PEER III

So we are on PEER III now. This one is based in Great Bend Kansas. This Peer thing is getting a bit easier. There is lots of things we can replicate and not have to start new. This time I am going to try a little something different. Mark is going to participate in the meeting with the goal of facilitating the next group. We have interest in Peer IV and V so I am sure the groups will get going soon.

It is amazing how much time it takes to communicate with these groups, setting up the facilities and just getting organized. The reward of seeing people realize that they have the same struggles in IT and life is reward enough. Then to see them help each other become "Stronger better faster and smarter to quote Kanya West" is great!

I have had several folks ask what the direction of the groups will ultimately be. To be honest I am still developing this. We will see. I do foresee getting all the groups together once a year for a great learning opportunity, to leverage the power of the groups to get presentations that would not usually come to Western Kansas and who knows, maybe we will take this statewide? I cannot think of anything that would help IT directors more than their own community.

Are you allowing people to help you?

It seems lately that I have had some opportunities to help others. Nothing big, just little things. However most of these people cannot seem to get their minds around the fact that someone would simply want to help them. They want to know your motive. When I tell them it is to help them it only makes them more worried about the motive. It is too bad that our society has made people that paranoid about help.

I suppose there has to be a balance between making sure you have your guard up against people wanting to take advantage of you and allowing people to help.

Next time you have some one extend their hand to help. Give them a chance to help?

The weather.

I recently seem to be speaking to quite a few people from California. Mostly from LA. Besides that I could be that weather guy, I don't think I could handle the weather. 75 and sunny. EVERY DAY? I have to have some variety. More specific, I would miss the rain, thunder and snow.

Everyone from the Midwest jokes that if you don't like the weather, wait an hour. At least it changes...

Interpretation...Think about it.

The way people interpret your actions can be as important or more important than what you actually do. An example of sitting on a decision. Some may interpret that you are not acting because it is not important to you. Another interpretation may be that it is really important to you! Your past interaction may guide this interpretation.

This is why email is so difficult. There is no emotion and can have many different interpretations that you never thought it would.

In fact, many of you reading this may interpret this about you? It's not.

Spend the extra time on the email clarifying your purpose, spend a little time setting expectations in person. Don't leave it up for interpretation. If anything, when you are hoping that someone gets your point, they won't. Someone else who you are not trying to get the point will interpret it for them...

365 Posts

So I have published a post for each day of the year.

What have I learned about blogging since?

1. More people than I thought actually read it.
2. Family and friends use this to get a better understanding of me.
3. Business people use it to get a better understanding of the IT business.
4. I have learned and passed on many sales tactics
5. I have enjoyed this more than I thought

To many more posts to come.

Doing a little R&R

I enjoyed water sports when I was in college and after. Now I get to pass them on to Caden..

A compliment from Aaron

Mr Booker the owner of Hardlines...

"I have deeply enjoyed watching you mature as a leader during our HTG3 time together. I was talking to Matt last week and he said (correctly) that from a business perspective I’d miss your amazing ideas"

Thanks for that.