The Greater IBM Connection - on the blog side

How to wiki

We had a little phone-Sametime-web-meeting call today about how to wiki -- a follow on to our well-attended "How to blog" call we did a few weeks back.  Not surprisingly, I was impressed by the caliber of the attendees and the questions and examples they offered.  We were a pretty decent sized group -- about 20 of us on the phone and in the Sametime web conference.  Harry Brand had smart questions to ask about how to manage a discussion within a wiki -- or if a wiki is even the right tool to use for a discussion and Lou Thompson shared an example of how Boy Scouts in his community earned their Merit Badge by writing a nice entry in Wikipedia for their town.

I'm hoping that we'll continue to hold these calls -- I'd be interested to hear what you'd like to do a call on -- chances are that if there's a topic of general interest, we can find an expert from the Greater IBM community to help us learn more about it.

At the HEART of EXCELLENCE

I know that this is not the place to discuss politics, so I WON'T :-)

However, one truth that has come up for me in watching the political process here in the United States is worth mentioning, because I learned its lesson at IBM.

From the time of hire, it was instilled in me that disparaging one's competition wasn't aligned with our values of excellence at IBM --- and that selling based on the merits of the excellent products, services, and the brand that you offer is a differentiator that is hard to beat.

Over the years, especially since I founded my own business (now 17 years ago), I've learned that at the heart of EXCELLENCE ---this long-held value and standard of conduct has proved its worth.

When you meet a competitor at the intersection of your differences, there is something that feels good inside to have built capability, know-how, and conviction in living up to the promise of IBM values at work. It still remains with me. In reflection, I see that striving to be one of the best --- living up to the highest standards of excellence in all you deliver --- speaks for itself.

I found a quote from Thomas J. Watson, Jr. written in 1968 that was passed down to me as a new IBM manager. He was talking about not disparaging other people, products, or services.

“We always will depend for our success upon the excellence of our own products, our own services, our own people. That’s basic.”  --- Thomas J. Watson, Jr.  circa 1968

Related blog on Excellence

What's at the heart of EXCELLENCE in your work and life?
What lessons have your learned?

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

   

When many despaired ...

I had a reminder Sunday night that the game’s not over till the last buzzer sounds.

The reminder came in Chapel Hill, NC, where my wife and I joined friends in the famed Dean Dome at the University of North Carolina to see the 3^rd ranked Tar Heels take on the Tigers of Clemson (we try to see at least one basketball game a year).

I think we expected North Carolina to make easy work of the Tigers, a team they'd beaten 52 times in Chapel Hill. Instead, North Carolina scored only 34 points and trailed by 11 at the half, was down by as much as 15 points in the second half – and was playing like it should have been down even more.

Since this isn’t a sports report, let me get to the punch line: North Carolina pulled out a 10 point win after two exhausting (probably for the team, definitely for me) overtimes. And I’m not even a real Tar Heel fan; just love basketball. The final score was 103-93, by the way.

On the traffic-clogged ride back from the game, I thought of another team that trailed the field and was, by all accounts reeling and about to be swallowed up by the competition.

It was early 1993, and IBM had just posted what the New York Times reported as the biggest loss in American corporate history – almost $5 billion for all of 1992. And the reported cited analysts “expect that IBM’s profit margins will continue to suffer.” Stock was selling at about $48 a share.

Pretty bleak, but it turns out the company was getting ready to go into extra periods.

This year, IBM reported 2007 revenues of $98.8 billion after a “terrific” fourth quarter and full year with record revenue, profit and cash. IBM’s stock price as last Friday? $103.27.

Just another reminder, it ain’t over till the last buzzer sounds – whether that buzzer is in a basketball arena or the stock market.

Over the years, IBM’s been through many ups and downs. Greater IBMers have lived those moments.

What’s the biggest business turnaround you remember at IBM?

We’d love to hear from you.

I’m Larry Phipps, a Greater IBMer.

Why network? A social software triptych

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Greater IBM "All About Blogging" event. I actually found out about it almost by accident... I hadn't been monitoring my Xing mail closely enough to spot the invitation, but when I arrived in the office that morning I saw a Twitter'ed comment from one of the speakers, Mark Cathcart, so I hurriedly looked up the details and joined the web conference.

One of the discussions that came up during the event was around why people blog, and how participating in social networks can enrich your personal connections. During the conversation, I shared a story about how I'd used my own connections through different media to join up an IBM colleague with "a friend from the cloud" in person.

I've been using various social networks for several years. About 18 months ago I was playing with a service called Plazes and randomly connected with someone in Michigan - I don't recall the exact reason why. Since then Heidi has been following my blog and I've been reading hers. We’re in very different spheres, both professionally and geographically, but it is one of those connections that I’m glad I’ve been able to make.

The week before the Greater IBM event, Heidi had contacted me asking for assistance with identifying possible areas of research into social software. I've been involved in a lot of research studies inside and outside IBM over the past couple of years so I was delighted to help. In fact, I fired a list of names and blog URLs at her, mostly of IBMers who I thought she'd find interesting - thought leaders like Jasmin Tragas, Luis Suarez and Sacha Chua.

Talking further, it turned out that Heidi was due to be travelling to Toronto merely days later, and I knew Sacha is based there. With a couple of instant messages, emails and twitters, I was able to help them to meet up in person.

Why did I subtitle this post "A social software triptych"? Well, all three of us involved have written about the experience from our own perspectives. Maybe you'll find the stories interesting and inspiring, however small the connection may seem.

Heidi Hansen
It's All Serendipitous Spontaneity

Sacha Chua
Taking it Offline

Andy Piper
Social bridgebuilding is about real world connections

I'll round this off by re-quoting from my own account of the story:

I’ve no idea whether Heidi will buy IBM software in the future as a result of knowing me (actually, I’m pretty certain she won’t, but who knows where the world will take her!). The point is that I’m enriching my own network by knowing her, and by knowing Sacha, and tapping into their skills and expertise; and of course my own network and knowledge is completely open to either of them. I don’t know what dollar value to place on that; but I know that to me, the personal connections and friendships I build using these social tools are invaluable.

Need help blogging, or building new networks through the range of online tools available? There are a whole bunch of us ready to help you to get started.

--

Andy Piper, IBM Software Services - a Greater IBM Core Connector

31 Days and Counting… How About You?

Today is February 1^st  and I am very happy to say that, for the first time ever, I have been able to stick to my new year’s resolutions through the entire month of January. In fact, I pat myself on the back just now. Quite an accomplishment for me, as I normally don’t make it past the first week.

So, what’s different this year? How come I’ve been able to stick with it for a whopping 31 days so far?  I think it’s because I took a new approach. It’s so simple, something we all know already, that it’s almost silly to write about it. But I'll share it anyway because it's a good reminder.

It comes down to this: “99% is a b*tch, 100% is a breeze.”

I read that phrase over the holidays in Jack Canfield’s book “The Success Principles.”  Jack writes:

“Successful people adhere to the “no exceptions rule” when it comes to their daily disciplines. Once you make a 100% commitment to something, there are no exceptions. It’s a done deal. Non-negotiable. Case closed! Over and out. If I make a 100% commitment to monogamy, that’s it. I never have to think about it again. There are no exceptions no matter what the circumstances. It ends the discussion, closes that door, permits no other possibility. I don’t have to wrestle with that decision every day. It’s already been made. The die has been cast. All the bridges are burned. It makes life easier and simpler and it keeps me on focus. It frees up tons of energy that would otherwise be spent internally debating the topic over and over and over, because all the energy I expend on internal conflict is unavailable to use for creating other achievement.”

Duh!  What a concept.  So simple.  So true.  And 100% effective.

There is a huge difference between interest and commitment.  When you’re interested in doing something, you tend to do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses.  So, I call this year’s resolutions my “No Exceptions / No Excuses” list. And (miraculously), they’re sticking.

Most people also make resolutions that are too big, too overwhelming, or too unpleasant to tackle and that’s why they don’t stick. So this year, I made my resolutions more “bite size” in nature – because even small victories are better than no victories at all. Small steps towards positive change can hopefully become habitual.

Here are a few of mine, these just happen to be health-related. They're not exciting or even enjoyable, but I know they’ll deliver long term benefits for me.

• I will drink at least 2 liters of water every day. (I highly recommend this one)
• I will eat breakfast every day and it must include protein. (coffee only has been my daily ritual for a long time. ok, maybe a cookie too sometimes. yeah, I know...real healthy)
• My kitchen officially “closes” every night at 7:30pm – that means no big meals or even snacking after that time (I stole that one from Oprah)

One week into the new year, I met a friend for cocktails after work. I told her about my new resolution approach. She was intrigued by my enthusiasm and resolve. So I challenged her to join me and make a daily commitment for herself - just one. On the spot, she came up with three!  I noticed the bartender eavesdropping on our conversation (don't they all?), so I challenged him too. And he was happy to commit as well (wait a minute.... a guy happy to make a commitment to a woman??  what?!  ahh, i digress -- that's another blog for another day). I toasted them both with a 16 oz glass of water to make sure I met my quota for the day and wished them luck.

So, here it is Feb 1. And guess what? Both my friend and the bartender have made it through the first month too! Of course, they could be lying to me, but I don’t think so. Because both of them said they had actually passed that challenge on to others in the following days of seeing me. Talk about making a “greater connection!”

So, how about all of you out there? Are you sticking to those New Year’s resolutions? 

It’s never too late to start (or start again), so I’ll challenge you all right now. Pick 1 or 2 “bite size” things that you will commit to do on a daily basis – 100%, with no excuses, no exceptions. Write them down and check them off before bed each night. And don't go to bed until you can check them all off as completed! I promise you, once you make that decision, you’ll be amazed at how easy and freeing it really is.  And I assure you the daily victories will be energizing.

btw, one of my other resolutions was to get more involved with the Greater IBM Connection effort. And I'm sticking to that as well.  Care to join me in that one?

Interesting coincidence, as a final note: Yesterday, as I was drafting this blog entry, a friend of mine who knew nothing about my resolution thing, emailed me a link to a video clip of her CEO’s tv appearance on NBC’s Today Show just a few hours earlier. She works for First 30 Days, a new and very cool web site designed to help people get through the first 30 days of various life transitions, as those initial days are the toughest. Guess what her CEO spoke about on national tv with Al Roker? Yep, that's right: How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions beyond the first month. Pretty cool - what synchronicity! I love when that happens. Watch her interview here for more help on keeping your resolutions.

Good luck!! J

-------------------

Jane Scandurra

IBM'er: 1995 - 2006

Living up to its name - emphasizing the "I" in IBM

Sometimes, I admit to becoming a bit jaded. Put it down to my years as a reporter. Or, maybe, from being close to so many “revolutions” in industry and technology. I’ve seen (and helped create) my share of marketing slogans, themes, slug lines, ad lines, brochures and campaigns. Whatever the reason, I always look at “claims” with a critical eye. Usually, sad to report, that critical eye finds that most claims fail to live up to the boast.

Maybe that’s why IBM’s recent earnings report [see http://greateribm.typepad.com/web_log/2008/01/ibm-posted-grea.html] captured my attention the way it did.

Oh, it’s great that the company chalked up record earnings. IBM’s hit a few earnings milestones before. Worthy of applause (and a call to my broker), but normally I’d make note of the day and move on.

But something about this announcement stopped my multi-tasking fingers in their place.

Then I saw the Steve Hamm’s January 17th BusinessWeek article, “International Isn’t Just IBM’s First Name.”  The deck on that article zeroed in on my interest: “Big Blue has built a global network for client services and in the past three years has hired 90,000 people in low-cost countries.”

Just a couple of weeks earlier, IBM had announced it would invest $1.6 billion on new marketing and sales programs in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East – all part of a long-term strategy to expand marketing focus in fast-growing, developing markets. And in the past three years, the company has hired some 90,000 people in countries like Brazil, China, and India. [more on this story at http://www.ibm.com/ibm/greateribm/connections_article7.shtml ]

Hamm said of that investment: “the company is reorganizing around the principle that it will perform work for customers where the jobs can be done – tapping the right talent at the right price.”

And that's not the only investment that's paying off. IBM continues to be top gun in gaining patents – a pretty fair report card on the value of a $6 billion R&D investment.

And where our own R&D doesn’t cover the waterfront, the company’s been far from shy about investing in the bright ideas coming from others. IBM’s acquired more than 60 companies since early 2003 – and those acquisitions have added to the bottom line while opening opportunities in fast-growth business areas.

Put it all together and it sure looks to me as though IBM’s doing a pretty good job of converting strategy into reality.  The results make a pretty good argument for regarding the company as a model for the globally integrated enterprise. Sure doesn’t look much like the “multinational” company I worked for. Remember when the organization chart for every country looked alike? Vertical departments and functions duplicated country by country were the norm.  The new, horizontally integrated model may be challenging – but it’s obviously turning out profits.

We saw those profits reported in the earnings statement. (You can hear what Mark Loughridge, IBM senior VP and chief financial officer, had to say at http://www.ibm.com/investor/4q07/index.phtml )

If you took advantage of IBM’s stock purchase program while at IBM, you probably like the way things are working out. It didn’t escape me that while the worldwide stock market was going through gyrations and many large enterprises were struggling to report good news, IBM’s global operations were going strong. Maybe I’m not as jaded as I thought.

The BusinessWeek article quoted Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a professor at Harvard Business School, this way: “IBM is making real some new ideas about what it means to be global that were just a lot of talk before.”

Global opportunity. That sounds good to me. Now, where did I put that passport …

Now I have some questions for you:

• What do you think about IBM’s global business strategy?
• Is it working the way you think it should?
• What are some of the challenges you see ahead?

The floor is yours. Please comment.

Submitted by Larry Phipps, a Greater IBMer since 2007