kim: $27
- “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones” by James Clear: $15
- “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How successful people become even more successful” by Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Reiter: $14
- “Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?” by Julie Smith: $19.59
- “Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career” by Carla A. Harris: $23
Another option would be to gift a journal. Journals are a great way to memorialize daily experiences and thoughts, get feelings out in a constructive way and a nice thing to look back on in the future. There are even journals that are specifically career-focused and designed with prompts to get the user strategizing and thinking deeper about their career.
- “Career Compass: A Guided Journal for Discovering a Fulfilling Career Path and Designing a Life You Love” by Dr. Colleen Campbell: $16
- Rustico leather five year journal: $80
- “Embrace the Work, Love Your Career: A Guided Workbook for Realizing Your Career Goals with Clarity, Intention, and Confidence” by Fran Hauser: $18
The CIO who loves technology in their home
For the CIO who knows technology can make life easier, a smart watch is a perfect present. Smart watches range in price and capabilities, but there are options for everyone whether they want to know more about their sleep patterns or count their steps.
- Google Pixel watch: $400
- Apple Watch Series 8: $399
- Fitbit Sense 2: $200
A home projector is another great present idea, and thankfully for the buyer, prices have gone down as more consumer-focused projectors have entered the market. Amazon and Walmart both have options for under $100.
- Vankyo Leisure 330W Wifi Mini Projector: $70
- Mini Projector PVO Portable: $70
- The Samsung Freestyle: $600
The CIO who doesn’t mind a last-minute present
When in doubt, a gift card to a favorite restaurant or retailer can make the best present. There are also plenty of options for curated box gifts, ranging in price and for different interests.
If none of these options sound right for the tech leader in your life, go for new luggage. Luggage is a great present for those who travel for work and leisure and there are plenty of colors, sizes and styles to choose from.
- Béis expandable duffle: $118
- Monos carry-on: $245
- Skyway flair hardside spinner luggage: $72
