The Greater IBM Connection - on the blog side

Speaking of seeing and IBMer...

I'm not sure how many of you use the photo sharing site, Flickr, but I started a Flickr group called "The Greater IBM Connection" and seeded it with some photos from the NYC event.  On Flickr you can add photos to this group, tag photos (eg add the name of the people pictured etc) and comment on photos...

How do you know an IBMer when you see one?

Since joining Greater IBM, I keep running into IBMers unexpectedly. We're everywhere!

Case in Point:
Last week, I was at a meeting with two collaborative business partners. One of the partners is new and is joining us for a creative role in an innovative project. The two key players came to meet us personally, so we could explore how the three organizations would work together to fulfill the vision and goals for this joint venture.

Both of our new colleagues were impressive! It was obvious we had the right people. I was particularly taken with the woman, who will be working in the role of "managing director" of the creative process. She had a confidence, a command of the proposed plan, a recall of detail, and a passionate spirit that made you know she was delivering on every promise she made.

Near the close of the meeting, some reference was made that I had worked for IBM. With that news, her face lit up, "I worked for IBM, too!" she said with great pride. We had fun talking about our careers and I introduced her to the Greater IBM Connection.

I know I saw in her qualities that are not uncommon to IBMers and we appear to be spreading our influences out in the world everywhere. I've started asking questions wherever I go, because this same occurence has happened three times this month. Imagine when all of us arrive here at the Greater IBM Connection.

So, how do you know an IBMer when you see one?

Do you see qualities  we have in common?

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO


Global Dialogue Center and Leadership Solutions Companies
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco

IBM songs

I'm  interested in finding Greater IBMers with musical inclinations -- no surprise, since I'm a musician in my spare time myself.   Today someone sent me a song that the IBM Rational team made...it's actually pretty good.   Every now and again someone sends me a link to the old IBM "Ever Onward" era theme songs...does any one know of IBM alumni making music?

2007 North Florida Reunion

IBMers from North Florida, past and present, celebrated their 2nd Annual Reunion on Friday, November 9th.   The event was held in Tallahassee in the IBM lakeside yard.   120 plus IBMers enjoyed the PIGMASTERS, Sonny's Pit Barbecue, Huge Bon Fire and great fellowship on a picture, perfect crisp evening.   It was great to see everyone.   Many wrote after the event to say it was great to have a once a year community event!!!   We plan to make this an annual SPIRIT event.

The Greater IBM Connection Kick Off in New York

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend the Greater IBM Connection kick off in New York. I was glad I attended.  As a former Communications intern in Somers, New York, I was eager to reconnect with some of my former colleagues. 

The event was well attended and featured entertainment by magicians and brief remarks from Dr. Paul M. Horn, who retired over the summer from leading IBM Research, Greater IBM Ambassador Ethan McCarty and others.  Horn joked that he was the only manager in IBM history to sport a ponytail and he vowed to keep it in retirement as he turned around to show the applauding audience.

The event was a great opportunity to network with both IBM alumni and current IBMers, although there were more alumni than active employees present.  Oh yea, there also was an open bar.  I was glad I attended and got to reconnect with IBMers both past and present.  I can't wait to see what programs await the Greater IBM Connection in 2008 and beyond.

-Ezra Rich

 

the greaterIBM connection

One of the many innovations Sam Palmisano has spearheaded at  IBM is the idea of reaching out to "alumni". The first initiative was a few years ago when he hosted a reception for a group of former executives of the company. A few were retired but most were in senior positions in other companies. That was just the beginning and now the idea of reaching out has been expanded -- big time. The number of past and present IBMers is probably close to a million people. Establishing communications with such a huge base can be nothing but a good thing for the company.

 

When I left engineering school and joined IBM in 1967, it was common to look for a job at a company and expect to stay there your entire career. Nobody thinks that way anymore. If you tell someone you were with a company for decades, they might ask "what's the matter, couldn't you find any other jobs?". Another change is that in the old days if someone left the company they were considered a traitor and barred from coming back. Today, there are many executives that left the company at some point, got some experience at one or more other companies, and then brought that experience back into IBM. Some have come and gone multiple times. The turnover has strengthened the company.

 

And now we have social networks. In the early stages there was a perception that social networking meant eleven year-old girls on MySpace. Now businesses are realizing that it is more likely forty or fifty year-old business people on Facebook and Xing and LinkedIn and Plaxo Pulse. The Internet has enabled everyone  to be connected to everyone. Whether it is reading blogs, posting to wikis, updating status on Facebook, or making new connections through viral invitations, it is clear that a big company like IBM has a lot to gain by "connecting" past, present, and  future  IBMers to each other and with the company. IBM calls it "the greaterIBM connection". On Monday evening the company hosted a greaterIBM reception at the Metrazur at Grand Central Station in New York. More than four hundred attended. It was good to reconnect with some colleagues I had not seen for quite a few years.

 

Will social networking payoff in business terms? Nobody knows for sure but in my opinion it is certain -- as soon as we see the New York Times run a front page story that social networking is a fad,  in trouble or peaking out we will have confirmation  that success is a sure thing. A short term inhibitor is that there are so many different social networks. As web standards evolve I am confident that we will have a world where people will create one profile and then be able to decide which part of their profile is accessible in which networks.

 

IBM sees the potential and is investing the time and resources to build a large and active network. The possibilities are endless -- collaboration on projects,   networking to hire or get hired, crafting deals, referrals to and from IBM and its business partners. As a bonus,  social  networking is fun and  good for morale. I look forward to continuing to be a  part of the greaterIBM connection as  it evolves. Upon e-tirement in 2001 after nearly four decades at IBM, I  don't really feel like I left anyway! The stories that I have been writing since 1998 over at the patrickWeb blog fall into a  number of categories. One section is devoted to "IBM Happenings". I am sure I will also be writing  and linking at the greaterIBM connection along with  others. Cross linking will increase the overall  "connectedness". That's what the web is all about. I am really proud  that IBM is taking networking and the blogosphere so seriously.

 

        the greaterIBM connection
Greater IBM Wiki

The Greater IBM Connection kick off in New York

Well, this might seem like tooting our own horn, but we had a pretty darn good party on Monday night in New York city.  We'll be posting some photos on line soon too, but in the meant time, check out John Patrick's post about the IBM alumni event. 

If I can be blunt, I'd like to get more alumni posting to this blog so it's not me talking about "my" program -- instead, it would be way cooler to have you (IBM alumni) talking about your program (and my team and I can just help things along.)

If you'd like to become a blogger here, let me or Debbe Kennedy know and we'll show you how.  First time blogger?  Don't sweat it -- it's no harder than sending an email.

-Ethan McCarty, IBM alumni relations program manager

Best Career Advice: What's Yours?

I’ve been thinking about Ruth’s message on "Career Maintenance"  for a week. It brought up an experience that influenced my career. I’m imagining many of you have your own tales to tell, too --- and I hope you will. Here is my story:

In a lifetime, there are a relatively few people that leave an enduring imprint, shaping your future so dramatically as to be considered for a "medal of honor" for best advice given. My choice is an IBM senior leader that I only personally met with one time. His name was Bookie.

I was a relatively new manager at IBM, just promoted to my first staff assignment in a regional marketing office. For reasons I can’t explain, Bookie called me into his office while I was visiting his location. “I want to pass along a little advice to you,” he offered unsolicited. He then shared his secrets to success:

“Jobs, missions, titles and organizations will come and go. Business is dynamic. It changes. Don’t focus your goals toward any of these. What you need to do is learn to master the skills that will allow you to work anywhere. There are four skills:

1. The ability to develop an idea.
2. The ability to effectively plan its implementation.
3. The ability to execute second-to-none.
4. The ability to achieve superior results time after time.

Seek jobs and opportunities with this in mind. Forget what others do. Work to be known for delivering excellence. It speaks for itself and it opens doors.”

Bookie’s words remain fresh in my mind. They were instrumental in shaping my direction, future and achievements. Over the years, I've passed them on to many others. He was right-on! I’ve always wished he knew how he influenced me. I keep wondering if he’ll show up at Greater IBM.

What is the “best-ever advice” someone gave you?

I hope you'll stop to share yours.

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and Leadership Solutions Companies
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco

Thank you, Greater IBM Connection! Goodbye, New York!

Since today is the last day of my internship here at The Greater IBM Connection in New York City, I want to use this blog entry to first of all thank all of the people who made my last four months here an unforgettable experience - Flor for giving me the opportunity of working here, the rest of the team for their great support and all those Greater IBMers out there for contributing a lot to this community.

 

In the last two weeks, the team was busy preparing The Greater IBM Connection’s Metropolitan New York City Area Kick-Off Party which is going to take place on November 12^th. Unfortunately, I myself am going to miss this huge alumni event at Grand Central Station, but I am sure it’s going to be great reception. For those alumni amongst you who live in the area, please check out: https://www.xing.com/app/events?op=detail;id=151848;from=home

 

Tomorrow I’m flying back home to Germany, where I’ll continue my studies at the university of cooperative education in Stuttgart - nevertheless, I will try to post here every now and then and stay in touch.

 

I’ll definitely miss New York City, its many great places and, most of all, the people. Well, it probably wasn’t my last visit to New York ;-)

Kind regards,
Mona Lisa