I am always preaching to keep your on line profile up to day. From Linked IN to Facebook and all others. Yet I recently went and visited my Linked IN profile and realized I have so undersold myself! In a very short while I spent some time updating some of the publications I had been featured in and posting some of the events I participate in and it looks much better! If you get a chance take a look at the updated profile!
Look at profile HERE!
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Not going to watch commercials
I just discovered that Jenifer won't even start watching a show that is being recorded if there is a chance that we could catch up to it live and have to watch commercials. Yep, that time has come that live TV is out. (ok maybe only sports)
Monday, October 10, 2016
The Go Giver
Really is what Social Media advertising is all about. Give value and you will receive value. I guess I knew that, just didn't put that all together until I hear a presentation from Frank Kenny
He did a great job tying giving to value.
He did a great job tying giving to value.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
I made it back to to USA
Well after about 24 hours of travel I made it back to the US. A bit tired, since I was up at 10:30 central on Friday night and pulled into the driveway at about 12:30 central Saturday. As I reflect on this trip I think back to where it all started when Laurie ask if I would take this as a favor to HTG, really a favor? It was a huge opportunity for me to expand (Well everything). I didn't have to think much about this, it met a lot of the yep you have to do it things;
1. Scary? Yep, long plane ride, the unknown of a foreign land. Check
2. Opportunity to grow? In so many ways. If nothing else traveling with Hardin I would learn so much (And did) Check.
3. Grow my network? Met so many new characters. From Ireland, London everything in between and all the way out to Sweden. I have connected as recently as today!
4. An opportunity to give? Definitely was that. I had the opportunity to share what I enjoy.
5. Family? In a strange way yes. My boys really enjoyed seeing through my eyes the new landscape. I hope I have shown them to take opportunities and would challenge them to travel in the future.
So much fun, so much learning and what a great way to see new opportunities.
1. Scary? Yep, long plane ride, the unknown of a foreign land. Check
2. Opportunity to grow? In so many ways. If nothing else traveling with Hardin I would learn so much (And did) Check.
3. Grow my network? Met so many new characters. From Ireland, London everything in between and all the way out to Sweden. I have connected as recently as today!
4. An opportunity to give? Definitely was that. I had the opportunity to share what I enjoy.
5. Family? In a strange way yes. My boys really enjoyed seeing through my eyes the new landscape. I hope I have shown them to take opportunities and would challenge them to travel in the future.
So much fun, so much learning and what a great way to see new opportunities.
Friday, February 26, 2016
What I have learned in the UK (General things they do better!)
I have started to see some things that the UK does better than the US! I wasn't expecting to see so many things. So here is my list;
1. Master power switch in motel room. You hit one switch and all things in the room go off (Lights and outlets)
2. Elevators (Lifts) 0 is always ground floor. -1 is below that and so on. Versus in the US we have lobby, conference levels and such. The UK version is so much more consistent.
3. Meals are much more healthy and smaller portions. So much less fried food and sugary drinks.
4. Taxi's have a certification program.
5. Apprentice program - great idea
6. Government recognizes certain titles as authorized where as in the US we make up titles and you never know!
7. Public transportation is really good.
8. Chip and Pin. Their credit cards have an embedded chip and you have a pin that you have to enter to allow charges which significantly reduces fraud. Why do we not have this? (I am tired of telling people I have no pin)
9. Tipping is significantly less and they pay wait staff fair wage.
10. When you are done eating you have to request a bill. (It is considered rude to bring before the ask) then they bring a wireless device to the table and process in front of you.
11. Environmental impact. Everything it seems is built around efficiency. We definitely could do better.
12. Everyone has been very polite. No maybe due to my accent it is obvious I am not from here, however I believe that being more polite is built into the language.
13. Every space is fully utilized. Shops and such are great at maximizing space (Probably due to the cost of that space)
Just a short list. I have had an outstanding time in the UK and learned so much both in culture and in business.
1. Master power switch in motel room. You hit one switch and all things in the room go off (Lights and outlets)
2. Elevators (Lifts) 0 is always ground floor. -1 is below that and so on. Versus in the US we have lobby, conference levels and such. The UK version is so much more consistent.
3. Meals are much more healthy and smaller portions. So much less fried food and sugary drinks.
4. Taxi's have a certification program.
5. Apprentice program - great idea
6. Government recognizes certain titles as authorized where as in the US we make up titles and you never know!
7. Public transportation is really good.
8. Chip and Pin. Their credit cards have an embedded chip and you have a pin that you have to enter to allow charges which significantly reduces fraud. Why do we not have this? (I am tired of telling people I have no pin)
9. Tipping is significantly less and they pay wait staff fair wage.
10. When you are done eating you have to request a bill. (It is considered rude to bring before the ask) then they bring a wireless device to the table and process in front of you.
11. Environmental impact. Everything it seems is built around efficiency. We definitely could do better.
12. Everyone has been very polite. No maybe due to my accent it is obvious I am not from here, however I believe that being more polite is built into the language.
13. Every space is fully utilized. Shops and such are great at maximizing space (Probably due to the cost of that space)
Just a short list. I have had an outstanding time in the UK and learned so much both in culture and in business.
Don’t talk about your pants!
Oh the lessons I have learned this week in language differences. I learned during my presentation yesterday that “Pants” in the UK are what I would refer to underwear. So if you say “I had a stain on my pants” it means something a bit difference. What is the correct language? I had a stain on my trousers. Well that entertained the entire crowd.
As for the presentation it went very well. While educating on Sales and Marketing I managed to share some of the differences from Kansas to the UK. They were definitely interested in Kansas weather. From snow to heat and especially tornado’s.
Doing a whole day of content was a new thing for me. Sure I have managed to work events that provided content all day however I was not responsible for the content all day. Here is what I learned that went well;
• Having 10 different PPT that were topic oriented with an intro deck that set the agenda and value.
• Humor was well received
• The room was very conducive for interaction back and forth.
• Content was solid.
And then the things that I would have done different;
• Too much content. Should have slowed down and cut the last two sections.
• More interaction and posing questions to the crowd.
• Better ending where you end with a bang.
Over all I believe lots of value was delivered, we all had fun and the event was successful!
As for the presentation it went very well. While educating on Sales and Marketing I managed to share some of the differences from Kansas to the UK. They were definitely interested in Kansas weather. From snow to heat and especially tornado’s.
Doing a whole day of content was a new thing for me. Sure I have managed to work events that provided content all day however I was not responsible for the content all day. Here is what I learned that went well;
• Having 10 different PPT that were topic oriented with an intro deck that set the agenda and value.
• Humor was well received
• The room was very conducive for interaction back and forth.
• Content was solid.
And then the things that I would have done different;
• Too much content. Should have slowed down and cut the last two sections.
• More interaction and posing questions to the crowd.
• Better ending where you end with a bang.
Over all I believe lots of value was delivered, we all had fun and the event was successful!
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Business in the UK Versus Business in US
Good news is that business is very similar in both area's. It amazes me how everyone struggles with the same things. When it comes to HTG the ability for Executives to present their QBR (Quarterly Business Review) in a concise manor and on time can be a struggle. To me this is a very important skill. If you cannot concisely communicate about your business to other executives that are in the same business line then how can you communicate to your team on vision and direction?
I have been here long enough that I don't really notice the accent any longer. In fact for whatever reason I had a dream last night that a guy with an Irish accent would not let me golf on the course? No clue on that one. I can now identify location in the UK by accent! Think about the US and the difference between someone in the South versus North and so on. The interesting thing is the fact that in the US there is thousands of miles between these accents. In the UK everything is a bit closer.
The issues that are consistent in the IT business (And probably most businesses)
1. People (Finding, training and holding accountable)
2. Process. (Keeping, updating and using)
3. Communication (Vision and direction)
4. Sales and Marketing (Which goes directly to process)
I am sure that there are so many more. This is just what came to the top this week.
I have been here long enough that I don't really notice the accent any longer. In fact for whatever reason I had a dream last night that a guy with an Irish accent would not let me golf on the course? No clue on that one. I can now identify location in the UK by accent! Think about the US and the difference between someone in the South versus North and so on. The interesting thing is the fact that in the US there is thousands of miles between these accents. In the UK everything is a bit closer.
The issues that are consistent in the IT business (And probably most businesses)
1. People (Finding, training and holding accountable)
2. Process. (Keeping, updating and using)
3. Communication (Vision and direction)
4. Sales and Marketing (Which goes directly to process)
I am sure that there are so many more. This is just what came to the top this week.
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