Not that you asked, but I have some things to say.

The Paradox of Thanks

2017-11-19T09:54:00.003-06:00

Sometime between September and November 1621, around the time of the fall harvest, a group of 53 European pilgrims gathered in the New World to celebrate. They were joined by members of the Wampanoag tribe, native Americans that had helped the settlers survive the previous winter. They were there to celebrate the fact that they had plenty of food stores to survive their second winter there.

When the settlers left Europe, there were 102 of them. When they celebrated a successful harvest, a little over a year later in the fall of 1621, there were only 53 of them left. Almost half of the settlers had perished along the way.

Yet, they gave thanks.

It seems a human truth, that we appreciate our blessings more when framed by our adversities. Giving thanks inherently has an either/or component to it, it seems. When we are thankful for what we have, we must take into account the possibility of not having it. We frame our blessings with our adversities.

I have very few adversities. My challenges, my hurdles, the fights I fight...most are problems of abundance. I am blessed, and most of my struggles would seem blessings to those that are truly without.

Ironically, this could make thanks slightly more difficult for me. I've never known hunger, or homelessness, or been destitute. I've never gone without. I've never really wanted for something that wasn't there, I've only wanted more of something I already had. Problems of abundance.

So as we enter into the Thanksgiving holiday, I will strive to truly be thankful. I will work to compare my blessings to the true adversities that exist in the world, the type of want I've never truly felt, the type of struggle that may be so removed from my awareness that true thanks may be slightly outside of my ability.

The paradox of thanks, that those that are so abundantly blessed may not have a comparative baseline to truly understand how thankful they should be. That their blessings are so full, that they will have to work to be truly thankful; the sort of thankful that isn't rooted in just celebrating what you have, but is rooted in knowing what being without would mean in comparison.

In the fall of 1621, a group of 53 settlers, having lost half of their number in the previous year, looked to the coming winter and estimated they had enough food stores that they wouldn't starve.

They gave thanks.

On Armistice Day, and why what we call a thing matters.

2017-11-11T10:22:00.001-06:00

I've had discussions with my co-workers, specific to the marketing power of words. What we call a thing, how we phrase the things we say, and the industry terms we either use or try to introduce as terms to become part of the vernacular...they matter.

What we call a thing helps define it.

This brings me to Veterans Day, the day set aside to honor all veterans. Memorial Day is to honor the fallen, and I make sure to stress that on Memorial Day, that Veterans Day is for all Veterans...Memorial Day is for the dead. It's important we never mix the two, and the names of the days help guide us towards that understanding.

But, what about Armistice Day? The origin of the Nov. 11th tradition, honoring that moment in time that called for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, World War I.

"The 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month." 1918. A time when, as written by my favorite author Kurt Vonnegut, "millions upon millions of human beings stopped butchering one another." Vonnegut later goes on to challenge the idea of Armistice Day becoming Veterans Day. I'm going to challenge it too.

I could go on for pages, and spend a lot of time and words on this, but I don't really need to to make my point.

I believe we should return to Armistice Day.

I believe Armistice Day celebrates veterans in a purer way.

I believe what we call a day matters, how we frame a thing matters, and that we should call it Armistice Day.

I believe Armistice Day inherently celebrates peace, in a way that Veterans Day doesn't. Veterans Day, arguably and somewhat indirectly, can celebrate war.

I believe holding peace as sacred in our hearts is the best way to honor veterans, and that on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, millions upon millions of human beings stopped butchering one another. We honor that moment with Armistice Day.

What we call a thing matters, and today... I will call today Armistice Day.

Meds and Diapers

2017-11-05T10:41:00.000-06:00

I was recently in a meeting with the CIO of a healthcare operations company, specifically long-term care and assisted living facilities.

We were speaking of different technology trends, with terms like 'Cloud' and '____ as a service/aaS' peppered throughout the discussion.

We expressed excitement, seeing several true paradigm shifts that are changing the world of technology, but with both of us still being a bit weary from our years in the industry.

We expressed something that I see often in veterans of the tech world, we were looking for something to excite us, to inspire us, to wake us from the day-to-day grind, and show us a brave new world that we can harness to change the way that world works.

We expressed that, simply put, we were tired. We wanted a revolutionary change to sweep us up into it, and make our world the sort of fun that only world-altering technology can.

It was then that the CIO interrupted...we should, he reminded me, never lose sight of the true need we serve, the actual function of the business, for him a pretty specific client base.

"Meds and diapers. That's the most important function we {his company} serve, handing out meds and changing dirty diapers. All of these things we do, they should serve to make those two tasks easier, they should serve those who fill that role, the task of handing out meds and changing dirty diapers."

We looked at each other and smiled, and with an audible "hmm...wow" things came into a slightly different focus. Without saying another word, we shared a moment where we realized that our weariness was maybe just a lack of perspective, that no matter how monotonous our days were, we were there to help a group of people that spend their days handing out meds and changing dirty diapers.

It's funny...when you realize you have no right to feel weary, you don't feel so weary anymore.

What do you serve?

2017-10-28T12:01:00.000-05:00

In conversation with a colleague, the question was asked: "What makes you {your company} different?" This question has been something of a new hobby of mine.

I started with "Different than what?" It is my belief that our business model is unique, and have seen little evidence to the contrary. I want to constantly challenge that belief, seeing this as the only way to ensure the belief is true and continues to be so; comparison must be a diligent and never-ending part of our message.

Of the several competitors listed by my colleague (technically someone who could compete with me in certain circumstances), I easily differentiated our offering. But, stressing the "Different than what?", I quickly moved from comparative offerings and steered towards a less tangible "what?"Our approach was different; our mindset, our essence.

I found myself asking the question "What do we serve?"mm

My industry is filled with examples of passionate people, extolling their client-centric approach. Many are simply disingenuous and care little about the client; many are genuine but seem to lack the mechanism to truly care, always chasing a transactional and broken sales cycle, inherent to our industry.

What this conversation led me to was this: "Do you service the Client or the Sale?"

No matter how an organization sees "what they serve", most simply do not have the mechanism to make them true servants of anything but the sale. If your model subsists entirely on commissions after the sale, then you have an inherent function of your business model that requires you service the sale first, and possibly only. Happy clients are necessary for on-going growth and sustainability, but my industry is also filled with "hit-and-run" examples of "sale-first" oriented people and organizations that don't necessarily mandate a long-term vision. Sadly, many potential clients push my industry into this stance, unknowingly creating a zero-sum game where service is simply unafforded for. These companies generally complain the loudest, as they suffer from a self-inflicted wound.

We have a unique approach to addressing this problem within our industry, and with our Client Relationships. We charge them.

This may not sound much of an epiphany, but in my industry it very much is. A fee, designed to cover my costs and allow me to focus on actually servicing my Clients, allows me to remove the sales process. We procure for our clients, and we make commissions in the process, but I am not existentially tied to a model that demands I sell them a product before I can help them at all. A balance beam requires equal weight on both ends, but our industry is often weighted only on the sales side, leaving service as an afterthought.

Our industry is often built to service the Sale, not the Client, and we believe we are changing that.

On Dreams, and the process of creation.

2017-10-21T13:35:00.001-05:00

I've been dreaming lately, not the sort of dream that comes with sleep, but the wide-awake kind. It's a dream related to my business life, and that's all I need to say about the sort of dream it is. I consider this my business blog, and while the below may not seem to have anything to do with business for some, it very much does to me.

When I hear or say the word 'dream', generally two things happen. My thoughts go in two completely separate directions; directions that can, if not properly harnessed, become quite debilitating. More on that later...

Direction #1: The heavens, sky, to soar, to fly. Ethereal. That place, so precious, but so easily destroyed. Like a balloon untethered, it will float away for no other reason than that no one held the string.

Direction #2: Down to earth, grounded. Tangible. That place so solid and necessary, but with a gravity to contend with; every step in life, soil, the path we walk and the foundation of life, but the place that will claim us, where we go in death.

Jedidiah Purdy, in his 1999 book For Common Things, a book he calls "a letter of love for the world's possibilities", he addresses what he calls "our terminal sense of irony." Simply put, Purdy suggests that we have lost the way to dream, that in our initial eye-rolling responses that have become second nature, we doom dreams to a self-fulfilling prophecy of non-existence, for no other reason than that we choose immediately not to listen.

"Only in their dreams can men be truly free. 'Twas always thus, and always thus will be." --Tom Schulman

I've struggled with my directions, mentioned above, more so lately than ever in my life. I've used the word 'dream' more so lately, too. I've been pulled away from what I know is true, convinced by my own sense of irony, that my thoughts and dreams are just fuzzy verbosity and come solely from the mind of a child; a child who is divorced from the reality of the tangible world.

Divorced from reality...I know this isn't true, or at least it doesn't have to be. I know the balloon is real, that a balloon is either empty or full at the same time, depending on how I decide to define it. I know that the balloon will float away, it's guaranteed to, but only if I choose to not grab the string, and that this analogy is all I need to marry my directions together.

A balloon is only its true self when we fill it. It only stays around when we tether it to the world. Whether it is empty or full, depends on the meaning we give it.

One meaning of dream, given by Webster and as the verb form of the word, is "to contemplate the possibility of doing something or that something might be the case."

There it was, my two directions were simple to connect, marrying earth and sky is the act of creation, that we exist (literally and poetically) in that space between earth and sky, and that a dream is real if we can make it so. A dream can be simply how we contemplate doing something, connected to why we are doing it.

When people don't believe in dreams; it's not because they aren't real, although it seems that way to them, it's because they see over time how fragile they can be. It's just too hard, and consistent a task, for some people to dream.

We should protect our dreams, we should see the need to ground our dreams; to protect and care for our manifested dreams; to keep them real, and that the act of creation is nothing but tying our dreams to the world.

On experts, and what it means to try.

2017-05-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

I recently read a social media post from a business associate, let's call him Alan. It was an excerpt from a famous quote, from a very famous American business icon, and then a summary of the quote from Alan's point of view. The summary, as Alan saw it, was that the second a person identifies as an expert that they no longer are useful, that they lose the drive that led them to the possibility of even identifying as an expert, and that from there it was nowhere but a downward spiral. The implied message was that by claiming to be an expert, a person would no longer work towards greatness, no longer continues to press forward, that they would find themselves in the stagnant position of resting on their laurels, and no longer "trying to do more." (that last part is a direct quote, and will play in heavily to my point).

I couldn't disagree more.

I checked the validity of the quote, and it was spot on. I checked to make sure the general intent of the quote was captured, and it very much was. In every way, the spirit of the quote was perfectly represented by Alan's summary.

But, I couldn't disagree more.

I found myself fundamentally disagreeing with Alan, a celebrated local business leader, and highly accomplished man. But more important, I found myself in opposition with the original quote, made by one of the biggest American business icons the world has known.

I wasn't fully sure why, but I also knew I was right. I'm repeating myself, but I stood in vehement opposition of men much more accomplished than I; one man a business owner and local entrepreneur, a published author, and leader in his field. The other man is among those in the Pantheon of American success stories, known throughout the globe. But I knew they were wrong. I knew that the world needed more experts, not less. I knew the world needed to respect experts more, not less. I knew that American individualism, while creating a powerful dynamic and driving force that's changed the world, often made non-experts view their opinions as equal to actual experts. The over-democratization of the validity of opinion, creating a stance that allowed even the ignorant to have a say. Harlan Ellison put it this way, "You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant." This pointed towards the hierarchy of expertise and implied that the more informed, the more one falls into the category of expert, the more entitled their opinion is.

I read, and re-read the quote and summary made. I tried to understand its essence, the message at its core. I found, as much as any other phrase, the key to the message. It was the stance that claiming one's self an expert will inherently eliminate an essential drive, and create a scenario where that person, as referenced earlier in this post and pulled directly from the quote, will no longer "try to do more." Stasis, stagnation, and entropic decay.

I still knew this was wrong. So, after researching the message, finding the key, and pointing it back to its own claim, I found another key. The focal point of the discussion. The word expert.

Expert is defined by Merriam-Webster as below: Expert - adjective --\ˈek-ˌspərt, ik-ˈspərt\: having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience

This sounded innocuous and thoroughly uncontroversial, a state we should all strive for.

I then saw the answer to my question, the root of my objection, and the proof I needed to allow me to stand in objection to these relatively great men, and know that I was vindicated.

The etymology of 'expert' is as follows: From the Latin root experiri, and more closely the past-participle expertus/experitus, to Old French and then Middle English espert and expert, respectively.

Experiri...'to try'. There it was. The fundamental core of the quote and summary were flawed by their own misunderstanding of what an expert IS. Instead of taking a golden opportunity to challenge the claim of 'expert'; to elevate the discussion and either find the claim worthy or set a true meaning of the word, they also missed the opportunity to change the thinking around the claim itself. We think in words, and this word was to be celebrated. The word had the potential to become a great target if one would just invest in the time to understand it. That the definition of the word held the entire ethos, that to be an expert is to try and try again; to never stop, to embrace failure as a path to success, to understand that knowledge and success and accomplishment are merely the building blocks to the search of more knowledge and success and accomplishment.

Expert is a process, a never-ending self-mandate to improve, and if we throw away the word we are in danger of eliminating the inherent goal it communicates. Again, we think in words, and this word held the key to greatness. We should fear this word, but not because of its misuse by people who think that experience is a resting place and hence are unworthy of the word, nor should we fear this word because a few myopic leaders discard its potential because of its abuse...no, we should fear this word because of the great responsibility it brings. We should fear to utter this word, but only because to do so requires us to live up to its noble meaning.

I am an expert, and tomorrow I will do what it takes to live up to this word. I am not finished, I've reached no specific end goal. I am proud to be an expert, but not just because of what I've accomplished, or what successes I have had. I am proud most, because of my potential.

As an expert, I can only pull from the past the tools which I need to succeed tomorrow. I am an expert, I will try and succeed. I am an expert, I will try and fail. The past is prelude, and as an expert, I've done nothing but collect the tools I need to apply to tomorrow.

I am an expert, and I understand that I will never be as good today as I can be tomorrow.

POTs lines are everywhere!!!

2017-02-02T17:50:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer: The topic of this entry (POTs lines) was specifically requested by a business partner. When I discuss POTs lines, I get confused looks, and typically even confused responses in that discussion. "Why are you dealing with POTs lines?" It's the lowest common denominator of the telecommunications industry, but only as a product. The need it solves is the core of this blog entry. My ask is that you disregard the "widget" ( an ask that is often a challenge for many of the "widget" minded folks I know) and focus instead on the business problem associated with the consumption of this particular technology.

Let's start with a quick definition...the below is the first hit when you Google POTs lines:

Short for plain old telephone service, which refers to the standard telephone service that most homes use. In contrast, telephone services based on high-speed, digital communications lines, such as ISDN and FDDI, are not POTS. The main distinctions between POTS and non-POTS services are speed and bandwidth.

It's funny how even its own definition quickly begins distancing itself from itself, a seeming inferiority complex at its core. It goes beyond general self-deprecation and enters a whole other realm of loathing.

Companies still need POTs lines. Companies still fax things (shocker, but I also have clients with a vibrant pager/beeper user community). Companies still have POTs lines for alarms, and elevators, and certain monitoring equipment, and...etc. My industry inherently orients towards THE BIG THING... and POTs lines are not in most of their thoughts. So that which receives little focus receives little resources; minimal investment, minimal enhancements, not so much minimal client satisfaction as total indifference.

But, companies still need POTs lines. So given my recent career pivot to a more service oriented offering (in case you don't keep up, you can visit an explanatory post here.) I find myself orienting less towards the product (or widget) and more towards the business problems that consuming said product may cause. In my new role I either have to solve the problem or absorb the problem on my client's behalf...or more common, a little bit of both. We have moved a shocking amount of POTs lines in the two years of my new role. Every state in the nation, at last count, had a POTs line (or many) implemented by my team. When I mention this to colleagues in the Business Development/Sales side of the industry, they look shocked. One specifically asked, "How can you show your face, working with POTs lines???"

Simple answer, there. I solve a rather large problem. The consumption of POTs lines is very difficult. There are problems of regionality and location-specific limitations, billing nightmares, pricing restrictions, and the general malaise associated with the service as a whole. Also, troubleshooting can be a nightmare and I've watched Network Engineers, SysAdmins, Help Desk personnel, and even a few IT Vice Presidents spend hours trying to fix an issue on a fax line.

So...we have found several partners that focus exclusively on POTs lines. They, with pride, embrace their otherwise prideless product. We use one partner, almost exclusively, because they are the best in our overall experience. The world is full of tallest pygmies, and the best of a thing is still the best, regardless of the thing. We have solved problems, we have impacted workload, we have solved pain/absorbed pain, we have streamlined and created efficiency, we have embraced the un-embraceable, and...well, we have seen success.

Puzzle pieces

2016-12-16T12:14:00.002-06:00

I was recently working on a recommendation for a client, specific to a process improvement we were looking to implement. This suggestion had been made to the client half a dozen times and had, outside of agreeable nods, gained minimal traction. I felt myself playing a bit of metaphorical pinball, bumping against the silos within the clients corporate culture (nothing new here), and realized if a bridge was to be made between the silos, I would need to build that bridge.

I contacted a senior-level Project Manager (PM) who served a critical role in the process we were evaluating. This person, within the initial discussion, showed to be incredibly passionate in their role and truly dedicated to the success of that role. I explained the suggestions we were making, and looked for input.

What was given as response was disappointing.

This person, who was just seconds ago a shining example of attitude and aptitude, began explaining their role with more focus on what they didn't do than what they did, drawing those silo boundaries as fast as they could. Their intent still seemed to be good, but when asked to step into a part of the larger and more comprehensive discussion, this person collapsed. I realized this was a corporate culture issue. This person may have been naturally inclined to silo themselves, but I am naturally inclined to sleep in and start my day around 10am. I understand natural inclination is not always the point.

I shouldn't have been surprised, as silo'd organizations are common, and all I was seeing was the underlying symptom being expressed to me out loud.

I re-framed the questions, and changed tactics. I asked the PM how I might help enhance their role, by enhancing how that role handed off to the next team. There was an almost audible click, and suggestions started flowing. The most intriguing response: "I'd like know how that’s done, before it gets handed back to my team."

This PM seemed excited, because they stepped out of their individual role, and saw that their role was a puzzle piece. They saw a glimpse of something that could be a bigger picture, made of all the other puzzle pieces, relying so much more on not just their own piece but how their piece fits within the next.

No one had ever seemed to harness one of the most powerful sources for process improvement this PM had at their disposal...curiosity.

SD-WAN: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

2016-12-02T10:16:00.001-06:00

In my last blog, I mentioned the recent trend of merger and acquisition deals in the telecommunications industry. This M&A fever is one of the answers I give when, say at Thanksgiving dinner, people that have some form of understanding of my industry asks "So, what's the big new thing???"

Now, I've seen the adoption of MPLS to replace Frame Relay, I've seen token ring replaced by ethernet, I've seen Internet become the driver of a new economy, I've seen VoIP and SIP discussed for years (without much real adoption for the first decade of the discussion) but TDM is finally beginning to phase out (don't fret old-timers, I still have clients with hundreds of POTs lines...a few with pagers...and I'm not kidding about the pagers).

I've left the Cloud discussion for later. There is so much room to editorialize there, I'll leave that for its own entire blog.

At one point in time, the response to any of the above evolutions in technology would be "Ah, we will never leave (insert old technology here) it handles everything we need. No need for some bleeding-each sort of nonsense. We're good!"

It's said that if Edison and Ford actually listened to what their customers wanted, we'd have brighter candles and faster horses.

This brings me to SD-WAN. What is SD-WAN you ask? Wikipedia offers the below:

SD-WAN is an acronym for software-defined networking in a wide area network (WAN). An SD-WAN simplifies the management and operation of a WAN by decoupling (separating) the networking hardware from its control mechanism. This concept is similar to how software-defined networking implements virtualization technology to improve data center management and operation.^[1]

A key application of an SD-WAN is allowing companies to build higher performance WANs using lower cost leased lines, enabling businesses to partially or wholly replace more expensive private WAN connection technologies such as MPLS.^[1]

That pretty much covers it, but the key to the true debate (in my opinion) is the part about using "lower cost leased lines". Here be dragons.

Every business-grade technology should answer the following question "What business problem am I solving?" This is an accepted adage. Often what isn't asked after that is "And what other problems am I now creating?"

The emergence of capable and reliable "lower cost leased lines" is a sticky one. Are we there? Yes. Sort...except when we aren't. Consistency is still an issue. This can impact your business drastically while solving nothing but "lower cost". Some of the worst business mistakes revolve around the search for "lower cost". That's why the term "total cost of ownership" has become a cliche. Anything that is completely true, so much so that it gets a term that is used ad-nauseam, becomes a cliche.

Also, when the ink is dry, and the new technology is moving from whiteboard to deployment, the client might look around and say "Let's go get those 'low cost leased lines' everybody talked about...wait...have we ever done that before?" The procurement process turns into a nightmare, the client spends the next few years learning how to consume this new need, and may or may not get good at it. Traditional networks allow for single-carrier deployment. SD-WAN may introduce the need to invest time in every regional broadband provider (nightmare) or go to an aggregator (who can absorb some of the nightmares, but possibly creating as many problems as they solve if you don't choose the right one).

So...just because you can, doesn't mean you should. When the trend drives the refinement of the solution (and I stress...SOLUTION), and the provider world gets it right, and the solution solves an actual problem without creating another problem that is worse, and the needs of the client seems to truly align with the solution and not just the trend.... then is when you should...maybe...unless you shouldn't.

The Tele-Merge Flu

2016-11-11T14:54:00.001-06:00

The past few years have seen multiple mergers and acquisitions in the telecommunications industry.

I would be hard pressed to name one that hasn't had some form of M&A action, buying or merging with a competitor generally focused on B2B services (AT&T being a bit of an anomaly, their acquisition strategy seems more focused on content and the consumer market).

I've seen these happen, over the decades, and generally see a stronger more capable company emerge...at some point...in time...after much, well, pain.

For a long time now, I've called it the Tele-Merge Flu. It's cyclical, and I've seen a few iterations over my career. They all seem to have a bit of the following:

Disparate systems, painfully complicated to begin with, will now be merged (or attempted to be merged) with generally a Frankenstein's Monster result, a broken shambling, groaning thing, with the local residents always on the verge of storming the castle with torches and pitchforks.

Legacy employees, often identifying their allegiance to either the M or the A in the M&A equation, by (and no kidding, this is a thing) the primary color of their legacy companies logo. "Well, Legacy Purple didn't require this sort of nonsense, and now Orange is screwing up the ______ for my team/the company/the client."

Process and procedural changes that can take what was previously the best product on the market, and make it so difficult to buy and/or implement, that inferior products are picked.

A period of fear, with employees feeling lost/in danger/etc. This is also often compounded with the above process/procedural nightmares, creating a sense within the employee base that they just can't get anything done (often true and almost justifiable). They go limp, and stop trying.

As mentioned, the emerging company typically gains some positive components (although the scrappy, smaller, nimble companies that get bought lose all of that). The industry becomes a bit more healthy, with the players not so spread thin and quick to commoditize themselves. Prices go up, but that's often a good thing, no industry can race to the bottom and stay a good partner. Certain innovation may slow down, but the technology in place today can take a breather, and become a better version of its true potential.

But...one thing is for certain, the flu-like symptoms are easy to diagnose, and are as predictable as me getting a head-cold in the last few weeks of October.

Sadly, there is no cure, and minimal symptom relief options. Well, a good consultant and outsourcing partner is definitely a great option, so there's that. Let's just say that the Doctor is IN*, and Flu Season is on its way.

* John Anderson is not an actual Doctor, and any reference to such should be taken as a humorous jest, this should be clear based on the analogy-rich, and generally goofy flow of this blog post. Also, John Anderson admits that the last paragraph or so was horribly self-indulgent, and an awful example of shameless self-promotion, made only worse by a footnote filled with Illeisms**.

**An illeism is the act of referring to ones self in the third person, instead of the first person. John Anderson understands that by using the word "illeism", and not just saying "Referring to ones self in the third person", only to then add another layer of footnote explaining the arcane word, is also horribly self indulgent, bordering on hubris. If you've read this far, I'm surprised you could have, given the crippling eye-rolls that should be occurring by now.

Telecom Janitorial Services - an effective analogy.

2016-11-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

When I began my career in the telecommunications field, it was a sexy industry. I worked for WorldCom, who owned UUNET, one of the original big boys of Intenet Service Providers.

We rode scooters, had egos, and were the future of technology. We were the internet.

Oh, and about WorldCom...you probably remember them. "One of the largest corporate scandals, ever." heralded the cable news hawkers, and various publications. They made Enron look like choir boys (Enron caused around a $74 Billion loss/impact to the shareholders....WorldCom was $180 Billion in loss/impact. Tyco often gets mixed in when discussing corporate scandals of the late '90s/early '00s. Tyco's impact was around $150 Million...lightweights).

The scandal created a crater within the telecom indsutry that we, to date, are still trying to climb out of. The telecom industry lost its luster, pivoted often to a "low-cost/zero-sum-game" approach, and spent the next 20 years losing relevance in the overall technology discussion.

We became plumbers. The carriers limped along, in-fighting and showing very minimal evolution. Those of us in carrier sales strove to be relevant, but seldom had a seat at C-level discussions.

Fast forward a decade or so. My company has spent the past two years developing a Telecom Process Outsourcing service, focused not on becoming our clients "telecom carrier" but becoming their "telecom department". Full outsourcing of a very difficult to consume service, managed by experts, saving time our clients have little of in the first place, and often able to offset our fees (and they are healthy fees) in the savings we find for our clients.

It's a unique offering, and certain clients struggle with understanding the model. It's pretty simple, take your Org Chart, draw a line to the CIO or VP of IT, and put my logo in a box labeled "Telecom Department". All of the workload that comes with our difficult industry is now mine (and my team).While our industry focuses on the sales process, oriented towards whatever their widget is, we eliminate the sales process (it's now just procurement, centralized and following an assembly-line approach), and take the process and labor associated with telecom off of our clients.

I'm a page or so in to this, and still bet there are many that (if anyone reads this silly blog at all) are reading and still just don't understand the new offering. They have been so inundated with limited offerings, sales agendas, and half-solutions that a new approach is hard to bite off on.

We've found the best way to handle that is with colorful analogies. I think in analogies anyway, and have found one to be the most impacting. Whether at a networking event, meeting new people and offering up my 'elevator pitch'; meeting a new prospect for the first time; or explaining to partners that we work with, a well place analogy is often my best tool.

And the best one so far? Telecom Janitorial Services. Everyone seems to get that one, and its
biggest strength is that it takes the apathy and scorn that folks have for the telecom industry, and agrees with it. "Yes, our industry is messy and difficult, it's non-strategic, it's not something that clients get enthusiastic about so clients aren't generally good at it. The industry doesn't crank out a large amount of talent (my team being the exception, we are the best in town). We are the experts, outsource it to us, we will come in and clean up the mess."

The irony is, my entire career I have struggled to be truly relevant. My indsutry just didn't lend itself to relevance, it just filled a need. But, as a provider of Telecom Janitorial Services, I can now impact how an IT Department works, I can take time and focus and give it back to them. I can re-purpose time and money towards the more strategic initiatives they have. I can create process and procedure, implement efficiencies, and optimize the carrier services they have. I can take a workload, often seen as "death by a thousand cuts", off of my client.

I am, at long last, actually relevant. We don't have any scooters,we have rounded out the egos, and are armed with brooms and mops. We found our niche, and we are damn good at it.

We just decided to...

2015-02-05T20:10:00.000-06:00

I mentioned in a previous post a transition in my career, one from sales person to consultant.

Now, let me be clear, the act of selling is what generally pays for my consulting (the carriers pay me for the business I bring them, although I do have a fee based set of offerings...let's focus on the grander theme).

But, I self identify now as consultant.

How did I transform to this new height? Simply put, I just decided to. I found myself in a new role that allowed me to embrace the transformation, allowed me to self-define, allowed me to truly be the franchise that I've been working to become for years.

I suppose that I'm being a bit too simplistic. My transformation took the better part of two decades to come to fruition. I possess a wealth of knowledge that can only come from the amount of OTJ (on the job) training, that the better part of two decades brings in my field. Blood, sweat, and tears. Trial by fire. Drinking from the firehose, again and again and again. A bit of an autodidact, smarter than the average bear.

I could call myself an Account Manager, or Account Executive, or Business Development Director....longhand jargon that equate to salesman.

I've opined that every role in any business is one of two things: Sales or Sales Support. From CEO to engineer to janitor, ones role is to either sell or retain the business they go about...to do a job, and well, to get new business or keep that which we already have.

So...I no longer need to use sales in how I define myself, it's inherent. It's understood.

I am a consultant.

Channel vs Direct

2015-02-01T10:56:00.002-06:00

"First, open a trouble ticket via the 800 number...work directly with the engineers to make sure you don't have a breakdown in translation. Then get the trouble ticket number to my team, and we will break out the whips and bullhorns."

The above is an example of a repeated script, used throughout my entire career. Roughly 15 years working in the Telecom/Carrier world, on the Direct sales side of the house. I am now on the Channel sales side of the equation. Nothing has changed in the above scripted response.

I spoke with a client the other day, a division of a rather large company here in town, and he seemed baffled by the channel sales model. He posited the following:

1.) "Won't the carrier get mad because I bought if from you instead of them?"

2.) "How can you represent multiple carriers all at once, and still have my needs in mind."

3.) "Since they have to pay you too, will the service cost more?"

These questions were exceptionally ill-informed, and quite easy to dispel. To wit:

1.) "No. we are an extension of the carrier, and a cheaper one; they do not have to house us, pay the light bill, pay for our benefits, etc."

2.) "Does your direct team truly have your needs in mind? They have only one offering, with no ability to step outside of any limitation they as a carrier may have. I turned away a lot of bad-fit business when I was a direct rep, but not everyone will."

3.) See response #1

I then went on to explain the Channel Sales approach, in an easy to grasp way. My insurance agent has his own shop, represents multiple providers, and has the ability to pick the best fit from all offerings. My car insurance is different from my AD&D provider, etc. It's that simple.

The most obvious change is in the ability, after years of using the term, to have a comprehensive offering. I've always used a consultative sales approach, but was often left turning clients away based on a weakness of my company. I no longer have that problem.

****Check back soon to hear how I went from Sales Guy to Consultant. (Hint, it was a LOT easier than I ever thought it would be.)

An ounce of guidance

2013-08-06T21:24:00.003-05:00

There are a lot of moving parts within any organization.

Often I find myself collaborating with other departments to get the things I need. In my specific case; Finance, Legal, Engineering, Marketing, Product, Customer Care.

I often reach out to these groups with a specific and defined need. A bullet-point-style item, or list of items, with a simple request..."Go get me these things. Please, and thank you."

Other times, it's not so clear cut. Sometimes I may go to a department with an undefined need. I know what I want as an end result, but may not have a clear cut process on exactly how to get there. Typically, in these examples, all parties will provide input. They will define their roles, and understanding the goal of the request, offer suggestions or guidance. Something along the lines of "You can't get that here at X department, but if you go to Y department they can provide Z."

Guidance....the sharing of tribal knowledge on how to accomplish a goal.

Other times.....well, not so much.

At times I have received a denial, a deflection, or (and this one is the killer) a scolding .....all with no attempt at providing the direction that they almost assuredly could give. I honestly cannot understand this approach. On a personal level, it would just never occur not to share any knowledge I might have that might help achieve whatever the end goal is. I lack the ability or inclination. I might give a scolding if something comes to me that is obviously out of my scope, especially if the request is from someone who should know better.....but I'll always add the suggestion of another avenue. Result oriented thinking.

"Not my job." I hate this one.

"You can't get that here." OK, but if you have that awareness, you may have the knowledge of where I can get it. Understood, if not....but if so SHARE IT.

"I'm not sure what you are wanting." Then let me restate. If I do that, and you still don't have a suggestion, is it possible that I already have what I need. Often, when compiling all of the paperwork for a specific deal, this might come up, there is a lot needed sometimes to seal a deal. This issue has surfaced recently, and the individual could have easily said "I don't believe you need the TPS report on this one, all the paperwork you have is sufficient."

So, be an adviser.....offer an ounce of guidance....even the lowest ranking member on any org-chart has this ability.

It's true what they say.....if you aren't a part of the solution, or at least trying to be, you are indeed a part of the problem.

Mr Anderson, you have a call in the lobby....

2013-08-05T19:17:00.002-05:00

I am not a complete and total freak about this, but am very happy making a general and pretty stringent statement....

It is ALWAYS better to stand up and go to a lobby, or the bar area, or the foyer when taking or placing a call.

Now, I'll admit....I've taken a call while at lunch, in a discussion, etc. Almost invariably it is to pass along a tidbit of pertinent information and then promise a return call. When the act of removing myself to take the call is more disruptive than the VERY quick transaction, I'll do it.....quietly, and as an aside.....and always with thanks or a brief apology.

But....and not only is the action cliche, the complaint has become so.....If you are going to have a discussion, a conversation, a full transaction....GET UP and go to a logical location.

It's interesting to think, but if I were to walk up to your table, take a seat and strike up an interrupting conversation with you while ignoring your guest ....I would be thought a bit of a jerk. Everyone might feel a bit uncomfortable. Why is taking a call any different?

I recall old movies, where a maître d' would approach a table and announce in a hushed voice "Mr. ____, you have a call in the lobby." The gentleman in question would make a mannerly gesture (a simple "Excuse me for a moment" would always do), and then go take the call.

Now.... a blue-toothed, blue-suited call taker will talk until blue in the face.....often loudly (still not sure why we still do this with modern wireless devices, but we do)....without a single thought. Annoying, self-important, and just cliche. Stop this. Stop it now.

And if you witness this, I ask you....beg you....correct this behavior. Say something, correct them, be a part of the solution.

Send them a link to this blog....or have them call me.....because I do not want to live in a world where being honest with one another about a blatantly obvious problem, is somehow more rude than mentioning it.

Your call has invaded my personal space, my earshot, or my conversation with you at table.....this will be addressed.

One word, two word, three word.....

2013-08-01T20:50:00.002-05:00

My Dr. Suessian title points out something I've noticed....when listing items, one gravitates towards three.

Think about this for a second, and answer honestly....have you listed two things, and then wracked your brain for a third? Drafting an email, pounding with furious purpose, and then spending ten minutes trying to come up with a third item on the "To Do" list?

It just seems like a thing one must do. Two adjectives, attributes, action items.....just not enough.

Bullet pointing requires a triumvirate of tasks, a trio of trends...a....a....damn. I can't alliterate in threes....but you were expecting it....weren't you? See what I'm saying?

So, maybe we should ask why? What is the benefit? I've listened to a Mayor, a CIO, and a homeless man all make their pleas in threes (seriously, the last one just happened the other day). And what I've noticed is the power of bullet pointing your agenda, and you must have three.

There is a recognizable cadence in listing things. Now I'll admit, it can be more than three....but never less. And when simplifying a message, three seems to be the perfect number.

Remember a certain GOP Presidential Candidate that had three Governmental Departments that he would cut? He forgot the third one, in a debate, and I would argue this was when he lost in the race. Much can be forgiven, including forgetfulness....but I would argue that the omission of the 'third item' was more mentally impacting to the electorate....it was an unforgivable offense. It was the third rail....see what I did there?

If you have read this, and don't instantly get what I'm saying then the following will occur:

1. You will now notice that you do this. A habit that is inherent, but unknown, will show itself.

2. You will see that, if you haven't, that you now will. You will feel uncomfortable if you don't.

3. This space intentionally left blank, for dramatic effect.

Startup Vitamins

2013-07-29T21:41:00.001-05:00

I almost never endorse a specific product, service, website, etc. and I'm not now...not exactly....I'm simply commenting.

At Startup Vitamins one can find all sorts of brutally honest, no-nonsense, real-world motivational products. I like it, and will be buying a specific mug that I love....but this is not an endorsement. Not exactly.....it's commentary, and here's why...

I love the quote "The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference." I believe the folks at Startup Vitamins have embodied this quote exquisitely.

There has been a trend for decades of motivational posters and paraphernalia, with one truly stand out example....it stands out because it sort of sucks....I won't be naming it, but you know the one. Platitudinous pablum, offered up as profundity. Silver linings, soaring eagles, mountains.....you've seen them....you've rolled your eyes at them....you may have one hanging in your workplace.

And then...the backlash. A parody line of similarly designed products, but all with a negative and humorous twist. Anathema to the above mentioned (and not to be named) line of products. The mirror image of their predecessors, snarky as snark can get. This particular company, by its satirical send-ups, expressed a deep seated hatred for the aforementioned series of motivational products, that they implied, did little motivating. Deep. Seated. Hatred.

And then comes Startup Vitamins.....there may be others like it, others before it, but this one has my eye.

They seem to have taken the opposite of love for their predecessors, and their indifference is inspiring.

They take the trend set before them, and ignore it completely.

They take a simple and honest snapshot of a function of production (sometimes specific to an industry or even tailored to a specific company), an approach, a state of being, and offer it up as a reminder.

To inspire. Honestly.

Sometimes their message restates a simple truth, sometimes it defines a certain vision, sometimes it commands a higher calling....but it never sounds preachy. Not once.

Oh, screw it.... this is an endorsement. Got get a mug or poster at www.startupvitamins.com

Counterintuitive = Outcome x (Evidence/Bias)

2013-05-10T19:20:00.000-05:00

I suck at math, so please view the title of this post as symbolic and literary in nature.

I've read or heard the term 'counterintuitive' a lot lately. I like how it puts the spotlight on perception....a lot can be uncovered. But, it may say more about our biases than anything else...see definition below.

coun•ter•in•tu•i•tive (ˌkaʊn tər ɪnˈtu ɪ tɪv, -ˈtyu-)

adj.

counter to what intuition would lead one to expect.

So, I read the above and ask one question.....Who's intuition is the accepted baseline? Isn't it possible that when someone says "Hey, that seems counterintuitive." it could be easily viewed as "Hey... I have a less evolved, less informed, and biased, outlook... so I didn't expect that outcome."

A few examples:

"That member of an ethnic class didn't live up to my stereotype."

or

"My simple view of the world didn't expect the more complicated results the experiment showed."

or

"My lack of full insight makes this data seem skewed....to me....so it seems."

That sort of thing.

So be careful if you use this word....you better have a transcendent, well-informed, un-biased baseline of opinion. If not, you may come off sounding like a dolt.

The Knowledge Ceiling

2013-05-06T23:46:00.000-05:00

I work with some pretty smart people....partners, colleagues, clients, a team of fine folks.

We train weekly....sales process, technology changes, best practices....sharpening the saw. Many of us are curious by nature, so we seek out new things naturally. Trade rags, articles on new developments and recent trends, white papers, what have you.

But I've noticed something. No matter how good we are or how hard we try, we run into a peculiar problem...there is only so much knowledge contained within a group. We have shared as much info as is contained within a particular group. We look around and see that what was once a series of shared discoveries is now communal knowledge. Occasionally we hit a ceiling.

Being relevant has a finite expiration date, without knowledge growth. We have, often, had to look hard to find new things to learn. It's uncommon, as there is so much change within my industry. But it happens.

When it does, it's time to have lunch....or coffee....or set up an educational opportunity outside of our normal ecosystem of knowledge.

I've called companies before, with just one question...."I just want to know what you do." There is great opportunity here.

I've attended events purely for educational purposes, the theme of the event being something I don't know.

It's an odd thing, searching for an answer when you don't even know what the question is yet....but it's a great way to learn.

Beauty...simply.

2013-05-05T00:24:00.003-05:00

The Bormioli Rocco Fido Glass Canning Jar. Simply made, seemingly anachronistic, perfectly engineered.

It's a great symbol of quality that balances efficiency, economy, and function in a sublime manner.

I get wound up over strange things, I admit. But stick with me...

In the aisles of mass-produced plastic crap, the Fido stands out. Whatever you are storing, you care about it. You want it sealed in an air tight manner. You trust glass as the perfect medium to neither impart nor allow entry from outside tastes (ever tasted ice that tastes like garlic....that's infused from the fridge....think of food products that work similarly).

Spices, some a minor investment, find these little homes perfect for their overall demeanor.

A marinara made with real San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic deserve to be stored in a Fido.

Now...you may be wondering my point. Go to your pantry. Look in. Is there any foodstuff there that you would deem worthy of the Fido? Eliminate any and all foods with High-Fructose Corn Syrup. Did you buy it in the "middle aisles"? Well, 9 in 10 chance it is not Fido worthy.

Buy it at WalMart?...chances are the plastic storage options over on Aisle 12 will handle your needs.

It's funny that our food no longer really needs or seems at balance with the Fido. To store food in one of these gems, the food must be equal in quality to the jar itself. Honestly, could you see yourself putting Cocoa Puffs in one of the big Fidos? If you can't, you probably understand what I'm getting at.

Our cultural drift from quality, where artisan, as a word, even needs to exist (as everything is mass produced crap), where we commoditize that which fuels our body, is so short on food that needs the Fido and it's sealing ability as to be telling. If a food doesn't spoil easy it's not food....but what about honey that never spoils and food that uses spoilage (pickles, kimchi, anything that ferments) as its method of preserving??....OK, that's the exception that makes the rule....and it's oh so at home in a Fido in its finished form.

The Fido is a symbol, a metaphor, a reminder of when consumption comes out of balance or not. Be on the lookout for anything you consume (and not just food/drink)....anything.

Sometimes you can tell a book by it's cover, a food by it's packaging, and a culture based on it's lack of these things. Food for thought.

"...through a glass, darkly."

2013-04-29T23:41:00.001-05:00

This morning I took a medication that should be taken with food....said so right on the bottle. I didn't. Within a half hour or so, my body reacted...and with it my mood....in a bad direction. We don't use the term malaise enough in the common vernacular, but it describes my day well.

I raised my voice to a coworker...not that this is a big deal as my team uses raised voices, and impassioned gestures as a part of our communication process...punctuated often with expletives....it works for us...normally. But today, it was more short tempered irritability and was poorly misplaced emotion. It served no purpose, and was most likely counterproductive to my desired end.

I was passionately indifferent. I seemed to look for things to not care about. This is highly atypical for me and not a state that would allow me to survive long in my field....but my 'give a shit' was busted.

I expressed, in what I would classify as a warning to my coworkers, that I was in an ill mood. Several made comment that I hid it well (at least those I didn't yell at), but if they were to have watched me shuffle papers around my desk for a portion of the day, they would have seen how ineffective I was.

My profession will forgive many a flaw, but indifference and ineffectiveness are death.

Salespeople, at least the good ones, are required to own and care about situations and scenarios when everyone else has gone home. It's close to midnight as I write this, and the only reason why is for the cathartic effect this blog often has for me.

I must be shut of this malaise, I've got shit to do....and I pretty much lost a day of productivity.

So tonight, I will metabolize whatever medication is left, and exorcize the moody remnants it brought. I will drink plenty of water, and get a good nights sleep.

Tomorrow, I will start anew....I will have tea instead of coffee, as a treatise of sorts, with my poor stomach. I will approach food with a focus on something more healthy-ish... I will look for every chance to enhance my mood, whether by good practice or placebo.

And if it says 'take with food' on the bottle, I'll probably just skip it entirely.

I've got shit to do.

Because I have a banana.....

2013-04-03T20:50:00.001-05:00

If you have a banana, and only a banana, selling a banana seems a grand idea. But not everyone wants a banana.

Let's expand on this a bit.....a VERY large online retail site, oh....ryhmes with Blamazon....has a whole lot going for it....a regular fruit salad (if sticking with, but expanding on, the banana metaphor).

Huge online inventory...check.....great pricing.....yep.....ease of use....yep....great return policy....indeed....avoiding state/local taxes....still yes, sort of, most places....unparalleled logistics and distribution....can't argue.....same day delivery.....wait..what??

Same day delivery? Really? Maybe someone will look back upon this post and think "Gads, what a Luddite."....but same day delivery just seems unnecessary...and a bit anathema to why I personally LOVE using....umm...rhymes with Cramazon.....oh, screw it, it's Amazon.

Let's take a look at same day delivery....what are we buying? Books...scads of books....suits, blazers, electronics, foodstuffs....try as I might, I cannot think of one thing I need 'same-day' as I order it...or want it to be.

Here's what happens....I buy something....crave satiated, pleasure centers all abuzz. In a day or two, I come home and "Holy COW, there's some stuff on my porch!!!" This is, regarding Amazon, as close to instant gratification as I care to experience.

Keep the pricing low, absorb some of the tax burden, keep the eBook stuff flowing, great return policy, keep a good mix of high-end and low-end product, and FREE SHIPPING....that last one impresses me the best.

So, we understand that your logistics and delivery agreements differentiate you from pretty much everyone else....and I am a BIG fan of that which differentiates....but at the same time, I really don't want it. Just because you have something, doesn't mean you have to make it a part of your overall offering....especially if it takes from any of the other important areas....which it will.

Unless Amazon starts offering same day delivery of REALLY good Chinese food....my neighborhood has one crappy Chinese restaurant that delivers, I am out on the same-day service idea.

Wait...unless "Prime" gets replaced with "Teleport"....that I'd do.....or a nice Sichuan Beef. That's it.

There is no "I" in "Mistake"

2013-04-02T21:20:00.001-05:00

See what I did there....funny, no??

When a mistake is made, and they will be...and often....so very often, how do you look at it? How do you process it? How do you approach it?

"Stupid _____ department.", "Damn support team", "Those ____ guys screw up everything.", etc, etc.

Sound familiar? If you hear someone saying this, go correct them (I'll give you details below)....say it often yourself? Then you should either change, or find a new job...maybe some therapy. Medication, maybe.

Step 1: Mistakes are inevitable. Human, mechanical, electrical, clerical, etc, etc, etc.....plan, take ownership, mitigate, embrace, learn, coach, mitigate some more, learn some more. For those who have followed this blog for a while, you may recall the saying "Keep the shit to shoe level." This is what I speak of, expect it and see it coming.

Step 2: You just uncovered or were made aware of a mistake. STOP...breathe. DO NOT assign blame. Blame is a meaningless thing. Most of the people you work with are of the age that they are no longer capable of being "in trouble' unless connected to someone wearing a badge or a judge's robe (if you are a cop or a judge, this blog doesn't really apply to you). Plus, it's an un-evolved and base mode of thinking. It's punitive. There is no worse approach in the business world than being punitive (and FYI....eventually cutting out a teammate that cannot perform is not punitive, it is empowering to their future or could be).

Step 3: Turn that eye inward. Whatever the mistake, search for EVERY possible way you personally created it. Miscommunication, lack of proper pre-evaluation, lack of mitigation, lack of documentation....feeling fascination (sorry, that's just a lot of "-ations"). Be relentless.

Step 4: While blame is bad, fault doesn't have to be. Maybe this is just semantics (and this is my blog, so whatever) but finding where a fault lies is, to me, a different approach. So where does the fault exist? Process, mechanical, clerical, personal.....It's OK....approach the issue and co-own it completely. Analyze the way in which the issue occurred/breakdown happened. Then over communicate....bring it all to light. Control that which you can, accept that which you cannot.

Now...realize there is no "I"....or "You"....or "They"......only "We"......go back up to Step 1. Rinse, lather, repeat...and repeat....and repeat.

"How do you perceive us?"

2013-03-27T21:35:00.003-05:00

A simple question, but powerful when properly applied.

I have seen companies that have existing brand recognition within a specific market. I have seen these companies, and have worked/networked/not worked with some of their sales folk. I have, too often, seen them present their, and I stress their, snapshot of what and who their company is.

I've had the opportunity to sit in on meetings with other sales reps, and when they start anywhere than where the customer is in their perception, you get a few reactions from the client.....1) Boring, I am pretty well versed with who you are. 2) Bullshit, nothing you are saying rings true with my perceptions 3) Boring, I don't know who you are and I don't care about any of this stuff you think is an actual introduction.....and maybe a 4) Wow, I only cared about 10% of what you told me...let's go back to that.

Show up and throw up, beginning corporate history on Powerpoint slide three, list of clients....SNOOZE. Every company has a history, a "focused approach on providing great service at a great price", and clients.....nothing at all differentiating, and starting where you think the story should, not where the client thinks the story should. Bad rep.....bad.

Now there is nothing wrong with educating your client on who your company is, it is a mandatory part of the process. I attend a weekly training to keep myself relevant on a company and industry that change at the speed of light (literally, the speed of light is a huge factor in my industry). I, at least 4 times a week, identify the biggest part of my overall sales process as educational.

But here is my question.... would it not be good to start with a clients perceived notions (regardless of the accuracy) and build from there?

It is highly likely, for me and my company, that my client is probably not fully aware of who we are. That takes a very long time, is always changing, but is best started from the foundation that the client sets, not me.

I may have to educate that their perception is only a partial view, is outdated, or is absent completely. I am a strident believer that the client is OFTEN wrong, but in this instance, it is great to start at that point, and if they are...meet them where they stand now, and guide them towards a better understanding.

Often they are spot on on their evaluation, and just saved you a lot of time. Almost never does one really give a shit about the year your company started. So take their understanding and add to it, round it out, make it more complete.

But if they are completely off the mark, slightly outdated, have a perception based on seemingly nothing, or a single negative experience, then start there and lead them.....Like sweet, lost, misguided little children....lead them towards a better understanding.

"So..picture a hamster."

2013-03-08T20:22:00.000-06:00

I have been asked to speak to high-school students about the Internet.

The idea is to begin planting seeds in these young minds... on technology and how it relates to the business world. The desire from the teacher is to start with a 'general understanding' approach, show them how it relates to the business world, and then give them a block of time to come up with some form of business idea that will be Internet based.

I, again, cannot stress the sad state of affairs our education system must be in, if educators are looking to me as anything but a bad influence. Maybe I'm being overly self-deprecating. Maybe they are desperate. Either way I'm honored.

Oh, and by the way, I'm using a hamster to explain the internet. I'll be calling him 'Surfy".

Now when I say 'Internet" I'm not talking about the applications that run over the Internet, the web-sites that are accessible over the Internet, Social Media empowered by the Internet, or any of the multitude of things that often people use as synonymous with the Internet...but aren't the Internet......but the actual. physical Internet.

I, in the course of my sales process, often am required to explain the Internet... to IT people, consultants, and C-level executives. Grand technologists who speak in boxes, or gear, or applications or software....but have an almost child-like understanding of what the Internet actually is. Many of these individuals would probably benefit from the "Surfy" presentation.

Maybe this is what makes me, at least in approach and experience, an acceptable choice to speak to children of the Internet.

I see the use of analogy as a powerful tool to understand overly complex things, in an entry level way....hence Surfy, a big picture of hamster tubes, and the idea that a whisper in Surfy's little hamster ear can make some amazing things happen.

Maybe I'm not so bad a choice after all, to inspire young minds. And I'm damn sure Surfy is up to the task.