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		<title>Management Tools – Time and Problem Management Simplified</title>
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		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1502/management-tools-time-and-problem-management-simplified/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:02:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Problem Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1502</guid>
		<description>If you are an active manager, always on the go or away from your desk I have an invaluable tool to help you with time and problem management. A pen and a pocket list. It is a very simplified “Getting Things Done” system, and very useful for active managers.
The concept is simple. Take a [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/pen_paper_icon.jpg" rel="lightbox[1502]"><img style="border-width: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline;" title="pen_paper_icon" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/pen_paper_icon_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="pen_paper_icon" width="100" height="100" align="right" /></a> If you are an active manager, always on the go or away from your desk I have an invaluable tool to help you with time and problem management. A pen and a pocket list. It is a very simplified “Getting Things Done” system, and very useful for active managers.</p>
<p>The concept is simple. Take a standard sheet of paper, fold it once and then again into a nice neat square. You will end up with four easy to access squares to write on. If needed you can expand the paper for a total of eight squares. On the top of an outfacing square write down the date for later reference when you file it. Now you have a cheap, disposable pocket list.</p>
<blockquote><p>You may have a portfolio or notebook you carry to meetings, but odds are there are many times during the day when you do not have these items with you. If you carry a pocket list and a pen you will be able to write down problems and to-do items throughout the day, anywhere you go.</p></blockquote>
<p>Some people use small moleskin or other types of notebooks for this. They fit right in your back pocket and do have an advantage over a pocket list in that you can carry many days worth of notes. If you prefer these you can use the same system. I just prefer a less bulky simple piece of folded paper for each day.</p>
<h4>How to Use a Pocket List</h4>
<p>First thing in the morning after you have a handle on the day on one side of the paper write down any tasks you must or want to get done during the day. Then take the paper and stick it in your back pocket. Throughout the day go back to your list and mark off items as you complete them.</p>
<p><span id="more-1502"></span></p>
<p>As the day goes by you will find you need to add more tasks to the list. Don’t worry about writing down more than you can do in one day. <strong>The list is a reminder system as much as it is a to-do list.</strong> You meet with someone and they ask you to look into something, write it down. An employee comes to you with an issue you need to follow-up on later, write it down. Someone gives you their phone number, write it down.</p>
<p>I use one side for a to-do list and one side for a reminder list. The to-do list are my tasks I started with in the morning. To this I may add “send e-mail to…., call this person…”. The reminder list is usually comprised of problems that need to be addressed. The other folds are useful for jotting down information in impromptu meetings or encounters where you may not have your portfolio or notepad.</p>
<p>Another good use for the pocket list is a brain dump. While at lunch you have this great idea. Rather than use a paper napkin just pull out your pocket list and write away. If you are like me you routinely need to write something down. With your pocket list you always have it with you and everything is written down in one place.</p>
<h4>End of Day Pocket List Dump</h4>
<p>At the end of the day pull out your pocket list and review it. You now need to take all of this information you have collected throughout the day and process it.</p>
<ul>
<li>Take care of any e-mail reminders</li>
<li>Take care of any phone calls or make a call list for the next day</li>
<li>Update your contacts if you wrote down any phone numbers or other contact information</li>
<li>Add any new meetings and to-do items to your main calendar</li>
<li>Add any pocket list tasks to be done at a later date to your pocket list calendar</li>
<li>Transfer any detailed notes you need to document to your portfolio or notebook</li>
<li>Create a new pocket list for tomorrow and transfer any remaining to-do items to it. The next day you will already have a start on your to-do list.</li>
<li>For anything you do not transfer, but still want to retain use a highlighter on it.</li>
</ul>
<p>After you are done processing your pocket list at the end of the day, toss it in a box or a folder. Or put them in order using a binder clip and keep them on your desk. You can go back and reference it throughout the week. At the end of the week you can go through the lists again, pull any information you want to keep and toss the used list in the paper recycle bin.</p>
<p>You don’t have to wait until the end of the day though. When you get back to your office review your list and knock out anything you have time for or that is a priority.</p>
<h4>Merge Your Pocket List With a Calendar and Note Software</h4>
<p>One way to maximize the use of a pocket list is to sync relevant parts of it with a calendar. I have a separate calendar in Outlook just for these items. Items on my pocket list that need to be taken care of later I add to the calendar with a reminder. Each morning when I am creating my pocket list I look at this calendar to see if there is anything that I need to add to that days list.</p>
<p>If you don’t have time to deal with an issue that day just drag it to the next day. Need to delegate a task to someone else? Outlook can do that too. Between your pocket list calendar, your regular calendar and your to-do list in Outlook all of your reminders and tasks are in one place.</p>
<p>If you have note keeping software such as Microsoft OneNote or EverNote you can transfer those great ideas or other notes to remember. Start a new page for that date and transfer anything you want to keep to your note keeping software.</p>
<h4>Alternatives</h4>
<p>There are several other alternatives for your hip pocket that many people swear by. They do have an advantage of organization and being able to carry days worth of notes with you. I have tried them, but found them to be too bulky compared to a simple piece of folded paper.</p>
<ul>
<li><a title="Hipster PDA" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-pda" target="_blank">Hipster PDA</a> &#8211; The Hipster PDA is a paper-based personal organizer, popularized by San Francisco writer Merlin Mann. It is merely a collection of index cards with a binder clip. The index cards can be different colors for different uses or tabbed.</li>
<li><a title="The “Original” Pocket List" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2007/11/diy-wednesdays-pocket-full-o-lists.html" target="_blank">The “Original” Pocket List</a> – Booklets carried in a heavy bond paper holder.</li>
<li><a title="Mini Moleskine" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Mini-Moleskine/" target="_blank">Mini Moleskine</a> – Moleskine notebooks are very popular. This is an example of cutting them down to a size suitable for a hip pocket. Still large for me and you can find them now made to this size.</li>
<li>Mini Marble Notebook – Look around in your favorite office supply store and you will find these mini marble notebooks.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Simple and Effective</h4>
<p>You may not be one of the <a title="Getting Things Done" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0142000280/?tag=itman-20" target="_blank">Getting Things Done</a> types of people, but a pocket list is dead simple to use. No complicated system, just jot down your tasks in the morning, mark them off as you do them, add to the pocket list anything you want to remember and process it at the end of the day. A simple but effective time and problem management tool for busy managers.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/185/to-do-lists-getting-started/" title="To-Do Lists &#8211; Getting Started (May 18, 2008)">To-Do Lists &#8211; Getting Started</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/835/xobni-adds-third-party-content-to-microsoft-outlook-add-on/" title="XOBNI Adds Third Party Content to Microsoft Outlook Add-on (December 19, 2008)">XOBNI Adds Third Party Content to Microsoft Outlook Add-on</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1081/top-ten-personal-productivity-and-gtd-web-sites/" title="Top Ten Personal Productivity and GTD Web Sites (March 7, 2009)">Top Ten Personal Productivity and GTD Web Sites</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/129/tech-junkies-getting-things-done-gtd-on-npr/" title="Tech Junkies Getting Things Done (GTD) On NPR (April 30, 2008)">Tech Junkies Getting Things Done (GTD) On NPR</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1265/survey-finds-workplace-technology-etiquette-blurred-between-generations/" title="Survey Finds Workplace Technology Etiquette Blurred Between Generations (April 16, 2009)">Survey Finds Workplace Technology Etiquette Blurred Between Generations</a></li>
</ul>


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		<item>
		<title>Management Tool – Employee Performance Log (PLog) System</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/KzXTtI_YyP4/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1498/management-tool-employee-performance-log-plog-system/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:02:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Resources]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1498</guid>
		<description>There are many times when a manager needs to recall facts and information about an employee. During performance reviews and dealing with disciplinary issues top the list. As a manager one tool I have found to be very useful for this task is keeping an employee performance log (PLog) for each of my reports.
An [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/penpaper150x150.jpg" rel="lightbox[1498]"><img style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; display: inline;" title="pen-paper150x150" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/penpaper150x150_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="pen-paper150x150" width="154" height="154" align="right" /></a> There are many times when a manager needs to recall facts and information about an employee. During performance reviews and dealing with disciplinary issues top the list. As a manager one tool I have found to be very useful for this task is keeping an employee performance log (PLog) for each of my reports.</p>
<p>An employee performance log is a written record of performance issues, kudos and any other noteworthy incidents you want to have documentation of, or that you want a written record of. It is date and incident type oriented so it is easy to go back and reference for a specific period of time or for a particular type of issue.</p>
<h4>Why You Should Keep a Performance Log</h4>
<p>A performance log is a <strong>memory tool for managers</strong>. For example you sit down to write a performance review for John. You can remember John went above and beyond on a project 10 months ago, but you do not remember all of the details.</p>
<p>You need to start progressive discipline on John for his attendance. You know this issue started several months ago and you talked with him about it on a couple of occasions, but you do not remember specific dates or the all of the conversations.</p>
<blockquote><p>A PLog system solves these problems. With a PLog system the very day John did a good job you jot it down in his PLog with all of the details. You can also record each day John has an attendance issue including dates, times and the details of any conversations or meetings you had with him.</p></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>You can not and should not rely on your memory for such important issues.</li>
<li>Documentation of incidents for use in disciplinary actions. Human Resources LOVES documentation if you need to begin progressive discipline or move for dismissal.</li>
<li>For disciplinary actions you have an accurate log with dates and details.</li>
<li>For performance reviews a PLog is an invaluable source of the good and the bad.</li>
<li>More than one person can make entries in a PLog. Both a manager and a supervisor should have access to Plogs and add updates.</li>
</ul>
<p><span id="more-1498"></span></p>
<h4>What to Record in a Performance Log</h4>
<p>You should record anything noteworthy, the good and the bad. Be detailed and accurate in recording each incident.</p>
<ul>
<li>Job performance issues</li>
<li>Attendance issues</li>
<li>Kudos – good work done</li>
<li>Record of meetings and conversations of note</li>
<li>Focus on their behavior, performance, conduct and productivity</li>
<li>Record the date, time, places, people, events and numbers. Be accurate and as detailed as needed.</li>
<li>Record when goals and expectations are set and anytime discussions are held to follow-up on them. This includes recording performance reviews.</li>
<li>“Today I observed John…”, “Today John completed his task seven days early”, “Today I spoke with John about…., I said….. He said…..”</li>
</ul>
<h4>What NOT to Record in a Performance Log</h4>
<p>A performance log is about the employee, not your opinion of the employee. While it is intended as a memory tool for managers, it could be used in meetings with Human Resources or even in legal proceedings.</p>
<ul>
<li>Do not put your opinion or editorial comments in the PLog</li>
<li>Do not used any language that could be derogatory or discriminatory in a PLog</li>
<li>Do not enter personal information about the employee. Stick to only work related incidents.</li>
<li>Do not put anything in a PLog you would not want someone else to read</li>
</ul>
<h4>Employee Performance Log Example</h4>
<p>Since an employee performance log is a manager’s memory tool it can be in any format you wish. The format I find the most useful is as follows.</p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PLogJohnSmith.jpg" rel="lightbox[1498]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="PLog-JohnSmith" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PLogJohnSmith_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="PLog-JohnSmith" width="550" height="206" /></a></p>
<p>The employee name and title are in the header section so they carry over with each page. To add another entry block press &lt;Enter&gt; under the last entry block to keep a blank line between blocks. Copy and paste an existing block and clear the data or keep a blank entry block in the PLog at all times.</p>
<h4>Consistency is the Key</h4>
<p>Once you start a PLog system for employees you should keep one for all employees, not just the ones you have issues with. Remember to include the good things they do, not just the bad. You must be consistent with your recording of incidents and in the way you handle them.</p>
<p>A PLog will only be as good as the data you record. When incidents occur you should go and record them right away while they are fresh in your memory. I think over time you will find a PLog system to be an invaluable tool.</p>
<p>Here is an example PLog in Microsoft Word format. <a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/PLog-Template.doc">Download PLog Template</a>.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/519/tough-times-call-for-strong-leadership/" title="Tough Times Call For Strong Leadership (September 30, 2008)">Tough Times Call For Strong Leadership</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1488/the-gemba-walk-a-tool-it-management-and-leadership/" title="The Gemba Walk &ndash; A Tool IT Management and Leadership (June 29, 2009)">The Gemba Walk &ndash; A Tool IT Management and Leadership</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1078/one-company-one-team-how-to-deal-with-%e2%80%9cit%e2%80%99s-not-my-problem%e2%80%9d/" title="One Company, One Team &#8211; How To Deal With “It’s Not My Problem” (February 24, 2009)">One Company, One Team &#8211; How To Deal With “It’s Not My Problem”</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1262/new-study-shows-many-companies-falling-short-on-succession-management/" title="New Study Shows Many Companies Falling Short on Succession Management (April 15, 2009)">New Study Shows Many Companies Falling Short on Succession Management</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/828/netuitive-dominates-it-performance-analytics-market-in-2008/" title="Netuitive Dominates IT Performance Analytics Market in 2008 (December 18, 2008)">Netuitive Dominates IT Performance Analytics Market in 2008</a></li>
</ul>


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		<item>
		<title>Dealing With Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/y6rOF3u1K8k/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1493/dealing-with-harassment-and-discrimination-in-the-workplace/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:02:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Resources]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1493</guid>
		<description>Anywhere people work together conflict is inevitable. As a manager you must work to promote healthy associate relationships and deal with conflict in a constructive manner. Harassment in the workplace is a serious issue every manager should educate themselves on. Sooner or later you will deal with it.
Sometimes what starts as poking fun or seemingly [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Anywhere people work together conflict is inevitable. As a manager you must work to promote healthy associate relationships and deal with conflict in a constructive manner. Harassment in the workplace is a serious issue every manager should educate themselves on. Sooner or later you will deal with it.</p>
<p>Sometimes what starts as poking fun or seemingly innocent banter between associates can grow into a conflict. Words are exchanged, perhaps provocations occur. Now as a manager you are faced with dealing with harassment in the workplace.</p>
<p><strong>What is Harassment?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/bullying.jpg" rel="lightbox[1493]"><img style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline;" title="bullying" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/bullying_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="bullying" width="100" height="100" align="right" /></a>So what constitutes harassment? Harassment is any improper conduct by an individual, that is directed at and offensive to another person or persons in the workplace, and that the individual knew or ought reasonably to have known would cause offence or harm. It comprises any objectionable act, comment or display that demeans, belittles, or causes personal humiliation or embarrassment, and any act of intimidation or threat.</p>
<p><strong>Harassment Examples</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Serious or repeated rude, degrading, or offensive remarks such as teasing about a person&#8217;s physical characteristics or appearance, put-downs or insults.</li>
<li>Displaying sexist, racist or other offensive pictures, posters, or sending e-mails containing such material.</li>
<li>Repeatedly singling out an employee for meaningless or dirty jobs that are not part of their normal duties.</li>
<li>Threats, intimidation or retaliation against an employee, including one who has expressed concerns about perceived unethical or illegal workplace behaviors.</li>
<li>Unwelcome social invitations, with sexual overtones or flirting, with a subordinate.</li>
<li>Unwelcome sexual advances.</li>
<p><span id="more-1493"></span></ul>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Sexual_Harassment.jpg" rel="lightbox[1493]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sexual_Harassment" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Sexual_Harassment_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="Sexual_Harassment" width="150" height="134" align="right" /></a>Often the person being harassed does not say anything. They may laugh at a joke or act as if what is said or done does not bother them, when in fact it does. Over time the toll this takes on an associate builds. They may begin performing poorly at their job. They may start calling in sick or being late for work. In their mind the workplace has become something they dread or want to avoid.</p>
<p>In this manner you may think you are dealing with a performance issue, when in fact the root cause is the associate feels they are being harassed. As with any performance issue you should sit down in private and discuss the issue. As part of any performance issue you should throw out the question if they have an issues with their co-workers.</p>
<p><strong>Proactive Harassment Prevention</strong></p>
<p>The best approach to preventing harassment in the workplace is to be proactive. Don&#8217;t wait until an incident occurs. Make sure all associates are well aware of company policies and federal laws. Many associates may not realize what they are doing can be considered harassment.</p>
<p>When you hear about or notice behavior that could be seen as harassment hold a meeting with all associates. Do not single out an instance or a person, but merely read relevant parts of your harassment policy. This act alone will usually stop such behavior. Associates will know you are aware and that you take such behavior seriously.</p>
<p>When an off-color or disparaging remark is made by an associate address it by telling them that is not appropriate in the workplace. If it continues have a private discussion with the associate about the harassment policy and let them know you have zero tolerance for such behavior.</p>
<blockquote><p>The root of harassment is a lack of respect. One of the best ways to promote respect among associates is to set a good example and promote professionalism. While you may not be able to change the views or opinions of others, you can demand that they be kept out of the workplace.</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>What to Do When Harassment Occurs</strong></p>
<p>Never ignore a complaint about harassment. You could be held liable for not taking prompt action. Don’t think the problem will just go away. Harassment must be dealt with immediately to protect yourself, the company and the workplace environment.</p>
<ul>
<li>When someone comes to you with a complaint about harassment take the time right then to sit down with them and discuss the issue in private.</li>
<li>Never address or speak with an associate about any claims of harassment in public. Take them to a private place where nobody can be seen or heard. If you have a supervisor or another manager you may want them to attend. A witness to a harassment discussion may be useful if down the road if what is discussed is disputed.</li>
<li>Do not try and lead the discussion. Let the associate give a complete narrative of what happened and do not interrupt them.</li>
<li>Take notes on everything the associate says, do not rely on your memory. Do not editorialize or otherwise add your own comments in the notes. They can become legal documents.</li>
<li>When the associate is done look over your notes and look for holes in the details you need to fill in. Be careful in your questioning. You only want to ask questions that will fully document the incident. Thank them for coming to you and let them know the issue will be addressed. Tell them should any further harassment occur they should come to you immediately.</li>
<li><strong>If your company has a human resources department you should consult with them right away.</strong> They are the experts in the field and you should always take advantage of their expertise when dealing with harassment issues.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1498/management-tool-employee-performance-log-plog-system/" title="Management Tool &ndash; Employee Performance Log (PLog) System (July 8, 2009)">Management Tool &ndash; Employee Performance Log (PLog) System</a></li>
</ul>


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		<item>
		<title>The Gemba Walk – A Tool IT Management and Leadership</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/QkzUCrViLYA/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1488/the-gemba-walk-a-tool-it-management-and-leadership/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kaizen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Six Sigma]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1488</guid>
		<description>A management technique known as “The Gemba Walk” is about getting managers and leadership out of their offices and into the workplace. An Information Technology department by nature is in a constant state of change. For this reason a Gemba walk is a good way for IT managers and leaders to stay in touch with [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A management technique known as “<strong>The Gemba Walk</strong>” is about getting managers and leadership out of their offices and into the workplace. An Information Technology department by nature is in a constant state of change. For this reason a Gemba walk is a good way for IT managers and leaders to stay in touch with everything that goes on in the workplace.</p>
<p>The idea behind the post “<a title="The Keys to Successful IT Service Management – ITPS" href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1372/the-keys-to-successful-it-service-management-itps/" target="_blank">The Keys to Successful IT Service Management – ITPS</a>” is that people run IT departments. A Gemba walk is a technique that can help you deal with the problems that arise every day and be more effective at managing the people who solve them.</p>
<h4>The Gemba Walk</h4>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/walk.jpg" rel="lightbox[1488]"><img style="border: 0pt none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; display: inline;" title="gemba walk" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/walk_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="walk" width="111" height="111" align="right" /></a> My introduction to the Gemba walk came from the book Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense Low-Cost Approach to Management? by Masaaki Imai. In it he wrote “The worst thing a manager can do is live in a world isolated from gemba”.</p>
<p>Gemba (genba) is a Japanese word that means “the real place”. In management terms Gemba is the workplace, the place where value is added and the work of the business is done. While it may be where you work, Gemba is not your desk. <strong>Gemba is where the people who run an IT department work.</strong></p>
<blockquote><p>In the post “<a title="Why Management Should Go to Gemba" href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/245/why-management-should-go-to-gemba/" target="_blank">Why Management Should Go to Gemba</a>” I wrote “If you seek solutions to problems that need to be fixed, go to Gemba. If you want to see the work behind the reports, go to Gemba. If you want to show leadership, go to Gemba. Go to where the work is performed and observe and engage with those who do it.”</p></blockquote>
<p>I do a Gemba walk several times a day to help me stay on top of what is going on. By walking through the department, talking with people, observing the work and the workplace I am aware of everything that is going on at that time.</p>
<p><span id="more-1488"></span></p>
<h4>Why You Should Do It</h4>
<ul>
<li>It helps you build relationships with those who do the work. Getting to know them on a personal basis and helping them to do their job better is vital to team building and team effectiveness.</li>
<li>By talking with people you can find out about any problems they are having and take care of them. W. Edwards Deming, a brilliant teacher of business effectiveness once wrote “If you wait for people to come to you, you’ll only get small problems. You must go and find them. The big problems are where people don’t realize they have one in the first place.”</li>
<li>It breaks down barriers between management and the people they manage. Even if you have an open door policy sometimes people are reluctant to come to you.</li>
<li>It allows you to praise people for the good work that they do. One of the biggest complaints employees have is they feel that their work is not appreciated or recognized by management. Use this time to thank people when they do good work. It lets them know that both they valued and the work that they do is important. This is a great morale booster.</li>
<li>You can be sure the work that needs to be done is getting done. If not then you can clearly communicate the goals and objectives face-to-face.</li>
<li>By being visible you can increase the discipline of team members. Knowing that you could come around the corner at any time cuts down on non-work related activities which increases productivity. When you see people are standing around talking walk up and join the conversation. If it is work related you may be able to help. If it is not the cluster will usually dissolve before you even get there. If not, engage them about their work as a reminder of what they should be doing.</li>
</ul>
<h4>How You Should Do It</h4>
<ul>
<li>Look at your schedule and set aside one or more times during each day when you can do a Gemba walk. At the start of the workday is the best time to be sure team members are engaged in their work and to learn of the issues of the day. Pick different times if possible so everyone does not know when to expect you.</li>
<li>Grab your best friends for time and problem management, your paper list and pen. During your walk write down anything that needs to be taken care of or that you want to remember.</li>
<li>Don’t walk around like the management police. This is supposed to be a productive engagement, not checking up on everyone.</li>
<li>When you get back to your office take your notes and follow-up on them. Write down any additional items you want to remember or that need to be done. Take care of any problems you found right away. If someone had a problem, let them know when it has been taken care of.</li>
<li>If you keep a personal log for those you manage (great idea) record praises and kudos&#8217;s as well as any discipline issues you discussed.</li>
</ul>
<p>The job of a manager is to manage and one can not manage if they are not engaged in the work and with the people who do the work. Get up and get out of your office several times a day. It will improve your relationship with your team and productivity.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1372/the-keys-to-successful-it-service-management-itps/" title="The Keys to Successful IT Service Management &#8211; ITPS (May 18, 2009)">The Keys to Successful IT Service Management &#8211; ITPS</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/245/why-management-should-go-to-gemba/" title="Why Management Should Go to Gemba (June 9, 2008)">Why Management Should Go to Gemba</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/519/tough-times-call-for-strong-leadership/" title="Tough Times Call For Strong Leadership (September 30, 2008)">Tough Times Call For Strong Leadership</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1078/one-company-one-team-how-to-deal-with-%e2%80%9cit%e2%80%99s-not-my-problem%e2%80%9d/" title="One Company, One Team &#8211; How To Deal With “It’s Not My Problem” (February 24, 2009)">One Company, One Team &#8211; How To Deal With “It’s Not My Problem”</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1262/new-study-shows-many-companies-falling-short-on-succession-management/" title="New Study Shows Many Companies Falling Short on Succession Management (April 15, 2009)">New Study Shows Many Companies Falling Short on Succession Management</a></li>
</ul>


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		<item>
		<title>Are Companies Tightening the IT Belt Too Much?</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/Sc5601KiBpY/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1484/are-companies-tightening-the-it-belt-too-much/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:02:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[IT Operations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT Infrastructure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT Security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IT Strategy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1484</guid>
		<description>The current economic environment has caused many IT departments to tighten their belts. But have they taken it too far? Do they risk not being able to meet the present and future needs of the business for the sake of cutting the bottom line or even put the company at risk?
A recent survey commissioned [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/cut_money.jpg" rel="lightbox[1484]"><img style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; display: inline;" title="cut_money" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/cut_money_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="cut_money" width="128" height="128" align="right" /></a> The current economic environment has caused many IT departments to tighten their belts. But have they taken it too far? Do they risk not being able to meet the present and future needs of the business for the sake of cutting the bottom line or even put the company at risk?</p>
<p>A recent survey commissioned by Microsoft and done by Harris Interactive reveals that American IT departments plan to spend only 29 percent of their budget on innovation in 2009. This compares to 41 percent in Japan and the U.K.</p>
<p>In the report 55 percent say the economy has changed the role of IT and 51 percent say that budget constraints are the biggest barrier to their innovation. Clearly the recession is hitting many IT departments hard.</p>
<p><strong>Driving Business Efficiency</strong></p>
<p>Most of those surveyed reported that they are focused on driving business efficiency rather than on simply reducing IT costs. About two-thirds plan to increase their planned investments in at least one infrastructure technology.</p>
<p><span id="more-1484"></span></p>
<blockquote><p>IT is looking to invest in areas such as virtualization (42 percent), security (36%), systems management (24%) and cloud computing (16%). All of these investments will help IT better streamline operations and delivery more business value. But is this enough?</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Security is Still Number One</strong></p>
<p>Security still seems to be the number one issue in managing infrastructure. Protection of customer and company data heads the list of security priorities with 73 percent saying they plan to make security investments in the next one to three years. Considering the risk to the business, this is a wise investment in any economic climate.</p>
<p>Considering a recent report from Symantec showed that 88 percent of the 1,000 enterprise security experts they surveyed reported cyber attacks with nearly all of them experiencing some form of loss it is clear why security is still at the top of the list.</p>
<p>Symantec also reports that in 2008 they created more than 1.6 million new malicious code signatures. That is a 165 percent increase over 2007. Yes it is a dangerous world out there so investments in security have become a strategic necessity.</p>
<p><strong>When Does the Squeeze Hurt Too Much?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Growth.jpg" rel="lightbox[1484]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Growth" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Growth_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="Growth" width="100" height="100" align="left" /></a> Given the ever increasing demands on IT from the business now and in the future, is it wise to cut so deeply that companies risk loosing their competitive edge?  Granted there are some companies that have no choice but to cut. However I think many are doing so as a defensive measure with the uncertainty of the economy.</p>
<p>To remain competitive and meet the growing needs of the business IT must continue to innovate and invest. By making smart and targeted investments in IT companies can maintain their competitive edge, secure their infrastructure against damaging losses and eventually improve their bottom line with increased efficiency and productivity.</p>
<blockquote><p>To simply sit on the sidelines totally focused on cutting IT costs while your competitors position themselves with new capabilities and technologies companies are putting themselves at risk of further pain once the economy does turn around.</p></blockquote>
<p>One does not have to make wholesale changes or massive investments to improve. Using targeted investments in IT along with a Kaizen approach of slow, but continuous change IT can help position their company to remain competitive in the present economic environment as well as give the company a firm foundation on which to build growth in the future.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1430/to-meet-demands-it-should-prepare-for-growth-now/" title="To Meet Demands IT Should Prepare for Growth Now (June 4, 2009)">To Meet Demands IT Should Prepare for Growth Now</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1220/survey-finds-government-it-expecting-budget-problems-for-2009/" title="Survey Finds Government IT Expecting Budget Problems for 2009 (April 6, 2009)">Survey Finds Government IT Expecting Budget Problems for 2009</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/33/5-tips-to-cut-information-technology-costs/" title="5 Tips to Cut Information Technology Costs (March 23, 2008)">5 Tips to Cut Information Technology Costs</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/233/top-5-it-management-challenges-in-2008/" title="Top 5 IT Management Challenges in 2008 (June 4, 2008)">Top 5 IT Management Challenges in 2008</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/590/top-10-strategic-technology-areas-for-2009/" title="Top 10 Strategic Technology Areas for 2009 (October 22, 2008)">Top 10 Strategic Technology Areas for 2009</a></li>
</ul>


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		<title>Find CIOs to Follow on the CIO Twitter Dashboard</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/_ucmz2SaKWo/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1478/find-cios-to-follow-on-the-cio-twitter-dashboard/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:02:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1478</guid>
		<description>Twitter can be a useful tool for networking, news and gaining insight from interesting people. Recent events in Iran has shown Twitter can also be a better resource for news and information that the mass media. Over the past week I have been visiting Twitterfall reading the tweets on the #iranelection hash tag.
Finding people [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/twitter100x100.jpg" rel="lightbox[1478]"><img style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; display: inline;" title="twitter-100x100" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/twitter100x100_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="twitter-100x100" width="100" height="100" align="right" /></a> Twitter can be a useful tool for networking, news and gaining insight from interesting people. Recent events in Iran has shown Twitter can also be a better resource for news and information that the mass media. Over the past week I have been visiting <a title="Twitterfall" href="http://twitterfall.com/">Twitterfall</a> reading the tweets on the #iranelection hash tag.</p>
<p>Finding people on Twitter who share your interests can be challenging with all of the “noise” that comes from Twitter. IT leadership consultant Chris Curran has helped out by creating a list of CIOs on Twitter. Chris runs a blog on business and CIO dashboards so he has taken the list and put it up in the form of a dashboard.</p>
<p><span id="more-1478"></span></p>
<p>The list is broken down into 21 different categories based on the industry the CIO is part of. Currently the list contains over 85 CIOs and Chris is looking to add more. He provides a RSS feed you can subscribe  to so you can be updated when more are added.</p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/ciotwitterlistdashboard.jpg" rel="lightbox[1478]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="ciotwitterlistdashboard" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/ciotwitterlistdashboard_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="ciotwitterlistdashboard" width="491" height="216" /></a></p>
<p>Response to the list has been positive with several CIOs stopping by asking to be added to the list. So far today seven new CIOs have been added to the list. Thanks go out to Chris for taking the time to provide this service.</p>
<p>Visit the <a title="CIO Twitter Dashboard" href="http://www.ciodashboard.com/cio-twitter-dashboard/">CIO Twitter Dashboard</a> and also read some of Chris’s excellent posts on his blog. Read this post <a title="Are There Any Real CIOs in the Twitterverse?" href="http://www.ciodashboard.com/social-media/are-there-any-real-cios-in-the-twitterverse/">Are There Any Real CIOs in the Twitterverse?</a> where he explains his search for CIOs on Twitter and why he created the CIO Twitter Dashboard.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/245/why-management-should-go-to-gemba/" title="Why Management Should Go to Gemba (June 9, 2008)">Why Management Should Go to Gemba</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/519/tough-times-call-for-strong-leadership/" title="Tough Times Call For Strong Leadership (September 30, 2008)">Tough Times Call For Strong Leadership</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/51/the-role-of-a-leader/" title="The Role of a Leader (March 30, 2008)">The Role of a Leader</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1372/the-keys-to-successful-it-service-management-itps/" title="The Keys to Successful IT Service Management &#8211; ITPS (May 18, 2009)">The Keys to Successful IT Service Management &#8211; ITPS</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1488/the-gemba-walk-a-tool-it-management-and-leadership/" title="The Gemba Walk &ndash; A Tool IT Management and Leadership (June 29, 2009)">The Gemba Walk &ndash; A Tool IT Management and Leadership</a></li>
</ul>


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		<title>Zephyr v2.5 Software Test Management for the Enterprise</title>
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		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1471/zephyr-v2-5-software-test-management-for-the-enterprise/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:05:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[IT Tools]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quality Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SaaS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1471</guid>
		<description>Software quality assurance (QA) ensures that quality software is produced, delivered on time and within budget requirements. Software must meet or exceed the expectations of the end use and be maintainable.
The best way to ensure your department is producing quality software is end-to-end management of the testing lifecycle. A comprehensive test management system gives you [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Software quality assurance (QA) ensures that quality software is produced, delivered on time and within budget requirements. Software must meet or exceed the expectations of the end use and be maintainable.</p>
<p>The best way to ensure your department is producing quality software is end-to-end management of the testing lifecycle. A comprehensive test management system gives you the tools to manage every aspect of the testing lifecycle.</p>
<p><strong>Zephyr v2.5 Software Test Management</strong></p>
<p>Zephyr v2.5, the latest from the Zephyr family comes armed with new capabilities to meet the requirements of the global Test and Quality Assurance departments. Zephyr&#8217;s dynamic platform enables organizations to manage their test departments more efficiently while boosting productivity and visibility into the quality cycle.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Zephyr Dashboard (click to enlarge)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/zephyr.jpg" rel="lightbox[1471]"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1472 aligncenter" title="zephyr" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/zephyr100x100.jpg" alt="zephyr 2.5 dashboard" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p>It provides end-to-end management of the testing lifecycle in a test department while focusing on all aspects of real time reporting and metrics via live dashboards. It’s an indispensable tool for the QA test management team.</p>
<p><span id="more-1471"></span></p>
<p>Take a quick look at its most exceptional features:</p>
<ul>
<li>Only Zephyr allows customers to brand the product with their own information thereby making it a lot more professional.</li>
<li>True windowing capabilities within a browser window allows the Test Leads and Testers  to juggle multiple projects, releases and tasks very easily without losing context.</li>
<li>Improved productivity via improved tester efficiency in requirements creation and mapping, test case management, authoring and maintenance, rapid large scale executions and defect lifecycle tracking.</li>
<li>Zephyr provides the highest level of management visibility into every aspect of the quality lifecycle.</li>
<li>Multi lingual support besides English</li>
<li>Enhanced personalization to improve productivity with increased UI accessibility</li>
<li>Integration to API to auto-update automation execution results</li>
</ul>
<p>Zephyr is cost effective and its optimized qualities make this cloud based test management system faster, affordable and has advanced test management capabilities compared to on-premise models. Also, customers across all industry sectors can now avail of the benefits of its flexibly deployable Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform.</p>
<p>For more information visit the <a title="Zephyr web site" href="http://www.getzephyr.com">Zephyr web site</a>.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1288/web-help-desk-announces-affordable-saas-and-on-premise-lite-editions/" title="Web Help Desk Announces Affordable SaaS and On-Premise Lite Editions (April 21, 2009)">Web Help Desk Announces Affordable SaaS and On-Premise Lite Editions</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1470/service-now-wins-2009-service-desk-institute-award/" title="Service-Now Wins 2009 Service Desk Institute Award (June 19, 2009)">Service-Now Wins 2009 Service Desk Institute Award</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1227/rightanswers-integrates-with-service-nowcom-for-more-efficient-it-management/" title="RightAnswers Integrates with Service-now.com for More Efficient IT Management (April 9, 2009)">RightAnswers Integrates with Service-now.com for More Efficient IT Management</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1107/manageengine-to-offer-saas-network-and-server-monitoring-applications/" title="ManageEngine to Offer SaaS Network and Server Monitoring Applications (February 26, 2009)">ManageEngine to Offer SaaS Network and Server Monitoring Applications</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1347/livetime-releases-64-bit-itil-service-management-virtual-appliance/" title="LiveTime releases 64 bit ITIL Service Management Virtual Appliance (May 16, 2009)">LiveTime releases 64 bit ITIL Service Management Virtual Appliance</a></li>
</ul>


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		<title>Service-Now Wins 2009 Service Desk Institute Award</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/yukXyEBSYfo/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1470/service-now-wins-2009-service-desk-institute-award/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Service Desk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Help Desk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SaaS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1470</guid>
		<description>Service-now.com, the pioneer of modern SaaS for IT service automation, today announced it has been named the winner of the Service Desk Institute 2009 IT Service &amp;#38; Support Technology Supplier of the Year award.
For the first time ever, SDI surveyed end users to determine the IT service management market’s favorite vendors. Service-now.com and three [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/serlogo.jpg" rel="lightbox[1470]"><img style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; display: inline;" title="serlogo" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/serlogo_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="serlogo" width="100" height="100" align="right" /></a> Service-now.com, the pioneer of modern SaaS for IT service automation, today announced it has been named the winner of the Service Desk Institute 2009 IT Service &amp; Support Technology Supplier of the Year award.</p>
<p>For the first time ever, SDI surveyed end users to determine the IT service management market’s favorite vendors. Service-now.com and three other vendors were selected as finalists for the award based on end-user nominations and feedback.</p>
<p>SDI judges interviewed the four vendor finalists and Service-now.com was selected as the winner of the 2009 IT Service &amp; Support Technology Supplier of the Year award.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Service-now.com demonstrates a passion for the success of their customers and a commitment to changing the face of the IT service management technology industry,” according to the SDI judges.</p></blockquote>
<p>The judges also said Service-now.com won the award for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Embracing and promoting customer enablement</li>
<li>Delivering strong account management and customer community forums</li>
<li>Exceptional customer service</li>
<li>Striving to make every customer a reference</li>
</ul>
<p><span id="more-1470"></span></p>
<p>Kevin Kimber, Service-now.com senior account executive, said, “Service-now.com is breaking new ground in the IT service management industry by providing customers with a better application through modern software as a service. Our business model keeps us focused on customer success. We don’t think it was coincidence that the first customer-nominated SDI award was won by a SaaS vendor.”</p>
<p>Service-now.com requested and received a high volume of nominations from its user community. After earning finalist status, Service-now.com demonstrated innovative product development, exemplary business success, a unique delivery model, post-sales customer care, and value for the money among other things.</p>
<p>The SDI Service Desk &amp; IT Support Excellence Awards aim to promote and celebrate every aspect of IT service excellence, professionalism and innovation in the support industry. The prestigious awards were announced during the SDI Annual Conference on June 9 and recognize the outstanding achievements of IT service management teams across Europe.</p>
<p>For more information visit the <a title="Service-Now" href="http://www.service-now.com">Service-Now</a> web site.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1288/web-help-desk-announces-affordable-saas-and-on-premise-lite-editions/" title="Web Help Desk Announces Affordable SaaS and On-Premise Lite Editions (April 21, 2009)">Web Help Desk Announces Affordable SaaS and On-Premise Lite Editions</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1227/rightanswers-integrates-with-service-nowcom-for-more-efficient-it-management/" title="RightAnswers Integrates with Service-now.com for More Efficient IT Management (April 9, 2009)">RightAnswers Integrates with Service-now.com for More Efficient IT Management</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1347/livetime-releases-64-bit-itil-service-management-virtual-appliance/" title="LiveTime releases 64 bit ITIL Service Management Virtual Appliance (May 16, 2009)">LiveTime releases 64 bit ITIL Service Management Virtual Appliance</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1471/zephyr-v2-5-software-test-management-for-the-enterprise/" title="Zephyr v2.5 Software Test Management for the Enterprise (June 22, 2009)">Zephyr v2.5 Software Test Management for the Enterprise</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/384/web-help-desk-launches-v9-cross-platform-help-desk-software/" title="Web Help Desk Launches v9 Cross-Platform Help Desk Software (August 21, 2008)">Web Help Desk Launches v9 Cross-Platform Help Desk Software</a></li>
</ul>


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		<item>
		<title>Free Microsoft Press E-Books Offers for June</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/ABK5Ncpqun0/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1466/free-microsoft-press-e-books-offers-for-june/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:02:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Random IT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Microsoft Office]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unified Communications]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1466</guid>
		<description>Microsoft Press continues to celebrate their 25th anniversary with two more free e-books for the month of June. This will be the last month and the offer ends June 24th. Did you know the first Microsoft Press book published was “The Apple Macintosh Book” published in 1984?
The offerings this month center on the Microsoft Office [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Microsoft Press continues to celebrate their 25th anniversary with two more free e-books for the month of June. This will be the last month and the offer ends June 24th. Did you know the first Microsoft Press book published was “The Apple Macintosh Book” published in 1984?</p>
<blockquote><p>The offerings this month center on the Microsoft Office Communications Server product. They include “Programming for Unified Communications with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2” and “Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Resource Kit”.</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Programming for Unified Communications with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/programmingforunifiedcommunications.jpg" rel="lightbox[1466]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="programming-for-unified-communications" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/programmingforunifiedcommunications_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="programming-for-unified-communications" width="197" height="240" /></a></p>
<p>Step-by-step programming scenarios show you how to deliver high-quality VoIP, presence, click-to-communicate, and contextual collaboration across the enterprise and across time zones. By Rui Maximo; Kurt De Ding; Vishwa Ranjan; Chris Mayo; Oscar Newkerk; and the Microsoft OCS team ISBN: 9780735626232.</p>
<p><span id="more-1466"></span></p>
<p>The download link is:<strong> </strong><a href="http://csna01.libredigital.com/?urrs4gt63d">http://csna01.libredigital.com/?urrs4gt63d</a><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Resource Kit</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/officecommunicationsserver2007rs.jpg" rel="lightbox[1466]"><img style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="office-communications-server-2007-rs" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/officecommunicationsserver2007rs_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="office-communications-server-2007-rs" width="196" height="240" /></a></p>
<p>Get the definitive resource for deploying, configuring, and supporting Office Communications Server 2007—now fully updated. By Rui Maximo, Rick Kingslan, Rajesh Ramanathan, Nirav Kamdar with the Microsoft Office Communications Server Team ISBN: 9780735626355.</p>
<p>The download link is:  <a href="http://csna01.libredigital.com/?urws8un4p7">http://csna01.libredigital.com/?urws8un4p7</a></p>
<p>The links do not always work right so you may have to try it more than once.</p>
<p><strong>Microsoft Press Book Connection Newsletter</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/mspressbookconnection.jpg" rel="lightbox[1466]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="mspressbookconnection" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/mspressbookconnection_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="mspressbookconnection" width="180" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>You can sign up for the <a title="Microsoft Press Book Connection monthly newsletter" href="javascript:showextUrl('https://login.live.com/ppsecure/secure.srf?lc=1033&amp;id=42814&amp;ru=https%3a%2f%2fprofile.microsoft.com%2fRegSysProfileCenter%2fSubCntDefault.aspx%3fLcid%3d1033&amp;tw=1800&amp;fs=1&amp;kv=6&amp;ct=1204073335&amp;cb=LCID%3d1033%26subbrand%3dProfile%2520Center%26ReturnURL%3dhttps%253a%252f%252fprofile.microsoft.com%252fRegSysProfileCenter%252fSubCntDefault.aspx%253fLcid%253d1033&amp;ems=1&amp;seclog=10&amp;ver=2.1.6000.1&amp;rn=x!PxaLGk&amp;tpf=b521c12381a9930730fc994d39dbae04&amp;cbid=50861');">Microsoft Press Book Connection monthly newsletter</a>. You will also learn about new and recently released books, and other special offers.</p>
<p><strong>Free Microsoft Certification Voucher</strong></p>
<p>For a limited time the Born to Learn blog is having daily drawings to give away 3 Microsoft certification vouchers that are valid at any Prometric center. All you have to do is visit the <a title="Born to Learn blog" href="http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/">Born to Learn blog</a>, sign up for their RSS feed and post a comment to their post. The drawings end June 30, 2009.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
	<h4>Related posts</h4>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1268/microsoft-unveils-exchange-2010-with-public-beta/" title="Microsoft Unveils Exchange 2010 With Public Beta (April 15, 2009)">Microsoft Unveils Exchange 2010 With Public Beta</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/334/windows-server-virtualization-exam-70-652/" title="Windows Server Virtualization Exam 70-652 (August 5, 2008)">Windows Server Virtualization Exam 70-652</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1333/unify-and-control-corporate-voice-services-on-blackberry/" title="Unify and Control Corporate Voice Services on BlackBerry (May 8, 2009)">Unify and Control Corporate Voice Services on BlackBerry</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/1196/smoothstone-unified-communications-receives-cisco-powered-designation/" title="Smoothstone Unified Communications Receives Cisco Powered Designation (April 2, 2009)">Smoothstone Unified Communications Receives Cisco Powered Designation</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/139/retailers-look-to-virtualization/" title="Retailers Look to Virtualization (May 3, 2008)">Retailers Look to Virtualization</a></li>
</ul>


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		<title>Learn From Experts Jack and Suzy Welch Reality TV Style</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ItManagersInbox/~3/Uoau0R4h1Pg/</link>
		<comments>http://itmanagersinbox.com/1459/learn-from-experts-jack-and-suzy-welch-reality-tv-style/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Career and Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consulting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://itmanagersinbox.com/?p=1459</guid>
		<description>Jack and Suzy Welsh are coauthors of the No.1 best-seller “Winning” and its companion volume, “Winning: The Answers”. Currently they write a column together on management topics for BusinessWeek Magazine.
Now legendary business gurus Jack and Suzy Welch provide expert business advice to Fortune 500 executives in an all-new online business show airing today at [...]</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/jackandsuzyshow.jpg" rel="lightbox[1459]"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="jackandsuzyshow" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/jackandsuzyshow_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="jackandsuzyshow" width="500" height="73" /></a> Jack and Suzy Welsh are coauthors of the No.1 best-seller “<a title="Winning" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061240176/?tag=itman-20">Winning</a>” and its companion volume, “<a title="Winning: The Answers" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061241490/?tag=itman-20">Winning: The Answers</a>”. Currently they write a column together on management topics for BusinessWeek Magazine.</p>
<p>Now legendary business gurus Jack and Suzy Welch provide expert business advice to Fortune 500 executives in an all-new online business show airing today at <a href="http://everybodysbusiness.msn.com">http://everybodysbusiness.msn.com</a>.</p>
<p>“It’s Everybody’s Business with Jack &amp; Suzy Welch” is part of an interactive Web site aimed at business and IT professionals that connects viewers with entertainment as well as business and technology solutions.</p>
<p><span id="more-1459"></span></p>
<p><a title="Jack and Suzy Welch" href="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/jackandsuzy.jpg" rel="lightbox[1459]"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none; display: inline; margin-left: 10px;" title="jackandsuzy" src="http://itmanagersinbox.com/itman/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/jackandsuzy_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="Jack and Suzy Welch" width="100" height="100" align="right" /></a>The premiere episode of the “It’s Everybody’s Business With Jack &amp; Suzy Welch” show takes viewers behind closed conference room doors at Hertz Corporation to watch and interact as business executives tackle real business challenges.</p>
<p>The unscripted web series lets you watch high-profile companies. In each episode you will see Jack’s legendary Work-Out developed during his time at GE. Episode 1 Connect with Hertz is available now. Future episodes will follow.</p>
<p>It is sponsored by Microsoft Corp. as part of the company’s It’s Everybody’s Business campaign. Microsoft partnered with advertising agency JWT, production company Reveille and the Welches to create the series.</p>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
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