Even if your budget is tight, Morrison says, you canfind economical ways to fund training. Options includeonline learning courses and self-teachingpackages. Reimburse your staff for IT textbooks or create alibrary of books they can use.

"By maintaining the training program, you let your staffknow that you're committed to helping them stay current,"says Mercer's Van De Voort. "Training indicates an ongoingdedication to employees, and taking it away is one of theworst things you can do."

No Cheap Tricks

Monte Ford, CIO of American Airlines in Fort Worth,Texas, has tackled more serious threats to the morale of hisorganization during his 14 months on the job than most CIOsexpect to deal with in an entire career. In April 2001, Fordguided his organization though a merger with TWA in thelargest airline integration in history. Last fall, the saleof Sabre to EDS meant that American Airlines lost almost4,200 longtime contract employees. And after Sept. 11, Fordhad to help his staff support the airline's IT needs as theyand the company were rocked by grief and loss.

Through each challenge, Ford kept one idea in mind: Thepeople on his staff are his single most valuable asset. Tosucceed as a leader and to keep his people's spirits up, helearned to adjust the way he viewed his employees.