The Greater IBM Connection Blog

Quick Screencast Overview of the SmarterCities Scan

A quick screencast overview of the Smarter Cities Scan project, created with the excellent new service/tool Screenr.

YOUR GREAT IDEAS: How are they doing?

If we traced the path of GREAT IDEAS in the finest of organizations, we would probably all be astounded at the rate at which NEW THINKING is unintentionally squelched, squashed, smashed, stifled, smothered, misunderstood, ridiculed or just ignored.

Ever had this experience?
Ever felt like this woman looks?

This is what I wrote in an article a few years back. Around the same time, I was invited to speak at an ONLINE leadership forum with a focus on How to Get Buy-In for New Ideas. Over 550 leaders and innovators showed up to explore this topic, representing twenty countries. They came from major companies from every industry, as well as entrepreneurs, government, military, education, health care, and community organizations. I discovered the group was a cross section of CEOs and senior leaders, managers of every type, as well as educators, business owners, ministers, and consultants. Imagine all this diverse talent coming together, peer to peer, meeting on common ground, because they were brimming with NEW IDEAS to bring to their respective organizations. Following the online session, I conducted some follow-on dialogues. Three key themes were identified as BIG BARRIERS standing the the way of introducing the participants' NEW IDEAS:

• Culture isn’t open to new ideas. Resistance to change. There is a lack of interest in change and innovation. Everyone sees the need; no one wants to take the risk. New approaches aren’t welcomed.
• Gender, race, and age still play a role in acceptance of new ideas in our organization. If you think differently or ask too many questions, it leads to losing the respect of senior leaders.
• Senior leaders/managers take ideas and present them as their own. The focus from our leaders is on execution of strategy; they’ve forgotten people are leading it for them. It would be great if they showed more interest in what people have to say.

This begs a question...
What are the chances that you or other leaders in your organization might be leaving similar impressions about sharing NEW IDEAS? No one would purposely want to have members of their teams or constituents thinking this way. But perception is everything and this kind of breakdown in communication isn't uncommon. It erodes trust and impacts all organizations ability to put differences to work to generate new thinking, creativity, and INNOVATION. At this time in our history, we can't afford it. Too much is at stake.

A CONTINUING SAGA
What is alarming is that this reality doesn't seem to change --- at least in the perception of many of those with the GREAT IDEAS. I remember these same barriers coming up now and then throughout my career too. Last week, I partnered up with futurist and filmmaker Joel Barker to teach a professional development class on this topic. It focused on examining resistance to change, providing detailed guidelines, examples, and a step-by-step process that demonstrates how to get ideas accepted. Interestingly, we again discovered a similar result in a poll we took. A new issue did surface --- 23% identified "information overload -- breaking through the noise as a major barrier. However, a whopping 84% brought up issues similar to those noted above as standing in their way of introducing and seeding NEW IDEAS in their organizations.

Even before my time at IBM circa 1969, Thomas J. Watson, Jr., wrote in one of his well-known Management Briefings: "There's an old saying that when you talk --- you teach, when you listen --- you learn. There are a lot of ideas worth listening to in this company. Let's be sure we're paying attention --- we are never so rich in ideas that we can afford not to..."  It should be noted that this quote was preceded by him sharing a personal leadership story where he hadn't listened to an employee's idea to solve a critical business problem. "...Because I was frustrated and tired, I gave [the employee] a short interview and a non-sympathetic rebuff. ...Later that evening, I began to worry about the area which he had pointed out, and by morning, I realized that at least constructive and appropriate attention to his idea was the minimum he should expect from me." Hmmm...Big leadership at work!

What about YOU?

For those of you who never have this kind of experience...
What best practice can you share to help others who do?

I look forward to listening your points of view...

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing author
Greater IBM Connection Blog
Co-Founder, GIBM Women's
International Network for
Leadership (GIBM WIN-L)

Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership, and High Performance
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco
Twitter:@debbekennedy   @onlinedialogues

LEADERSHIP and DIVERSITY Gathering

We continue to prove the value of the Greater IBM Connection each time we find a way to gather across the world. Last week, we did it again!

Over 490 IBMers past and present from 28 countries signed up to meet each other ONLINE at an appointed time and place to participate in a conversation with IBM Vice President of Diversity & Workforce Programs, Ron Glover. Our purpose in meeting was to explore the topic of LEADERSHIP and DIVERSITY in a CHANGING ECONOMY.

GETTING ACQUAINTED
We started the dialogue by first learning a little about who showed up. This seemed to create a sense we were connected in the distance. We had a chance to plot ourselves on a world map, shared why we were drawn to be there in a POLL, and got a glimpse of how we had described our unique roles in life and work. When each of us registered for the event, we also were asked to identify one DISTINGUISHING QUALITY we had as leaders or innovators. We shared the list with everyone. It had hundreds of unique expressions--- a little peer-to-peer sharing across cultures and twenty-eight countries. Nice!

CONVERSATION WITH RON GLOVER
Ron Glover spent the first hour with us and generously offered his stories and insights. We had received hundreds of questions from participants at registration. Our Greater IBM WIN-L Co-Founders, Cécile Demailly (France), Shara Sokol (New York), and Jane Scandurra (New York), joined me to field the questions submitted. The questions covered four key themes: Ron's LEADERSHIP JOURNEY, his thoughts on BEING A LEADER, the status of DIVERSITY at IBM in this changing economy, and Ron's SEND-OFF for us. We hung out together for another thirty minutes or so to discuss questions, reflect on what we learned, and share stories and perspectives. 

As a Greater IBMer, I admit I was honored to have the opportunity to welcome IBMers past and present to our Global Dialogue Center ONLINE Conference Center and experience the power of connecting in still another way. As someone reflected on the event: "This was a one of a kind opportunity to connect with IBMERS from so many parts of the world and with so many views." 

RECORDED HIGHLIGHTS, HANDOUTS, RELATED LINKS:
We captured the highlights of this global Greater IBM gathering at the Global Dialogue Center.
We invite you to share in the experience too...
Go here for RECORDED HIGHTLIGHTS:
http://globaldialoguecenter.com/events/gibm-june2009.shtml 

It meant a lot to me be involved in this event. It was a special gathering that emerged through the Greater IBM Women's Network for Leadership (GIBM WIN-L) from other online experiences we created together. It was produced in partnership with the Greater IBM Connection team. Together --- Ron Glover, everyone who shared in this gathering, and our global team --- we created a moment in time that would not have been possible at one time...a memorable one!

From the reflective writings of those attending...

"It's very nice to have the opportunity to share ideas among all levels. It's not very common in other companies to have this kind of opportunity."

"...it is nice to see so many locations working to make the world and IBM a better place."

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection Blog
Co-Founder, GIBM Women's
International Network for
Leadership(GIBM WIN-L)

Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
Video Book Review by futurist Joel A. Barker 
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco
www.globaldialoguecenter.com

BusinessWeek: The Family Doctor: A Remedy for Health-Care Costs?

How making primary-care physicians the center of America's health-care system could drive down costs

Interesting story in BW that includes some discussion around IBM's patient centered medical home model. Here's an excerpt:

This medical home may sound like the "gatekeeper" model of the 1990s, a managed-care creation that was all about holding down costs. But advocates say the new concept is designed to help patients, not insurers. It's more like doctoring 1950s-style, when a Marcus Welby figure handled all the family's medical needs. This time it's juiced up with digital technology.

It also represents a politically painless way to streamline a disorganized and wasteful system that chews up a crippling 18% of the U.S. gross domestic product. That burden is felt particularly by private industry, which covers 60% of the nation's insured. Since most businesses try to ferret out waste and disorganization in their own operations, the medical home is a concept they can embrace in good conscience.

One of the biggest advocates is IBM (IBM), which shelled out $1.3 billion last year on health benefits for its U.S. employees and retirees, equal to one month of the company's net income. Dr. Paul H. Grundy, 57, who holds the unusual title of director of health-care transformation for IBM, is a medical-home evangelist who led the company to start the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, a coalition of some 500 large employers, insurers, consumer groups, and doctors. Part of his goal, he says, is to show that "employers can drive the medical-home idea as buyers of care."

Jack Mason, Strategic Programs & Social Media
IBM Global Business Services
http://smarterplanet.tumblr.com

What happens when GIBM LEADERS and INNOVATORS gather ONLINE?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOIN US AND FIND OUT!
On Thursday, JUNE 18, IBMers past and present will be gathering from regions around the world to explore the topic of LEADERSHIP and DIVERSITY in a CHANGING ECONOMY. The first hour will include a personal, up-close conversation with Ron Glover, IBM Vice President of Diversity & Workforce Programs. We've been inviting GIBMers to offer questions as they've registered, so we are able to weave key themes into our dialogue with Ron to explore issues that are real and relevant to all of us.

WHO's JOINING US? 
So far, we know it's going to be a remarkable, diverse group of innovators and leaders from across the world --- GIBMers and current IBMers that have registered from many different business vantage points, describing themselves in roles such as...

business analyst - communications manager - consultant -contract administrator - customer service - director -entrepreneur - program manager -  executive assistant - sales executive - manager - web production lead - HR manager - IT analyst - IT architect - IT professional - IT specialist - Internet manager - project manager - president - founder - co-founder - owner - principal - global web production lead - program director - program manager - organizational change consultant - HR professional - IBM retiree - senior support manager - assistant vice president - senior support representative - marketing communications consultant - and other interesting roles...

What we have learned from Greater IBM ONLINE Events is that it is our DIFFERENCES that make for an interesting conversation --- and every time, we affirm that "something special" we all seem to have in common --- a little of BIG BLUE in the DNA that always seems to come out in the process.

THE INSPIRATION for GATHERING:
It came from Sam Palmisano's bold vision of "A SMARTER PLANET: The Next Leadership Agenda" which he shared in his address to the Council on Foreign Relations in NYC. "...a period of discontinuity is, for those with courage and vision, a period of opportunity." He defined current realities for leaders and innovators, painting a vivid picture of a SMARTER PLANET. We plan to explore what we all need to do to be one of those leaders that will "change the game."

This special ONLINE EVENT is sponsored by the Greater IBM Women's International Network for Leadership(GIBM WIN-L) for IBMers past and present in partnership with the Greater IBM Connection team. As a Greater IBMer myself, I'm honored to be participating and to be partnering to host the event at our Global Dialogue Center.

Hope you can be with us!  Learn more here 

REGISTER HERE:  http://tinyurl.com/GIBMJUNE18Registration
Allow a few seconds for the URL to open.

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection Blog
Co-Founder, GIBM Women's
International Network for
Leadership(GIBM WIN-L)

Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Cos.
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
Video Book Review by futurist Joel A. Barker 
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco
www.globaldialoguecenter.com

Analytics Innovators: txteagle, Mobile Metrix and Pachube

As IBM is building its new Business Analytics & Optimization consulting group, we wanted to highlight or showcase some examples of small companies, startups and organizations who are breaking exciting ground on this frontier: turning mobile phones in Africa into connected work tools (txteagle), building the open infrastructure for an "Internet of Things" that can help instrument the planet (Pachube, pronounced "Patch Bay") or starting to measure and count the billions of virtually invisible people in the developing world that have no official records (Mobile Metrix.)

Jack Mason, Strategic Programs & Social Media
IBM Global Business Services
http://smarterplanet.tumblr.com

Small Change Leads to BIG CHANGE

After another disappointing week of streaming news about bailouts and leadership decisions flashed in front of us that are painful symptoms of so much that MUST change, I was moved by the corresponding good news headline:

IBM Selects 200 New Global Leaders for the Corporate Service Corps to Tackle Socioeconomic Problems in Key Emerging Markets

The story reads: "Two hundred of IBM's future leaders from nearly 40 countries will participate for international assignments to emerging markets in 2009 as part of the company's Corporate Service Corps program, part of the Global Citizen's Portfolio initiative announced by CEO Sam Palmisano."

What made this good news so meaningful was the slideshow story told by Charlie Ung, 8-year IBMer from Canada about his four week experience traveling to Accra in Ghana, West Africa. It says more than any words I could write:

http://www.ibm.com/ibm/responsibility/ghana_presentation.html

What I've always loved about IBM remains the same.
They do stuff. They inspire us to do it too. They are on it. Not perfect perhaps, but like everything else, in its cracks, new LIGHT emerges always moving to something higher. Sam Palmisano made sure of it when he put his fingerprint on the future with IBM's commitment November 6, 2008 in a speech describing THE SMARTER PLANET.

The Greater IBM Connection?...
It felt good today to be reminded by the GOOD NEWS above. Another plus was finding out about it on Twitter from GIBMer Jasmin Tragas, IBM Australia (Wonderwebby) It is still another example of the goodness that comes from our Greater IBM Connections across the world. Jasmin reminded us all today in one of her tweets, "Give, give, give. Without take. Learn how Jasmin is setting the example in her own words and in a creative visual exhibitat the Women's Gallery at the Global Dialogue Center --- changing lives for women in the Philippines. Then you are invited to GIVE, GIVE, GIVE. Like Charlie Ung told us in his story from Ghana...

...Maybe that's the key:
small change that leads to big change."  

Tell us what small changes you are leading. Spread the good news!

Best...
Debbe  

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection Blog
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Cos.
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
Video Book Review by futurist Joel A. Barker 
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco
www.globaldialoguecenter.com


ONLINE EVENT: You're Invited!
MARCH 31 
"INNOVATING in HARD TIMES"
...a global conversation with futurist and filmmaker Joel A. Barker
1:00 pm ET - 2:30 pm ET (10:00 am PT - 11:30 PT)
No fees. Registration required. Login/audio sent via email.
We expect it to be widely attended based on registration.
Hope you can join us!
INVITATION and REGISTRATION:
http://tinyurl.com/MAR31joelbarkerDIALOGUE

Contributing to the Success of Others

There is a new call for leadership and service all around the world. Eleanor Roosevelt reminded us...

"Our own success, to be real, must contribute to the success of others." 

Recently, Jasmin Tragas, author of Wonderwebby and Managing Consultant with IBM Human Capital Management in Australia, brought this wisdom to life in an innovative and deeply meaningful way. I wanted to share this unique Greater IBM story...

When you put your heart and talent into a project, wonderful things can happen. Jasmin proved this. In an invitation to women, she promised, “By writing a single sentence"for her special Wonderwebby project, we could contribute to empowering other women, make a difference, and speak out against poverty. “You can change the lives of a group of women in the Philippines,” she explained. ...and twenty-six women showed up to share their insights.

“The reason I am asking you, Jasmin wrote, "is because I believe you are a woman with an entrepreneurial spirit. Along the way, you made an investment. It may have been words you spoke, a course you undertook, a gift you gave, a smile, a risk or an adventure. Perhaps another woman made an investment in you."

 

Jasmin turned the insights from the twenty-six women into a beautiful slideshow with stories and wisdom to share with the world. It was one of the most inventive, mutualistic fund raising ideas I've seen. It is a win, win, win. Our Greater IBM connection across the world, offered an opportunity for Jasmin and I to team up, share our resources and showcase Jasmin's project in a special way.

The online WOMEN's GALLERYat the Global Dialogue Center, which I founded in 2003, is honored to share this special self-learning exhibit, WOMEN's INVESTMENT: A tribute to the Entrepreneurial Spirit. The exhibit features the slideshow Jasmin created with beautiful photographs by Amy Palko (lessordinary.org.uk) that tell mini-stories from twenty-six women around the world taken from their personal experience of WOMEN's INVESTMENT. Jasmin also tells the story of the project in a personal audio message.

THREE WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SPECIAL EXHIBIT:

1. Visit the exhibit and take insights of twenty-six women.
   Click through the visual exhibit.
2. Tell your story or share your insight;
   Leave a comment at the bottom of this post.
3. Make a donation...a small contribution empower another woman

Greater IBM Side-Story:
Jasmin and I have never physically met. I live in San Francisco and she is in Australia as I mentioned. We met one another through Greater IBM and have supported one another's events, projects, and contributions. This special story serves as an example of what we can do by putting our differences, experiences, and resources together to create a better world.

Have you joined Greater IBM? Do it NOW...

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Cos.
author, Putting Our Differences to Work 
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
www.puttingourdifferencestowork.com
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco 

The Power of Expressing GRATITUDE

I've thought so much about Greater IBM's Global Holiday Party at Second Life. It  wasn't just an ordinary party by any means and its rippling influence continues to live on in the hearts 
and minds of those who experienced it. We've been talking about it...

The setting was nothing less than a winter wonderland that reflected the hundreds --- perhaps even thousands of fingerprints; mind-boggling brilliance and innovation; mounds of thoughtfulness and care ... and of course, IBM execution second-to-none. The party was also a testament for how far we've come as a Greater IBM community in being able to share such  experiences across cultures and the world.

We seemed friendlier. More of us, found a way to be there in avatar or on the phone.
We were bolder. It wasn't so scary to say hello or volunteer to take a picture of a group.
We're getting polished at VIRTUAL. We saw a whole new level of virtual spirit.
We were more connected. You could feel the JOY we felt to see so many friends honored.

 

Passing the Test of Time and Technology
All my thinking affirmed again a trait of IBM's that is forever burned into my consciousness: We 
are all well-taught about the power that comes from saying THANKS! After I left IBM, I realized many  times that this is not an attribute of every company. Certainly, not today. It is something special.

Fast forward nearly two decades...and the Greater IBM's Global Holiday Party at Second Life was another shining example in a totally different virtual dimension. The party was not only a celebration, but our Greater IBM  leadership and the whole Greater IBM team invested, significantly, in making this event A BIG THANK YOU to our growing community from the moment we arrived. Beyond all I've mentioned already, there was a  treasure hunt with gifts, holiday drinks, huge chocolate chip cookies, and a turkey with all the  trimmings. 

We all gathered for a "recognition and award" ceremony, complete with custom-made "Greater IBM medallions"  for each award recipient --- with plenty of time for clapping, jumping up and down, and  dancing for JOY over the acknowledgment of the global winners in categories like...Greater IBM  Relaters, Greater IBM Community Builders, Greater IBM Evangelists, Spirit of Greater IBM Awards. 

GIBM Awards - Meet the Greater IBMers who drove community growth in 2008
Read about all the award winners in GIBM online article

Each presentation was so thoughtful and specific to the person, helping us all remember so many  contributions that have made it possible for us to be together as a Greater IBM Community across time, difference, and distance. I admit it, I was so  deeply touched to be honored in such a personalized way as one of the "Spirit of Greater IBM" award recipients. I couldn't  believe it. I won't forget it --- especially, imagining that technology was able to teleport me to a place where I got all choked up looking at desktop in San Francisco. :-)

Essential Ingredients of GRATITUDE
In the book, Thanks! by Robert Emmons, he points out two stages of gratitude that can easily be applied to the Great IBM Global Holiday Party at Second Life and all our contributions as we work to put our differences to work to help create a better world than we know today.

1. acknowledging the goodness in what has been achieved, and
2. recognizing the source of this goodness has come from the talents of many.

Emmons also helps us helps us understand what the essential components are to expressing gratitude in a meaningful way, using the French expression “je suis reconnaissant,” looking closely at the translation in three parts: “(1) ‘I recognize’ (intellectually), (2) ‘I acknowledge’ (willingly), and (3) ‘I appreciate’ (emotionally). Only when all three come together is gratitude complete.”

On December 18, 2008 at the Greater IBM at Second Life, all three essential components of GRATITUDE came together. It was complete!

Have you joined Greater IBM?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Cos.
author, Putting Our Differences to Work 
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
www.puttingourdifferencestowork.com
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco 

SMARTER: The Next Great Opportunity

I see it clearly. Vision. Courage. Always thinking an idea ahead. This was one of the first lessons I learned at IBM many years ago. It was taught to us, refined, honed, renewed, revitalized and called upon through periods of change, big and small --- a second-nature for an IBMer. This is how I recall it. Do you?

As the current economic crisis began to unfold in October 2008, I wrote about this quality of "thinking an idea ahead" in a blog post, ECONOMY: The Next Great Opportunity-WHAT TO DO, telling the story of being introduced to the concept at "new employee orientation" at IBM. I told how this quality saved my business some years back and shared "what you can do" ideas. What I remember most about the story that has inspired me all these years was that thinking an idea ahead prepares you to be ready for that next great opportunity.

Last week, Sam Palmisano, IBM's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, took this deeply rooted quality of thinking an idea ahead to a whole new level for the twenty-first century, when he invited all of us and the entire world, into a new bold vision of "A SMARTER PLANET: The Next Leadership Agenda" in his address to the Council on Foreign Relations in NYC on November 6. "...a period of discontinuity is, for those with courage and vision, a period of opportunity."

He defined current realities for leaders: "Our political leaders aren't the only ones who've been handed a mandate for change. Leaders of businesses and institutions everywhere confront a unique opportunity to transform the way the world works."

He painted a vivid picture of a SMARTER PLANET: One that instrumented, interconnected and intelligent with abundantly available, low cost technology solving our most pressing problems around the world. The inspiring examples prove that the time for change has truly come!

He called for new leadership qualities: "There is much serious work ahead of us, as leaders and as citizens," he told us. "Together, we have to consciously infuse intelligence into our decision-making and management systems...not just infuse our processes with more speed and capacity. ...I believe  we will see new leaders emerge who win not by surviving the storm, but by changing the game."

As I wrote in my book, Putting Our Differences to Work: The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership, and High Performance, the word leader has a Germanic origin meaning to "find a new path. There is a constant stream of achievements rising up from individuals and organizations across the world finding the new paths we need. Our part is recognizing that we have to fundamentally change the way each one of us think, behave, and operate as leaders and innovators to reap the benefits of the globally integrated, interconnected world. The next great opportunity is ours to own.

Are you ready?
I am. I want to be one of those leaders. I want to one who helps change the game, don't you?

Ignite your passions, watch these SMARTER PLANET videos on YouTube:
http://uk.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D5BD36BC10A92B15

Proudly BLUE,

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies

author, Putting Our Differences to Work 
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
www.puttingourdifferencestowork.com
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco