The Greater IBM Connection - on the blog side

RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL IN GREAT IDEAS

Recently, I was talking to long-time colleague, Dr. Alex Pattakos, founder of the Center for Meaning and author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts. We had a great chat about my experience of the Greater IBM Connection and the potential so many us see in this business and social networking IDEA. He immediately saw the possibilities for meaningful innovation by connecting all that IBM talent across the world.

Then he followed it up by saying, "You know, I have a connection to IBM, too!" He went on to tell me his story about how one of his creative ideas was showcased by IBM in a special program called INNOVATION IN ACADEMIC COMPUTING over 20 years ago. In the mini-podcast below, Alex shares his story of IBM recognizing the potential in his forwarding-thinking idea called the "Electronic Visiting Professor" that he brought to the University of Maine. Using IBM PCs, he was able to bring in faculty members from around the world into the rural campus in Orono, Maine, expanding the learning experience through technology. Alex also shares his perspective about the Greater IBM idea after hearing about it and visiting our blog and website.

My Talk with DR. ALEX PATTAKOS

download MP3

IBM's eye for recognizing the potential in a great idea isn't new. This is a quality I've learned to more fully appreciate as I've seen and experienced its reach over the years --- and it continues here at Greater IBM and in other initiatives. One of my personal favorites is the Global Innovation Outlook, where IBM is joining together with leaders from business, academia, and politics from around the world to create new opportunities for business and society.

Do you have a story to share from your own experience past or present?

debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
author, Putting Our Differences to Work (Berrett-Koehler June 2008)
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco

WHEN WOMEN GATHER

We did it! Last Friday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, Greater IBM women came together from around the world for our first Women's Leadership Gathering. It was an online dialogue event hosted by my company's Global Dialogue Center CONFERENCE CENTER. The theme for our first conversation was Leadership Lessons: Missteps, Miracles, and Milestones. Shara Sokol, Greater IBMer (1999-2004) from New York and president of s2 Creative Communications, joined me as co-host. We were also very blessed to have Nancy Margulies, who worked with us in the initial pilot (see "related article" below) and is well-know as "the godmother of graphic recording". She did live illustration to bring our dialogue to life. It wasn't just the two-hour conversation experience we shared together, there was a magic in the preparation in the days leading up to the event that counted too.

As women from around the world, including Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and from every region of the United States, made their way to the gathering, some were stepping up to put their fingerprints on our dialogue in meaningful ways long before the actual day. It started with three Greater IBM trailblazing women, who volunteered to serve as "conversation starters." Each of them found a unique way to share their thought-provoking messages.

Linda Griffin from Virginia started the dialogue by telling us, "I spent 30 wonderful years in my career with IBM. I loved my job!" She followed with her story of how she turned her experience into a leadership coaching career in 2006, as founder of ClearWind LLC. Her warm and generous sharing provided  "pearls of wisdom" for all of us to take home.

Orsoyla Selley, Greater IBMer from Hungary, wasn't able to be with us for the event. However, she gave me the honor of carrying a message from her to the meeting. This demonstrated how even when we can come to an event, we can still make a contribution by sharing ourselves.

Jane Scandurra, Greater IBMer from New York, and contributing author to the Greater IBM BLOG, wrote to say she wouldn't be able to attend as she was heading out on vacation --- but this didn't stop her from "being there" with us. You see, Jane Scandurra is owner of Go Pictures and Films, LLC with a new documentary film just launched, called "SINGLE". A few days before our Women's Leadership Gathering, a video arrived in my email from Jane. As I watched her clever message --- I was so touched at her efforts to support our first gathering. In the great tradition of IBMers, she "leaped over a few buildings" to deliver her brand of excellence as she talked with us via video at the event.

WHAT DID OTHER WOMEN HAVE TO SAY ?
Here is a small sampling of the words Greater IBM women chose to share about the experience before leaving the event...

-- "So refreshing to meet in a place where everyone had your best interest in mind."
-- "Gave me lots of food for thought when I really needed it!"
-- "Appreciate the experience so much. It was wonderful!"
-- "Invaluable. Please continue. Taking home some great pieces of wisdom."
-- "A suprise due to the original and fun format!!
I will promote this forum!!!
-- "Appreciate IBM offering us an opportunity to network with
IBM and IBM alumni women; we share a common link."

In one of my cherished books, I re-read this passage the week before our first Greater IBM Women's Leadership Gathering: "...miracles always will happen if you believe them to be possible." This was truly a small miracle for which I am so grateful to have been apart.

We recorded the event to share with other Greater IBM women. It will be available shortly for replay with visuals, video and audio too! Watch for an announcement on Greater IBM on Xing; I will post on our forum. Most of all, there will be more! This was just a first in a series. Our next event Greater IBM Women's Leadership Gathering will be announced shortly. It will have wonderful theme that emerged from ideas during our dialogue at the first event. You won't want to miss it!

Have joined the Great IBM Connection?
...our a business and social network for current and former IBMers

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
author, Putting Our Differences to Work (Berrett-Koehler June 2008)
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco

RELATED ARTICLE:
"Women's Jam --- just a beginning of online synergy"
Greater IBM Connections eMagazine
http://www.ibm.com/ibm/greateribm/connections/connections_article24.shtml

Discovering Meaning in YOUR WORK?

There is something special about discovering that your life’s work matters --- you love what you do --- there is real meaning in it. I had one of these moments this week. It arrived like a gift after weeks of long days and overload. I admit IBM trained me well for this kind of reality many years ago. As I recall, the learning came from a continuous practice of the “learn while doing” approach to “leaping over tall buildings” to reach some new level of service – performance – contribution – excellence. Although it was never talked about much, I’ve not met an IBMer that doesn’t instantly relate and know the exhilaration of having all the hard work pay off --- all the pieces falling perfectly into place --- that moment when the meaning of it all takes on a new significance.

Are you having flashbacks about your own experiences?

So how can we discover deeper MEANING in what we do every day?
Many years ago, one profound influence on my life that began to help me answer this question came from reading, Man’s Search for Meaning by the famed psychiatrist, philosopher, and holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl. Later in a management development class at IBM, Dr. Frankl’s messages were again highlighted by futurist Joel Barker’s recount in his now classic film, Power of Vision. I can still repeat the closing statement: “There is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future, because that’s what gives meaning to life [and our work]."

Perhaps, this question today, at this time of transition and turbulence in business and society, needs to be re-examined more than ever before. Dr. Alex Pattakos, a student of Viktor Frankl and author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl’s Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work, asks new questions for a new time: "Why do some people seem to have an easier time dealing with complex and challenging situations than others? Why do some people seem more capable of dealing with change than others?" Dr. Pattakos offers seven core principles. Below I’ve listed them and provided a brief summary, paraphrased from his book, highlighting what they have come to mean to me:

1. Exercise the freedom to choose your attitude.
Choose your attitude; it’s a freedom we all have.
2. Realize your will to meaning.
Commit to meaningful goals that you can actualize and fulfill.
3. Detect the meaning of life's moments.
Look for the meaning at any given moment.
4. Don't work against yourself.
Avoid becoming so obsessed with outcome; it can work against you.
5. Look at yourself from distance.
Keep a sense of humor as you look back at yourself and your actions.
6. Shift your focus of attention.
Learn to focus your attention away from a problem; see beyond it.
7. Extend beyond yourself.
Look at the bigger picture; the higher purpose of what you are doing.

Does MEANING have a connection to the Greater IBM Community?
As we come together at the Greater IBM Connection, transcending time, distance, and differences across the world, we have the opportunity to find a new level of meaning in this global community we are creating. It is hard not to envision the far-reaching possibilities that social media offer to us, as others, like Andy Piper, have written about on this blog. Imagine the power of all the unique ways we discover meaning in our work and our lives coming together. Imagine what we can do together. Imagine what we can learn from one another. Nice! So I ask you:

Whether you are a current or former IBMer...

What meaning have you discovered in your "work" however you define it?

What qualities in your life's "work" mean the most?

I look foward to hearing your perspective and striking up a conversation!

Debbe

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

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

Funny Memories at IBM

Every IBM office has its unique character --- and its own characters. My recollection is there were some pretty funny things that happened as we "leaped over tall buildings," pulled out all the stops to deliver, or just made it through a turbulent year. When I found this picture, I laughed right out loud, remembering one funny day, when a bunch of us put in the extra effort to respond to customers and laughed until we cried.

Where I worked, IBM was a well-known landmark in the midst of a bustling metropolitan business center. There were floors and floors of IBM. Our office had a H.U.G.E. bullpen. It was full of desks with phones ringing off the hook and salesmen with flying ties rushing in and out and IBM women with their arms full of technical manuals, day-timer calendars and a whole lot of navy blue. I'll let you guess the year.  LOL

We had a spirited receptionist who kept the whole crew on track. If anyone was looking for anything, she probably had it -- and if you asked for it too soon, she would let you know in a meaningful way --- "Look I have your proposal," she would say, "It is right here in my 'what-is-it folder' and when I figure out what-it-is, you'll get it back. Now, go sit down." She kept us all laughing.

One day, her switchboard went out early in the day. No one could come to fix it until the end of the day. So the only way to answer the phones was for her to run around to all the individual desks to take a message (imagine life before voicemail, email, cell, text messages, live chat...). We all tried to help, dashing here, then across the room, over a desk. She did have a creative flair for solving problems and was not afraid to make sure we did our part.

At lunch time, she went home and came back with three pairs of her kids shoe skates slung over her shoulder. Yes --- and three of us laced up those skates and flew from desk to desk to greet the IBM customers on the other end of the phone line.

How about you?

Have a funny story to tell? 

Click here to share a comment or tell your story.

Have you signed up for the Greater IBM Connection?

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

A New Year: 20,000 Moments a DAY

Moving into a new year always seems to start with reflection on "where has all the time gone?" ...it also calls us to look to the future and ask how we will spend our time? What contributions will we make? How will we make our positive mark?

In a powerful little book, How Full is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies for Work and Life,* we are reminded how important all the moments in our lives and work can be --- each one with the capability to have an enduring influence. Whether we look at ourselves from the view of being a leader, a co-worker, a friend, a parent, a spouse or partner, a citizen --- or a Greater IBMer, our words and actions can influence someone else's moments and experience, as well as our own:

"According to Nobel Prize-winning scientist Daniel Kahneman, we experience approximately 20,000 individual moments in a waking day. Each "moment" lasts a few seconds. If you consider any strong memory --- positive or negative --- you'll notice that the imagery in your mind is actually defined by your recollection of a precise point in time. Rarely does a neutral encounter stay in your mind --- memorable moments are almost always positive or negative. In some cases, a single encounter can change your life forever."

With the rapid growth of our Greater IBM Connection community around the world, I got thinking and imagining what we could do together with just a small fraction of the 7.3 MILLION waking moments we each have ahead of us this year. There is a rumbling ... a movement started here that has many fingerprints on it from every region as we've worked together to build the foundation for The Greater IBM Connection. This year? I think we will amaze ourselves ...and the world.

So, here is a question for YOU...

How do you think The Greater IBM Connection can and will put its mark on 2008 as a business and social network? What possibilities do you see?

Have you signed up?

On a personal note, being reminded about my own 20,000 moments each day will make me more conscious about how important each one is. How about YOU?

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

* How Full is Your Bucket?:
Positive Strategies for Work and Life
by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D.

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

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

Symphony office suite is free! That's music to my ears

Free is always nice - especially so when it offers something a lot of us have been wanting (namely, an alternative to dependence on the nearly ubiquitous MS Office suite of programs). That's just what IBM offered with a full-featured, Web 2.0 capable, suite of products dubbed "Symphony" -  IBM Lotus tools for creating and sharing documents, spreadsheets and presentations on Windows and Linux desktops.

And, did I mention that there is no charge for these tools?

Three core applications make up the Lotus Symphony tools: Lotus Symphony Documents, Lotus Symphony Spreadsheets and Lotus Symphony Presentations. Worried about compatibility? Lotus Symphony supports multiple file formats including Microsoft Office and Open Document Format, and also can output content in PDF format.

Why not take a look? You'll find the applications and instructions for getting a (free) copy for yourself at http://www.ibm.com/software/lotus/symphony

Take a look at what BusinessWeek Magazine had to say at http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/sep2007/id20070926_263070.htm

What's your reaction to products like this? Will you be giving it a try? Have you tried it? Would you recommend it for other Greater IBMers?

- Post submitted by Larry Phipps, a Greater IBMer and editor, The Greater IBM Connection

Want to help write history for the Smithsonian?

Greater IBMers interested in American history can take a virtual stroll into the halls of the yet-to-be-built National Museum of African American History and Culture, the 19th and newest member of the Smithsonian Institution.

While the physical museum won't open it's doors on the National Mall in Washington, DC, to the public until 2015, IBM has worked with the Smithsonian to create a virtual presence on the Web prior to the construction.

And members of the general public are invited to collaborate with scholars by adding to the "Memory Book" collection, which will contain family histories, photos, memoirs, and audio recordings. You'll find the Memory Book on the IBM-built home page at http://nmaahc.si.edu/

This is a Web 2.0 social networking project, and you can navigate an on-line map that shows how these diverse memories are linked to each other and to content created by the museum to spotlight people, places, issues and moments in African American history. You help build the map by "tagging" or highlighting key words about your contributions. As museum-goers search through historical events or memories, the navigational map will redraw itself to focus on related associations, creating a visual representation of the way events and people in history are interconnected.

In addition to exploring and/or contributing to the new virtual museum, you can find out more about IBM's contribution by reading IBM's press release at http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/22379.wss

Among other things, you'll find that the National Museum of African American History and Culture is the first museum website to venture this far into the capabilities of Web 2.0 social computing technology. The site is based on cutting-edge, open source programming frameworks such as Ruby on Rails for collaborative website development. The site runs on IBM System X web and database servers. 

Submitted by Larry Phipps, editor, The Greater IBM Connection