Qualities of Great Managers, A tribute in honor of one of my favorite managers of all time, Rob Ghielen.

This was a week full of heart warming stories. From Sun's return to profitability, the Chicago Bears making history, and then when I heard of BB King hospitalization today at age 81, I decided it was time to honor the man and the music that is part of the tapestry of my life!

I love Sonic! Not just it's food, its philosophy.
Simplified Service Management means creating a better experience by creating a better service package. Imagine if you went to a Sonic to order a Toaster Sandwich, Chocolate Coke, and a side of tator tots, and each part of the order was taken by a different person focussed only on what they made-- Toaster Sandwich from the grill gal, Tator Tots from the Fry Guy, and can I add a Chocolate Coke? Yes but we need to dispatch our Drink Dude, it will cost more, but we can't tell you how much more, he will be with you in a moment.

Sonic has figured out the requirements to offer one meal with all utensils, packaging, condiments, and add ons for one simple price from it's organiztion. It requires service management operations that can define and deliver their jobs with the same well architected experience.

Service management maturity begins with the notion that EVERYTHING costs something. Thinking in terms of the estimated cost, risk, and benefit is a practical start. Change Management works with Financial and Service Management because CHANGE costs money and directly impacts or influence customer experience. EVERY product, EVERY service as a life cycle of inception through maintenance until End of Life Cycle. Change Management is about creating a minimal impact from one state change to the next, and providing the balance of need and impact. So the Financial and Service Management component for Change Management would be how to provide stewardship for the IT Infrastructure with adequate funding, resources, and planning to minimize risk.

Growing up in the midwest, we had a beautiful Saint Bernard, Oscar-- great for romping in the snow, pulling us on sleds, and even playing basketball, but when he got into the house, and the living room, all kind of chaos would happen!

During my tenure in IT I have come to equate many of the dynamic skills and pressures of our IT talent to the Oscar in the living room, that is learning to be domesticated! We have come a long way, baby, but will you trust us with the fine china yet?

Some thoughts on IT coming to recognize it's grander self. Sounds like ITIL version 3 intends to look at this as well.. Strategy and Service Improvement hold alot of possibility to an introspective organization with good management intent and internal process!

Old school world class! With syndication in 550 Newspapers, Art Buchwald's political commentary and social satire has framed our culture for many years. Rest in peace, Mr Buchwald, who died today at 81 after electing to conclude his ongoing dialysis treatment. Art Buchwald, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, created more than 8,000 articles and 30 books in his illustrious career.

Unraveling the mysteries and Web 2.0's potential to create new markets and opportunity.

As one of the first telecommuters in Sun Microsystem's work from home program, at the start the attraction was one of personal interest. Our Global Team adaptable to change, and working from home extended creativity, flexibility and the productivity. Telecommuting, Human Resources advantages, Environmental benefits, and the right people regardless of where they are... There are some compelling reasons to offer the telecommuting option for those willing to develop the skills and unique competency of virtual teaming!

In Memory of Bob Fanchi, Pontiac, IL, a prestress engineer who died at age 40, before his lunchbreak, on December 19, 2006.

In IT it is great to feel needed, to work around others who share your passion for performance, problem solving, and results! An engineer is someone who practices using scientific knowledge to solve practical problems. Let me not be too busy in the meetings, deliverables, timelines and problems to allow my Type A Personality Work factor to appreciate the time and people that MAKE our environment great!

When you put money, time, heart, or resource in community expect change.. This season we can create much positive change. . I do so in memory of Hurricane Katrina, of baby Quinn, and out of gratitude for a kind and caring community that I enjoy. I would love to hear your stories, your reasons and what you are doing to be the voice, the action, and the energy for positive community change! People matter and they make a difference by being and staying connected.

Substance and Speed-- the yin and yang of satisfaction. Whether CMMI, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL, Prince2, etc... Set control points, expectations and authority is practical. Impractical is to think these processes are stand alone checkboxes that an IT group says they do in addition to their day jobs.

How do companies hold a strategic conversation that creates opportunity, strength, and marketshare superiority? It begins with a realistic summary of the present and past, with a concerted look at the future. This is important because a good many service providers define themselves from a position of weakness, looking at how they can manage in arrears, faulty decisions made, also in arrears. When too much of your management's time is spent in rear view mirror explanation, your forward momentum, planning, and expectation, take a back and often missed seat, until they are moved to the trunk or thrown out of the vehicle to become more "nimble".

Light blog on who's making interesting news.. Susan Cramm, CIO Leadership. Putting out practical expertise and creating new opportunities, yep lots of possibility when media and business capabilities start to emerge! The Social Networking Phenomena and Liz Ryans new book.

How is it that insomnia, work pressures, depression and deep sorrow is solved from training mind and body to do something different? Don't Know. Don't care! If this is the formula for now, let me enjoy the unprecidented opportunity. Health and possibility that seems to be coming out of the woodwork. My kids see it, my family feels it, and soon, I am sure, I will see it. For right now, I just aspire to keep trying some new and better habits to replace the automatic unchallenged and unobserved habits.. those that are rooted in old beliefs and feel comfortable might not actually be serving the better good.

There is a new Dawn emerging still taking form, still a little rough around the edges-- and the future is so bright, I gotta wear shades!
It is happening at Sun, it is happening seemingly everywhere... and the journey is to create a better new reality.

ITIL: Dare we go to Service and Finanical Management? YES!! There is Sanity through Clarity: (Finance and IT acting as One Strength, Many Talents, bring them together!)

1. What facts, reports, controls, and measures most support a sound Service and Financial Management Strategy?
2. What are the present Goals and Objectives that will influence this model?
3. Communicate where we are, where we have been, where we are going effectively and frequently.

Every November when the U.S. holiday, Thanksgiving, arrives, I reflect on the year prior, and prepare to close that year with a spirit of gratitude. This year I find a deep appreciation for the restorative capacity of sleep, dream, and yes, words. May we find the capacity to face whatever is in front of us with grace. May we find the nobility to keep on doing what is essential, and the wisdom to know what we can and should let go. May we find the courage to redefine ourselves, not by our circumstances, but by our creative potential.

Not because it's trendy, or looks good on paper. Results matter! ITIL as an alignment activity has the wrong focus on IT's uniqueness with a focus on fixing the broken processes and gaining acceptance to present state requirements. IT can do and be more by striving for service management through integration. Implications of integration instead of alignment are spoken here.

Comparies the good, bad, and ugly of ITIL process or lack of process to key excerpts from The 1999 Movie, Office Space, Written and Directed by Mike Judge-- but with highlight references only.. I wouldn't want to spoil the fun. If you have not seen the movie, go rent or buy it this weekened. It is a keeper for people in our industry!!

"Never Let them See you Sweat". It's an advertising campaign I swear must have been written for Perimenopausal women to make them purchase products that make them feel better about change. The subtle message that "sweat" is bad, was not missed on me!

The environment I live and work in, is competitive, I like that challenge. As the holidays approach I reflect on the year's prior. Last year was a major turning point in this woman's middle aged life. It started with defining some new rules to replace my established, but stale traditions.

What is it that defines performance? What do peak performers do differently to create outcomes that define their industry?
Strategy and Success Matters. Believing there is room for you at the top requires some steady awareness of what it takes to solve the specific problems of your customer most effectively, the first time, with least cost and best value. Clearly articulating a vision for what they want, and what they do not want, sets a clear stage. It takes courage to dream bigger than most to create uncommon opportunity and competitive advantage.

For today, just a happy resource for my sisters in business and active in our communities.

Inspirational Women I have known: (Demonstrate Courage, Intgrity, Vision, with Strength and Style)

My Friend, hero and mentor, CA State Assemblymember District 17, Barbara Matthews -She taught me much about finding your voice and speaking your truth with courage and integrity. A beautiful and incredibly inspirational woman!

CO First District Chief Deputy Whip - Diana DeGette, tough minded, most approachable and straight talking, --a very relate-able mom, and strong leader!

Girl Get your Suffrage On.

Criminal Negligence and Katrina

LinkedIn Fearless Executive Women

November in Ohio in 2006. Politics really matter-- I am pro-humanity, civility, prosperity, and diversity. But that is me. I am not trying to change the world to be more like me. I maintain an interest and connection to others, and have found a peace in taking actions on where I stand, in a way that moves and represents the values I hold dear. Please regardless of if you agree or disagree with me, vote to represent your conscience, your values, and your desires... If we get true about THOSE real issues, we will start to put our country and our intentions more in alignment with the great country that we are. Why am I voting?

November in Colorado in 2004 I donated my entire maternity leave to political change in Colorado and we were successful in our efforts to bring attention to the need for change. We worked as hard as humanly possible, even on Halloween. The night of the election, we were invited to receptions in Denver, and instead my husband and I passed out at 7:30 p.m. after months of too much work.

November in Ohio. Politics really matter-- I am pro-humanity, civility, prosperity, and diversity. But that is me. I am not trying to change the world to be more like me. I have found a peace in taking actions on where I stand, in a way that moves and represents the values I hold dear. Please regardless of if you agree or disagree with me, vote to represent your conscience, your values, and your desires... If we get true about THOSE real issues, we will start to put our country and our intentions more in alignment with the great country that we are. Why am I voting?

Been studying recently the difference and value between proactive and reactive success. In my quest for greater life balance, the greater struggle often begins in my mind. Think of it this way, corporations spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year for "search engine optmization" that puts them at the top of a google search. Enterprises and larger recruiting firms use keyword searches to be the front line to determining which resumes get read. For $20.00 you can buy any number of books like "Words that Sell" to improve your marketing and advertising budget.

This blog deals with a call to action and more deliberate "personal" and "organizational" marketing. In IT, determine reactivity is often a celebrated art-- ability to find super human capacity to respond to whatever the current business stimulus. They do this because it's what they do well, have been paid for in the last decade, and what they think it takes to maintain their jobs. The challenge for IT, and in fact competitive position is a freedom from stimulus/response behaviour to select more proactive alternatives. Imagine the solutions, new markets and problems that might be solved if we traded fear for action, office politics for uncommon collaboration, hidden fear to proactive opportunity. It is out there, it is within reach, and the things that lend us freedom to explore proactive behaviour are well within our reach!

The best features of social networking would be an abundance of resources you do desire, with a minimum of annoyances to detest. Social Networking has become a business application for sales, intelligence, professional development. I view social networking as a virtual extension of my physical being. I love the connections I have made, that have benefitted my employer, myself, and the social causes I have an interest in. Looking for inspiration? With some practice, and discovery, you will likely find the right resource for your social networking as well. In this blog I will share some of the networks I explore, and what I have experienced. If you have suggestions on others, or some that I have not developed a gift for using, let me know!

Can you Service IT? Double meaning intended, can you service Information Technology and whatever "it" is that the business needs you to do. "IT" is not always fastest service, cheapest service, etc, but do you know what the key elements of performance are that leads to performance the business can live with and love.

Proactive IT Management is not as simple as adjusting to a need as it has arisen, but shaping the business environment for more efficiency, capacity, and excellence. "It" might also involve dramatically improved service quality and cost reduction. At the heart of ITIL is the ability to deliver to the present and future needs of our business and our customers.

ITIL principles apply to all existing and anticipated future business requirements. Done in any climate of change, it has the ability to enhance the Total Cost of Ownership investments in Information Technology. When IT is clare on it's processes and process dependencies, the foundation extends Service Management capabilities. With all the "partial processes" and no service delivery and support model, all measures will continue to struggle in complexity.