The document discusses the many paradoxes that CIOs face in their roles. Some of the key paradoxes mentioned are: 1) CIOs are hired to be strategic but often get bogged down by operational issues ("pants on fire" paradox). 2) IT is deeply involved in all business functions but is often seen as separate ("island" paradox). 3) CIOs must hire staff with both strong technical skills and people/communication skills ("talent" paradox). 4) CIOs must envision the future while upgrading legacy systems ("futurist vs. archivist" paradox).