Today Stuart Crawford hosted Bob Burg, co-author of The Go Giver, and myself discussing the book and upcoming HTG Summit. Bob will keynote our event on Tuesday April 21 in Dallas as part of our Q2 events. Check out the recording at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smb/va/2009/03/18/the-go-giver-with-bob-burg.
HTG also announced today our Go Giver Economic Stimulus offer for the HTG Summit. If you haven't seen the details and gotten registered - check the newsletter that came out earlier today. Your HTG contact has it in their inbox.
Make sure to listen to the recording, find your Go Giver book, and bring it to the Summit so Bob can autograph it after the keynote. I look forward to greating each of you there!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Heartland Tech Group Adds New Gold Sponsor
HTG today announced it is partnering with Kaseya, a leading provider of IT managed services software, as a vendor partner of its industry leading peer group program. Through this partnership, Kaseya is sponsoring HTG Peer Groups and is allowing HTG members access to Kaseya marketing and technical resources and its award winning solutions. HTG Peer Groups meet quarterly to network and discuss issues specific to their area of IT expertise. Members collaborate to improve their own businesses and the experience of their customers through sharing best practices with one another.
Arlin Sorensen, founder and CEO of HTG, commented that Kaseya is a popular and important addition to the HTG vendor partner lineup. “Many of our HTG members have asked us to bring Kaseya on as a sponsor because they use their platform to provide managed services for their customers,” said Sorensen. “We are excited to have them as part of the HTG sponsor program and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.” HTG Peer Groups members will enjoy a deep relationship with Kaseya including training and best practices in utilizing their award winning technology to serve customers of the HTG member companies.
As a sponsor, Kaseya will participate in HTG Peer Groups’ annual Summit held in Dallas in April, showing members how to deliver industry leading IT managed services to their customers, especially in a down economy. HTG and Kaseya will be working to create some unique opportunities for partners to help drive profitability during these difficult times.
Arlin Sorensen, founder and CEO of HTG, commented that Kaseya is a popular and important addition to the HTG vendor partner lineup. “Many of our HTG members have asked us to bring Kaseya on as a sponsor because they use their platform to provide managed services for their customers,” said Sorensen. “We are excited to have them as part of the HTG sponsor program and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.” HTG Peer Groups members will enjoy a deep relationship with Kaseya including training and best practices in utilizing their award winning technology to serve customers of the HTG member companies.
As a sponsor, Kaseya will participate in HTG Peer Groups’ annual Summit held in Dallas in April, showing members how to deliver industry leading IT managed services to their customers, especially in a down economy. HTG and Kaseya will be working to create some unique opportunities for partners to help drive profitability during these difficult times.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Are You Taking Personal Accountability?
One of my favorite websites is Simple Truths. Mac Anderson has some very motivational and challenging work there - in the form of books and video's. One of his latest works deals with change and the reality that so many of us try to avoid change and blame others when it doesn't go well. The reality is that if we want to lead, we have to be accountable. In HTG it is a core principle that owners/managers are responsible to lead change. It doesn't happen any other way. Check out these thoughts - they are right on the money.
Authors B.J. Gallagher and Steve Ventura wrote a great little book about achieving success through personal accountability titled: Who Are "They" Anyway? I like their list showing how each individual in the company can benefit by adopting a "personal accountability attitude":
- You have more control over your destiny
- You become an active contributor rather than a passive observer
- Others look to you for leadership
- You gain the reputation as a problem solver
- You enhance your career opportunities
- You enjoy the satisfaction that comes from getting things done...the power of positive doing
- You experience less anger, frustration and helplessness - all leading to better physical health
- You realize a positive spillover effect into your personal life at home
According to Gallagher and Ventura, the most important words of personal responsibility are as follows:
The 10 most important words:I won't wait for others to take the first step.
The 9 most important words:If it is to be, it's up to me.
The 8 most important words:If not me, who? If not now, when?
The 7 most important words:Let me take a shot at it.
The 6 most important words:I will not pass the buck.
The 5 most important words:You can count on me.
The 4 most important words:It IS my job!
The 3 most important words:Just do it!
The 2 most important words:I will.
The most important word:Me
When we look at the last statement above - in most cases it is not "me" but rather "you" and we have to get over ourselves and focus on others. But when it comes to personal accountability - then the most important person is "me" and "I" have to take responsibility for what I do or don't do. I cannot point fingers at you or anyone else. It is up to "ME" to get it done and quit blaming someone else. Are you taking charge of your personal accountabilty or looking for someone else to blame. That is what separates true leaders from the rest of the pack!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Truth About Vista
Over the past month or so I have had multiple reporters for the trade rags contact me about Vista/Win 7 and other Microsoft products. The angle on their stories has been to basically get me to provide quotes stating that Microsoft has screwed up with Vista and they are giving up and making another run at an OS with Win 7. I haven’t been willing to do that because quite frankly, I find Vista works pretty well for us. I am typing this blog post on my Vista notebook which has been running very nicely since beta. I wrote a few thoughts for the media and I wanted to share my opinions with you. I hope you find them useful and thought provoking. I am confident they will never make the press because they are opposite of what they have been digging for. So this blog allows me to share them in spite of their determination to keep it quiet. Here is what I shared:
I am a staunch Microsoft supporter and honestly have not found Vista to be an issue. We have been running it in our organization since beta, and have moved a number of our clients to that platform successfully. I would never say it was a perfect OS. But having been able to see firsthand some of the challenges in writing software, I am a lot more sympathetic to some of the issues that customers create. Quite honestly, I am amazed things work as well as they do when I work with third party vendors who are still writing code that is designed for OS’ that are two or three generations old. Microsoft takes the heat for it, but it is not their issue. Third party vendors need to write to the specs and stay current. We should be able to expect that as they didn’t give us their software for free.
HTS was able to take two of our clients to Redmond early in the Vista cycle and spend a week testing their software in labs on the Microsoft campus. Every time there was an issue with a piece of software, when we dug into it and talked with the application provider, it came to light that they had not followed the rules for design and coding or had failed to update things to work with the new OS. Is that Microsoft’s problem? They take the blame but they can’t really fix these issues at all. It is the third party vendors that have created a majority of the problems we have experienced. In many cases, we have moved customers to an application that is Vista ready and things work fine. Most problems are not Vista problems.
Do things work better with a service pack release – probably, maybe or sometimes. That again is often related to the fact that end users are running on old equipment or in non supported environments and expect Microsoft to make things work. We see it in our client base all the time. “What do you mean this seven year old printer isn’t supported anymore?” How come I can’t use this or that is a common question. The reality is that the marketplace changes and no one can write code that supports all these products and environments indefinitely. People have to be willing to stay current with their products and applications or be willing to accept the fact they are making a choice – that they may not be supported, or heaven forbid not work. I don’t see that as Microsoft’s problem – although they get blamed.
As for preparing us for releases, that too seems to be a choice. We have been running Win 7 internally for some time now and doing our testing, learning and due diligence to get ready. It is available and can be downloaded and tested with plenty of lead time prior to its pending release. That is not really again a Microsoft issue, it is a lack of discipline and planning by VAR’s who don’t do their homework or corporations that choose to just sit back and play the blame game rather than the work it takes to run a strong IT shop. Contrary to popular desire, stuff just doesn’t work without some effort (thankfully for us as VAR’s) and it does require planning and budget to stay current and competitive with technology. We pride ourselves in engaging with Microsoft early and often and it has been a great asset to us and our customer base. My team is well versed in their products way before release because we have tested and most times implemented them in controlled test environments for real world customers prior to product launch. That is a choice we make and by making it we don’t run into the kinds of experiences many just want to point fingers and blame Microsoft for.
Success is a two way street. They build good products, they provide a lot of opportunities to get engaged and learn, but at the end of the day it is the choice of a VAR or customer as to what they do with it. If people don’t prepare, do their homework, have a plan and execute it in a disciplined fashion – well they get what they deserve – chaos, frustration and unhappiness. But for those who do – who follow the guidance and planning, put in the effort to learn and understand, verify that third parties have done what they need to – those customers end up with little to no disruption and a very solid environment. We had it with XP, we have it with Vista, and we will have it with Win 7. The end result is not nearly as dependent on the product – it is very important but they don’t ship stuff that won’t work – it is dependent on how that product gets deployed. Microsoft doesn’t control that – they just are blessed with all the blame customers and VAR’s want to place when they don’t do things right and it blows up in their face.
Some of you will read this and think I have been bought off by Microsoft. That is not accurate or true. Microsoft is a partner to us at HTS, and a very important one at that, but these things I share are not specific to Microsoft. You can change the vendor name and products and it applies across the board. The problem is not normally the vendor, it is the VAR or end user who fail to perform. Vendors get blamed, they have to try and make it work in spite of us, but when we look in the mirror the finger most often is pointing at us. Before you go off on a vendor next time, ask yourself if you did your homework, learned the technology, read the manual, got your team certified, followed the guidance, tested, planned and deployed according to plan. If you can say yes to those things, then you may have a sympathetic ear from me. But in most cases, that is not what happens. To that I say you are on your own.
I am a staunch Microsoft supporter and honestly have not found Vista to be an issue. We have been running it in our organization since beta, and have moved a number of our clients to that platform successfully. I would never say it was a perfect OS. But having been able to see firsthand some of the challenges in writing software, I am a lot more sympathetic to some of the issues that customers create. Quite honestly, I am amazed things work as well as they do when I work with third party vendors who are still writing code that is designed for OS’ that are two or three generations old. Microsoft takes the heat for it, but it is not their issue. Third party vendors need to write to the specs and stay current. We should be able to expect that as they didn’t give us their software for free.
HTS was able to take two of our clients to Redmond early in the Vista cycle and spend a week testing their software in labs on the Microsoft campus. Every time there was an issue with a piece of software, when we dug into it and talked with the application provider, it came to light that they had not followed the rules for design and coding or had failed to update things to work with the new OS. Is that Microsoft’s problem? They take the blame but they can’t really fix these issues at all. It is the third party vendors that have created a majority of the problems we have experienced. In many cases, we have moved customers to an application that is Vista ready and things work fine. Most problems are not Vista problems.
Do things work better with a service pack release – probably, maybe or sometimes. That again is often related to the fact that end users are running on old equipment or in non supported environments and expect Microsoft to make things work. We see it in our client base all the time. “What do you mean this seven year old printer isn’t supported anymore?” How come I can’t use this or that is a common question. The reality is that the marketplace changes and no one can write code that supports all these products and environments indefinitely. People have to be willing to stay current with their products and applications or be willing to accept the fact they are making a choice – that they may not be supported, or heaven forbid not work. I don’t see that as Microsoft’s problem – although they get blamed.
As for preparing us for releases, that too seems to be a choice. We have been running Win 7 internally for some time now and doing our testing, learning and due diligence to get ready. It is available and can be downloaded and tested with plenty of lead time prior to its pending release. That is not really again a Microsoft issue, it is a lack of discipline and planning by VAR’s who don’t do their homework or corporations that choose to just sit back and play the blame game rather than the work it takes to run a strong IT shop. Contrary to popular desire, stuff just doesn’t work without some effort (thankfully for us as VAR’s) and it does require planning and budget to stay current and competitive with technology. We pride ourselves in engaging with Microsoft early and often and it has been a great asset to us and our customer base. My team is well versed in their products way before release because we have tested and most times implemented them in controlled test environments for real world customers prior to product launch. That is a choice we make and by making it we don’t run into the kinds of experiences many just want to point fingers and blame Microsoft for.
Success is a two way street. They build good products, they provide a lot of opportunities to get engaged and learn, but at the end of the day it is the choice of a VAR or customer as to what they do with it. If people don’t prepare, do their homework, have a plan and execute it in a disciplined fashion – well they get what they deserve – chaos, frustration and unhappiness. But for those who do – who follow the guidance and planning, put in the effort to learn and understand, verify that third parties have done what they need to – those customers end up with little to no disruption and a very solid environment. We had it with XP, we have it with Vista, and we will have it with Win 7. The end result is not nearly as dependent on the product – it is very important but they don’t ship stuff that won’t work – it is dependent on how that product gets deployed. Microsoft doesn’t control that – they just are blessed with all the blame customers and VAR’s want to place when they don’t do things right and it blows up in their face.
Some of you will read this and think I have been bought off by Microsoft. That is not accurate or true. Microsoft is a partner to us at HTS, and a very important one at that, but these things I share are not specific to Microsoft. You can change the vendor name and products and it applies across the board. The problem is not normally the vendor, it is the VAR or end user who fail to perform. Vendors get blamed, they have to try and make it work in spite of us, but when we look in the mirror the finger most often is pointing at us. Before you go off on a vendor next time, ask yourself if you did your homework, learned the technology, read the manual, got your team certified, followed the guidance, tested, planned and deployed according to plan. If you can say yes to those things, then you may have a sympathetic ear from me. But in most cases, that is not what happens. To that I say you are on your own.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
5W/50 Series - Accounting Alchemy – Turning Data into Information
My partner and HTG9 facilitator Jane Cage is presenting a 5W50 session on finance. You need to consider taking an hour to listen. She makes things happen at HTS and has been a great asset since our companies merged back in 2003. I have grown to appreciate Jane's skills more and more as she leads our company to profitability. Part of her magic is how she makes data sing. You can't run a successful business without good information. Get signed up now!
Making good business decisions is the prerequisite to staying in business. Learn how in this one hour presentation to setup and use your accounting program to provide you with the facts you need to make the right decisions on topics such as product and service lines, salesperson productivity, cash flow and forecasting.
Presenter:
Jane Cage - COO, Heartland Technology Solutions
When: 3/20/09, 9:00-10:00am PDT
Register: https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=259630
Making good business decisions is the prerequisite to staying in business. Learn how in this one hour presentation to setup and use your accounting program to provide you with the facts you need to make the right decisions on topics such as product and service lines, salesperson productivity, cash flow and forecasting.
Presenter:
Jane Cage - COO, Heartland Technology Solutions
When: 3/20/09, 9:00-10:00am PDT
Register: https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=259630
Monday, March 9, 2009
Want to have more - then be willing to change
HTG member Alex Ziogas from the windy city recently shared these thoughts with members of his peer group. I thought they were worth repeating so take a moment and read…..
Jim Rohn originally said this:
“Here's the great challenge of life - You can have more than you've got because you can become more than you are. I have found that income seldom will exceed your own personal development. Once in a while income takes a lucky jump, but unless you grow out to where it is, it will go back to where you are. Somebody once said if you took all the money in the world and divided it among everyone equally; it would soon be back in the same pockets. However, you can have more because you can become more. You see, here is how the other side of the coin reads - unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got. The marketing plan won't do it. It's a good plan but it won't work without you. You've got to work it. It is the human effort that counts. If you could send a sales manual out to recruit - wouldn't that be lovely? The major thing that makes the difference is what YOU do.
In order to have more, you need to become more. The guy says "If I had a good job I would really pour it on, but I have this lousy job so I just goof off." If that is your philosophy, you are destined to stay there. Some people say if I had a lot of money I would be really generous, but I don't have much so I'm not generous. See, you've got to change that philosophy or you will never have "the lots of money." Unless YOU change, IT won't change. Amazingly, however, when we throw out our blame list and start becoming more ourselves - the difference is everything else will begin to change around us.”
Now for my commentary: I think this captures a lot of what we see in the world around us. People want to sit back and let someone else deal with the tough problems. A few sign up for that task, and most of them end up running a business and becoming the folks who make America work and keep the country growing. It doesn’t get better if we keep doing the same things the same ways. If we do that we get the same results. WE have to CHANGE. None of us like that word, not really. But it is critical if you want to earn more, have a better job, retire happy – get over it and embrace the need to change. You have to develop yourself – your boss can’t do it for you. Bosses can assist by investing in training, encouraging you, allotting time and so forth, but I see far too often that even when those things happen people won’t go to the work of improving themselves. It is work, but that is what we are supposed to be doing isn’t it. That is what we get paid for. I am amazed at some of the comments I hear around training and personal development. “Well I am not going to do that – it just benefits my company. Or maybe this one….why would I spend my own time to get better and learn more”. Hello – here is a news flash – if you don’t want to get what you have always got – you have to CHANGE. YOU have to CHANGE. No one can do that for you. Not even the government. So get over the idea that anyone else is responsible for your situation and get to work becoming more than you are today. Every one of us can learn something that makes a difference. If you can’t, that means you are dead. See you at your funeral!
Jim Rohn originally said this:
“Here's the great challenge of life - You can have more than you've got because you can become more than you are. I have found that income seldom will exceed your own personal development. Once in a while income takes a lucky jump, but unless you grow out to where it is, it will go back to where you are. Somebody once said if you took all the money in the world and divided it among everyone equally; it would soon be back in the same pockets. However, you can have more because you can become more. You see, here is how the other side of the coin reads - unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got. The marketing plan won't do it. It's a good plan but it won't work without you. You've got to work it. It is the human effort that counts. If you could send a sales manual out to recruit - wouldn't that be lovely? The major thing that makes the difference is what YOU do.
In order to have more, you need to become more. The guy says "If I had a good job I would really pour it on, but I have this lousy job so I just goof off." If that is your philosophy, you are destined to stay there. Some people say if I had a lot of money I would be really generous, but I don't have much so I'm not generous. See, you've got to change that philosophy or you will never have "the lots of money." Unless YOU change, IT won't change. Amazingly, however, when we throw out our blame list and start becoming more ourselves - the difference is everything else will begin to change around us.”
Now for my commentary: I think this captures a lot of what we see in the world around us. People want to sit back and let someone else deal with the tough problems. A few sign up for that task, and most of them end up running a business and becoming the folks who make America work and keep the country growing. It doesn’t get better if we keep doing the same things the same ways. If we do that we get the same results. WE have to CHANGE. None of us like that word, not really. But it is critical if you want to earn more, have a better job, retire happy – get over it and embrace the need to change. You have to develop yourself – your boss can’t do it for you. Bosses can assist by investing in training, encouraging you, allotting time and so forth, but I see far too often that even when those things happen people won’t go to the work of improving themselves. It is work, but that is what we are supposed to be doing isn’t it. That is what we get paid for. I am amazed at some of the comments I hear around training and personal development. “Well I am not going to do that – it just benefits my company. Or maybe this one….why would I spend my own time to get better and learn more”. Hello – here is a news flash – if you don’t want to get what you have always got – you have to CHANGE. YOU have to CHANGE. No one can do that for you. Not even the government. So get over the idea that anyone else is responsible for your situation and get to work becoming more than you are today. Every one of us can learn something that makes a difference. If you can’t, that means you are dead. See you at your funeral!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Some Great Free Stuff
Good friend Mike Iem puts out a great newsletter for partners in the SMB space, and it is free. Sign up for it here: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1102241330914
If you attended our joint Summit last April in Dallas you definitely met Mike Iem. He get's things done and is now working for Microsoft on an initiative focused on supporting SBS partner groups in the US and sharing information with partner groups Worldwide! He is a very-available liaison for partners to Microsoft. Over the last few years he has organized the SBS Partner Tours and worked with the SBS Leads Groups to provide information and resources to all Partner Groups (user groups) and individuals.
One of the hottest things Mike produces from time to time is the super-amazing Partner Group DVD. This is the one golden DVD you need to know what's going on for partners in the SMB space. The 2009 DVD is almost ready. In the past, the DVD has put together marketing programs, videos, demo tools, screen shots, webinars, white papers, and LOTS of other great information and updates targeted specifically for the SMB Consultant. This is literally all the content you need from Microsoft in one awesome package.
Mike reports that the DVD is "complete" and churning through the Microsoft process to distribution.There's a 99% chance that this will be distributed as an ISO image for download. So if you're not a member of a user group, you'll still have access to it.But you don't want to miss out, so please Join Mike's Newsletter NOW so you won't miss the announcement. It will probably come out in the next two weeks. So now is absolutely the best time to sign up for this email newsletter. Mike's newsletter always has great information on marketing and promotions that will help you make more money.
If you attended our joint Summit last April in Dallas you definitely met Mike Iem. He get's things done and is now working for Microsoft on an initiative focused on supporting SBS partner groups in the US and sharing information with partner groups Worldwide! He is a very-available liaison for partners to Microsoft. Over the last few years he has organized the SBS Partner Tours and worked with the SBS Leads Groups to provide information and resources to all Partner Groups (user groups) and individuals.
One of the hottest things Mike produces from time to time is the super-amazing Partner Group DVD. This is the one golden DVD you need to know what's going on for partners in the SMB space. The 2009 DVD is almost ready. In the past, the DVD has put together marketing programs, videos, demo tools, screen shots, webinars, white papers, and LOTS of other great information and updates targeted specifically for the SMB Consultant. This is literally all the content you need from Microsoft in one awesome package.
Mike reports that the DVD is "complete" and churning through the Microsoft process to distribution.There's a 99% chance that this will be distributed as an ISO image for download. So if you're not a member of a user group, you'll still have access to it.But you don't want to miss out, so please Join Mike's Newsletter NOW so you won't miss the announcement. It will probably come out in the next two weeks. So now is absolutely the best time to sign up for this email newsletter. Mike's newsletter always has great information on marketing and promotions that will help you make more money.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Upcoming HTG Summit Talk Show Featuring Bob Burg
On March 18th at 11AM Eastern, Stuart Crawford and myself will be joined on Blogtalk radio by Bob Burg, author of "The Go Giver" and more importantly to many of us - the keynote speaker for our upcoming HTG Summit meeting in Dallas on April 21. The current schedule is at http://www.htgmembers.com/HTGSummit09/Agenda.htm. Bob is a gifted communicator and will be with us to discuss our upcoming event and help us set the stage for a fantastic three days in Dallas in a few weeks. This is a call in program and you can join us that day at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smb/2009/03/18/The-Go-Giver-with-Bob-Burg. And do not forget, if you want to call in live and speak with us, be sure to dial 646-716-8372. You will be placed into the caller queue where you will still be able to hear the show while you are on hold and then have a chance to speak with Bob directly.
For a little background, here are some facts about Bob Burg. He speaks for corporations and associations internationally, including fortune 500 companies, franchises, and numerous sales organizations. Bob has shared the platform with speaking legends, celebrities and business leaders, and even a former U.S. President.
He is best-known for his book “Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales” which has thus far sold well over 175,000 copies and is still going strong.
His newest book (co-authored with John David Mann), is entitled, “The Go-Giver.” A business parable that both touches hearts and build bigger bank accounts, it shot to number 6 on the Wall Street Journal Business Bestsellers list just three weeks after its release and then hit number 9 on the BusinessWeek Bestsellers list. It has also become Bob’s fourth book to hit the 100,000 mark in sales. This book is about more than just succeeding in business; it’s about succeeding in life.
Bob is a staunch advocate, supporter and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Safe Harbor, the Humane Society of Jupiter, Florida.
He has been a good friend and supporter of HTG and all that we are doing. He understands business and wants to help us grow and achieve our goals. Join us for our call, and plan now to be in Dallas to hear him live and on stage. He will sign books following his keynote, so bring your copy along and take advantage of that as well.
For a little background, here are some facts about Bob Burg. He speaks for corporations and associations internationally, including fortune 500 companies, franchises, and numerous sales organizations. Bob has shared the platform with speaking legends, celebrities and business leaders, and even a former U.S. President.
He is best-known for his book “Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales” which has thus far sold well over 175,000 copies and is still going strong.
His newest book (co-authored with John David Mann), is entitled, “The Go-Giver.” A business parable that both touches hearts and build bigger bank accounts, it shot to number 6 on the Wall Street Journal Business Bestsellers list just three weeks after its release and then hit number 9 on the BusinessWeek Bestsellers list. It has also become Bob’s fourth book to hit the 100,000 mark in sales. This book is about more than just succeeding in business; it’s about succeeding in life.
Bob is a staunch advocate, supporter and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Safe Harbor, the Humane Society of Jupiter, Florida.
He has been a good friend and supporter of HTG and all that we are doing. He understands business and wants to help us grow and achieve our goals. Join us for our call, and plan now to be in Dallas to hear him live and on stage. He will sign books following his keynote, so bring your copy along and take advantage of that as well.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Great News From our UK Friends
CRN and Scott Campbell have posted some great information on the HTG UK group that has been started across the pond and is coming to Dallas for our HTGALL meetings in Q2. Check out the information at http://www.crn.com/it-channel/215800737 and make sure that you let our friends from abroad know how glad we are to have them in the HTG family. We have seen business done between members here and there, and we have a solid start for our group. We are recruiting a few more partners to fill the first UK group and then we begin filling the second. Good things are ahead for all of us as we grow our footprint and expand our program to other countries around the globe. Dave Sobel is doing a great job leading this group. We are excited and looking forward to seeing everyone in Dallas in April.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mind Shift
While on my way to San Francisco I was reading an article in "Corporate Meetings and Incentives" that made a few points that were shared by James Feldman of Shift Happens. He makes these 5 points about our current situation that I think are worth considering. The main bullets are his - the commentary is mine......
1. Stop pointing fingers.
We are sure prone to do that. Blame the president, the democrats, the republicans, somebody, anybody. The reality no person or group of people is capable of making the mess we are in. We all participated and that is the only way we get out. We have to fix it together. And that doesn't happen by continually focusing on how bad it is. We need to find the things we can focus on that are good and get after it. The sooner we focus on what "is" working, the sooner we can put this behind us.
2. Elevate your attitude.
I have always been a believer in the little saying that "attitude is everything" and I believe that is never more true than now. We can choose to be victims, or we can seize the opportunity. I prefer the latter. I am not going to be overwhelmes and paralyzed by the current situation. And as leaders in our homes, companies, churches and other places, that attitude has never been more important.
3. Accurately identify the problem.
Right now everyone is blaming everything on the current economic situation. Customers had issues before this. Customers had needs before this. They will have them when we get through it. The opportunity lies in identifying those now and helping them address what they can but be ready to help them attack them when we come out the other side. That means assessments and surveys and spending time LISTENING. We need to spend time during this climate focused on how we will serve them when we get past it.
4. Partner, partner, partner.
The way we thrive in this kind of pressure packed situation is to do it together. We will struggle if we curl up in a fetal position and try to weather the storm in a vaccuum. We need each other to survive and thrive. That is the key to peer groups and having community. We can learn from, get encouraged by, share great ideas and best practices with, and just plain work together if we are connected. I am convinced that those who will pull through likely understand the value of their peers and partnering. There is no time like now to step that part of how you do business up a notch. Reach out to folks and connect.
5. Tune in, not out.
We need to connect and listen more than ever. Our tendency is to pull back, cut everything and cut everywhere. But now more than ever we need to be with our customers, partners, vendors and peers to listen and learn. We need to pay close attention to what they say and not make assumptions on what they are feeling. Sometimes we tend to make decisons for others without ever asking. We assume they don't have budget because the media says so. How wrong that can be. We need to make sure we are tuned in and listen well.
Five great thoughts with a little color commentary from me. I know things are bad - we are wrestling with the economy just like everyone else. But these 5 simple thoughts are a great place to start changing how we look at things. It will end. We need to focus on being around when it does. That is most effectively done when we tackle it together. The power of peers through HTG has never been needed more or been more valuable to those who are part.
1. Stop pointing fingers.
We are sure prone to do that. Blame the president, the democrats, the republicans, somebody, anybody. The reality no person or group of people is capable of making the mess we are in. We all participated and that is the only way we get out. We have to fix it together. And that doesn't happen by continually focusing on how bad it is. We need to find the things we can focus on that are good and get after it. The sooner we focus on what "is" working, the sooner we can put this behind us.
2. Elevate your attitude.
I have always been a believer in the little saying that "attitude is everything" and I believe that is never more true than now. We can choose to be victims, or we can seize the opportunity. I prefer the latter. I am not going to be overwhelmes and paralyzed by the current situation. And as leaders in our homes, companies, churches and other places, that attitude has never been more important.
3. Accurately identify the problem.
Right now everyone is blaming everything on the current economic situation. Customers had issues before this. Customers had needs before this. They will have them when we get through it. The opportunity lies in identifying those now and helping them address what they can but be ready to help them attack them when we come out the other side. That means assessments and surveys and spending time LISTENING. We need to spend time during this climate focused on how we will serve them when we get past it.
4. Partner, partner, partner.
The way we thrive in this kind of pressure packed situation is to do it together. We will struggle if we curl up in a fetal position and try to weather the storm in a vaccuum. We need each other to survive and thrive. That is the key to peer groups and having community. We can learn from, get encouraged by, share great ideas and best practices with, and just plain work together if we are connected. I am convinced that those who will pull through likely understand the value of their peers and partnering. There is no time like now to step that part of how you do business up a notch. Reach out to folks and connect.
5. Tune in, not out.
We need to connect and listen more than ever. Our tendency is to pull back, cut everything and cut everywhere. But now more than ever we need to be with our customers, partners, vendors and peers to listen and learn. We need to pay close attention to what they say and not make assumptions on what they are feeling. Sometimes we tend to make decisons for others without ever asking. We assume they don't have budget because the media says so. How wrong that can be. We need to make sure we are tuned in and listen well.
Five great thoughts with a little color commentary from me. I know things are bad - we are wrestling with the economy just like everyone else. But these 5 simple thoughts are a great place to start changing how we look at things. It will end. We need to focus on being around when it does. That is most effectively done when we tackle it together. The power of peers through HTG has never been needed more or been more valuable to those who are part.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Power of SWOT
A team of HTG members have been on the ground here in Peoria this week performing a SWOT on HTG13 member Pearl Technology. Pearl is led by Greg Johnson and team and we have had a fantastic time interacting with the management team, execs and entire staff as we went through the process. I was joined by Jeff Howard, Jeff Wood, Steve Knutson and Peter Sorensen as we spent two very long yet productive days diving into all things from all angles and providing the team at Pearl with recommendations and suggestions for the future.
Each time we take a team to an HTG member company, the process is unique. While we all are in the technology business, each and every company serves a unique market with unique people. That keeps the SWOT process very fresh and exciting. We have a typical agenda we follow, but as is always the case, after the first couple hours it pretty much goes out the window and we make adjustments on the fly to provide the most value we can for our member company. That was no different this week.
The team spent time with employees but a significant portion of our time was spent with the management team focused on some of the core elements to their structure and market. Being in Peoria in this current economy - Caterpillar and all things associated play a huge part in how they go to market. You know it is a pretty important thing when the President of the US comes to town during our visit to speak to the folks at Cat. We thought that President Obama had heard about our SWOT and was coming to see us - but that didn't materialize. We did leave a long list of ideas and suggestions, and now the hard work begins for the team to tackle in order to drive Pearl to the next level.
A special thanks to the team that assembled here to do the hard work of performing the SWOT. Steve, Jeff, Peter and Jeff did a masterful job of turning over rocks and finding things that will make a difference for Pearl. They gave a few days of their life to serve, and they also all said they learned much themselves they can take back to their own company as part of the process as well. That is what happens when we give freely and serve - we are always blessed more than we feel we gave. Thanks guys, for sharing life and making a difference this week!
Each time we take a team to an HTG member company, the process is unique. While we all are in the technology business, each and every company serves a unique market with unique people. That keeps the SWOT process very fresh and exciting. We have a typical agenda we follow, but as is always the case, after the first couple hours it pretty much goes out the window and we make adjustments on the fly to provide the most value we can for our member company. That was no different this week.
The team spent time with employees but a significant portion of our time was spent with the management team focused on some of the core elements to their structure and market. Being in Peoria in this current economy - Caterpillar and all things associated play a huge part in how they go to market. You know it is a pretty important thing when the President of the US comes to town during our visit to speak to the folks at Cat. We thought that President Obama had heard about our SWOT and was coming to see us - but that didn't materialize. We did leave a long list of ideas and suggestions, and now the hard work begins for the team to tackle in order to drive Pearl to the next level.
A special thanks to the team that assembled here to do the hard work of performing the SWOT. Steve, Jeff, Peter and Jeff did a masterful job of turning over rocks and finding things that will make a difference for Pearl. They gave a few days of their life to serve, and they also all said they learned much themselves they can take back to their own company as part of the process as well. That is what happens when we give freely and serve - we are always blessed more than we feel we gave. Thanks guys, for sharing life and making a difference this week!
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Importance of Investing in Team
HTS held it's annual company retreat (12th year now) last weekend at the Doubletree in Kansas City. We have been doing an off site for many years now and it is extremely valuable in many ways. We started when we were a much smaller company and it was important then, but now that we are multi-site in multi-states it is critical. Providing an opportunity to connect and learn is critical for company growth and success.
This year we wrestled briefly with the idea of cancelling the event. It is, after all, difficult economic times. There are plenty of reasons to not spend the cash. We take the team down and do a 1.5 day event so there is food, hotel rooms, transporation, evening activities - lots of cost and expense to pull this off. The world says to slash and cut things that are not mission critical. I don't buy it. I still remember Matt Medeiros from SonicWall stating that "you can't cut your way to profitability". I concur with that 100%. To follow the logic of the media we should have not handed out bonuses to our team, which we did, not given them each a book to read and share, which we did, and certainly not spent the money to do the event at a quality location like the Doubletree. But the media is wrong. Success during difficult times will come to those who stay the course and do the right things the right way every day.
We spent all Friday afternoon in training by functional teams. Good content relevant to job function was shared for our sales, technical, dispatch and admin teams. Friday evening we had a team dinner, our annual skit which this year was around The Price is Right theme, our HTS awards, and then we went bowling. Talk about knocking down walls and connecting people. There is no better way than to laugh and have fun together. That is what builds team.
Saturday we focused more on dealing with the situation we are facing - tough economy and never ending media attempts to destroy people's confidence in the future. Scott led us through the SWOT process on our company by location. We had an exercise where we broke down in small groups and came up with the value propositions HTS has to bring to our markets. Both were very good at connecting people in small groups to talk about what our 2009 needs to look like. We did address the economy head on, and I also talked about the importance of connecting and communicating with the customer. We have to stay close. We ended our time with a gift of the Go Giver book and a request for each of our team to read it, report on it to me, and then share it with one of our customers. Already I have had team members email me their thoughts and some even went to the bookstore already yesterday to buy more copies to share with people. Larry said it so well when he spoke to our sales team - we need to say a lot more thank you's and show our appreciation to those we touch.
Investments in team are never a mistake. Big orgs love to make it look like cost cutting and big savings when they cancel things like this. It doesn't have to be extravagent. We didn't go to the most expensive place in KC and eat the most expensive food. But we were together in a nice venue and focused on learning and growing and becoming a team. That investment will pay dividends for years. If you aren't doing it, you need to. If you are thinking of cutting back on team investment - don't. It is the best money you can spend!
This year we wrestled briefly with the idea of cancelling the event. It is, after all, difficult economic times. There are plenty of reasons to not spend the cash. We take the team down and do a 1.5 day event so there is food, hotel rooms, transporation, evening activities - lots of cost and expense to pull this off. The world says to slash and cut things that are not mission critical. I don't buy it. I still remember Matt Medeiros from SonicWall stating that "you can't cut your way to profitability". I concur with that 100%. To follow the logic of the media we should have not handed out bonuses to our team, which we did, not given them each a book to read and share, which we did, and certainly not spent the money to do the event at a quality location like the Doubletree. But the media is wrong. Success during difficult times will come to those who stay the course and do the right things the right way every day.
We spent all Friday afternoon in training by functional teams. Good content relevant to job function was shared for our sales, technical, dispatch and admin teams. Friday evening we had a team dinner, our annual skit which this year was around The Price is Right theme, our HTS awards, and then we went bowling. Talk about knocking down walls and connecting people. There is no better way than to laugh and have fun together. That is what builds team.
Saturday we focused more on dealing with the situation we are facing - tough economy and never ending media attempts to destroy people's confidence in the future. Scott led us through the SWOT process on our company by location. We had an exercise where we broke down in small groups and came up with the value propositions HTS has to bring to our markets. Both were very good at connecting people in small groups to talk about what our 2009 needs to look like. We did address the economy head on, and I also talked about the importance of connecting and communicating with the customer. We have to stay close. We ended our time with a gift of the Go Giver book and a request for each of our team to read it, report on it to me, and then share it with one of our customers. Already I have had team members email me their thoughts and some even went to the bookstore already yesterday to buy more copies to share with people. Larry said it so well when he spoke to our sales team - we need to say a lot more thank you's and show our appreciation to those we touch.
Investments in team are never a mistake. Big orgs love to make it look like cost cutting and big savings when they cancel things like this. It doesn't have to be extravagent. We didn't go to the most expensive place in KC and eat the most expensive food. But we were together in a nice venue and focused on learning and growing and becoming a team. That investment will pay dividends for years. If you aren't doing it, you need to. If you are thinking of cutting back on team investment - don't. It is the best money you can spend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)