While it would be naive to think that every CIO can achieve a rapport with his CFO, understanding the importance of a solid relationship with the head of finance is critical to success, both for the IT department and the institution as a whole. Never has this been truer than in today's bleak economy, as CFOs become increasingly cautious about initiatives that involve significant expense, yet information technology can help achieve efficiencies that will improve the bottom line. The good news is that forging a productive relationship with the CFO does not require speaking in accounting jargon (although having an understanding of finance helps). What it does call for is building a bond of trust and honesty with one's counterpart--or superior--sometimes at the expense of one's own ego.