Change management is a natural process following mergers and acquisitions. From the Board to operations, people are required to realign themselves with the new founded entity. The process may involve reshaping, restructuring, new hires, as well as disengaging personnel, regardless of the length of their tenure or contract. These changes are not only smart but essential – as separate entities objective and goals would have been different but as one merged entity, business needs must be redefined across the board.

Most times change management is a challenge. People fear the unknown and act to preserve their interest and long-held authority within an enterprise by resisting change. The reality though is shareholders’ interest boil down to bottom-line: profitability. Rightfully so since it is their dollars on the line when businesses bear losses. Those losses, or gains, are directly attributed to how and who run the shows, from the Board of Directors to senior executives to rank and file. As owners, shareholders appoint the Board and entrust them with certain authority to execute in the best interest of the entity – ideally. Unfortunately, too often, that is not what transpires in reality, as we have seen with AIG, GM, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to name a few.

The question then is what steps should shareholders take to protect their interest and essentially, the business? How are they assured that past mistakes will not be repeated by the Board and their executives? Owners are not involved enough to ensure success, regardless of the reason(s). On the other hand, executives who are hired and entrusted with the well-being of an enterprise must make executive decisions that exclusively benefit the business. If that process require re-aligning their own positions and/or compensations, engaging independent entities for objectivity and proficiency and/or new hires as well as disengaging people, so be it.

People mistakenly credit their positions more than what they really are. The longer a position is held, the more that misconception. Extremely few people are indispensable in the working world. The sooner people grasp this concept, the stronger and more efficient the work force will be. Carl Icahn said it best -

…….. managers have been awarded lavish retention bonuses. In my view, very few managers are irreplaceable, especially in this economy.

On the other hand, shareholders may boost their work force by assuring easy access to them by all on board, be it at AGM or direct discreet communication without the fear of retaliation and/or loosing their jobs. Not the complaint department, where it’s essentially handled by legal to avoid lawsuit, but direct access to share ideas and/or to present business proposition for profitability. Wouldn’t owners (shareholders) be open to ways their business may reach greater heights by accelerating performance, doing more with less (cutting cost), boosting efficiency? As a shareholder, I would.

Mergers and acquisitions bring forth complex problems because the competition within is doubled to protect own self interest – human nature. Shareholders must be more involved, demand more answers – at least during the months following the acquisition. One greatest tool to their advantage is technology – it should be used to strategize, partner and execute.

Tags: acquisition, AIG, Business, change management, enterprise, entity, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, GM, Goldman Sachs, mergers, Morgan Stanley, owners, shareholders, Technology
Posted in Best Practices, Business, Technology |

My quick thought on people often feeling the need to owe their own worth to someone else.

I receive many thank you emails and notes for jobs, opportunities, connections, so on and so forth. As much as I’m humbled by these gestures my response remain the same: opportunities are created by each individual, him or her -self, by their own credentials, experience, knowledge. My or my team’s role is to identify the inner attributes and maximize those capabilities. Sometimes those steps require refinement, encouragement, exposure and education for sustainability and helping them reach greater heights. The core attributes of those talents, however, are exclusive parts of an individual without which there simply would not be any aspect for us to utilize. Simply put, if you are seeking to be indebted to someone for jobs and/or opportunities, look no further than in the mirror. It’s your own abilities that largely contribute to your success – the rest merely work in concert on that foundation.

On the other hand, businesses prosper by successfully identifying and engaging the right talent for the right role. In short, our actions are business decisions – we require the knowledge and capabilities for our own sustenance and profit while in return we offer compensation. While I appreciate the kind notes and thoughts, I encourage highly talented work force to appreciate their own worth, first and foremost – personally, that would please me the most.

Tags: Business, credentials, experience, knowledge, Sustainability, sustenance, talent, work force
Posted in Business, Talents/Expertise |

Like many others, I too am sometimes confronted with the dilemma to push back or to let things slide, more when it involve livelihood, not mine alone but an entire team of people and their dependents, so on and so forth. Push back demonstrate how strong or weak you are in the business world as interpreted by both proponents and opponents. My motivation, however, is slightly different and simple: not putting up with nonsense, whatever that maybe. Donald Trump said it best -

It’s smart to know when to push back. Competitive edge is not merely an attribute but essential in business. If you allow yourself to be walked over once, be assured that will become your signature and you simply will not survive.

Learn from the best, be it Icahn, Trump, Jobs, or whoever, regardless of their life philosophy. Their commonality? Experience and success. If that is your objective, then learning from them is smart, even if that means making executive decisions contrary to your own advisors’ and team executives’ opinion.

Why think small, when you can think big? Learn the art of push back and be a success.

Tags: Business, Donald Trump, Icahn, Jobs, push back, think big
Posted in Best Practices, Business |

The most important step in forming  a business relationship is the first encounter or meeting. There are basic rules of business etiquette that should be maintained to determine the outcome of that meeting. In an increasingly global market, mannerism displayed will either make or break a relationship. The few pointers below may seem common sense, but surprisingly, often times they are ignored.

FIVE GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE FOR SUCCESS

Addressing Others Whether first encounter or meeting in a board room, address each other with respect and courtesy. Regardless of age, number of years in the working world, race, gender, language, culture, customs, each participant in a meeting is equal. The reason is simple – each person brings something unique to the table and deserve equal respect and recognition, without which a healthy relationship cannot be built. Think Steve Jobs and the “Google Guys”, Sergey Brin and Larry Page. All three men are no less than the other even though Jobs launched his business when both Page and Brin were just babies. Innovation, sustainability and success are not bound by age, gender or culture, but by imagination, creativity, intelligence and adaptability. Addressing one another with that equal footing will help to form a strong relationship, leading to mutual success.

Communication Clear and concise communication is another fundamental element. In a global world it is necessary to understand and effectively communicate your message that is easily understood in diverse countries and cultures. Body language alone convey 75% of the message. Communication errors between generations are common. As explained above, age or experience does not automatically give an individual the right to offer advice by default. When doing so, the message can be seen as arrogant and condescending. As a receiver of that unwanted advice, the best solution is to thank the person, regardless whether it’s relevant or not, and excuse yourself. By doing so, you will avoid unpleasantness and maintain civility.

Accepting, Adapting and Sensitivity When conducting business in an international setting, cultural differences will no doubt be visible. However, the focus should be the business at hand and not different ways – be it accent, directness or politeness, aggressive or passive ways, so on and so forth. I would say this is the most basic attribute in conducting business in global setting – that is if you want to stay one step ahead of the curve. A South African diplomat once shared how accepting and respecting other cultures helped her grow, personally and professionally. I learned that it is the culture in certain part of Africa (memory fails to recall exact country) where hands are wiped on the skirts of table cloth after a meal. Imagine what your reaction may be without that vital information if you were to conduct business in that country. The trick is to learn, understand, accept and be sensitive to these different cultures, not make the other person(s) adapt to your ways. Keep it simple and open.

Confident, Yet Humble It is important to know your abilities and expertise. That knowledge will result in presenting yourself with confidence and authority. Both maybe achieved with humility: you know your niche market but at the same time are humbled by your achievements. Sometimes confidence maybe mistaken for arrogance, often times among competitors than prospects. If that is so, instead of being offended, regard it as a compliment, to quote a mentor. No matter where success leads, a little humility will always go a long way. More doors will open up when confident and humble than when confident and arrogant.

Keeping Cool Tempers are bound to flare in any business setting, often caused by competition, stress, demand and other internal and external factors. Regardless of the situation, keeping cool is smart. However, sometimes it’s easier said than done. One of the easiest way to avoid a direct conflict is to end unproductive conversations and/or meetings. That will allow all involved to cool off and meet at a different setting. Productivity thrives in harmony as do ideas and solutions. Open and transparent suggestions will lead to possible solutions. Repetitive discussion of problems without offering solutions is counterproductive and will plummet morale, decreasing productivity regardless of culture, industry or setting.

Applying these simple and yet powerful etiquette will brand you as a sharp and savvy global businessperson. What business manners are important to you and what would you want others to implement? Share your thoughts.

Tags: Business, communication, culture, etiquette, global, google guys, larry page, manners, sergey brin, steve jobs, Sustainability
Posted in Best Practices, Business |

Looking back on 2009, I pause on our journey – the anticipation, accomplishments, successes, challenges and disappointments – and am humbled by our growth in these challenging times. My heartfelt appreciation to our clients, supporters and well wishers without whom we would not have come this far.

The year saw expansion and opportunities from DC to California. A few alliances and partnerships were formed while others are in the making, giving us the edge to provide the very best to our clients and the community at large. While there were disappointments and missed opportunities, we are better aligned in moving forward with relationships strengthened, and products and services that are being rendered.

We gathered much knowledge from industry leaders and peers at live conferences, workshops and brainstorm sessions held across the US. I thank the organizers – Enterprise 2.0, MIT CIO, Fortune Branstorm Tech, All Things D, Future Media and many other community events, too many to name – for their tireless effort in providing platforms and tools for leaders and participants to share and grow together for the betterment of technology at large. The knowledge each person shares is priceless as are relationships formed in the hallways – I personally can’t seem to get enough of either.

Hats-off to the entire Simply Web team – internal, consultants and vendors – who silently bear with unreasonable demands, often times request for delivery prior to rollout date, and exceed all expectations time and time again. Without the diligence, smart performance and behind-the-scene excellence, Simply Web would just simply not be. I am grateful for the opportunity to be working with the very best team. My sincere thanks to our directors and advisors who allow me unconditional and unlimited access to their knowledge and expertise – they keep us grounded, extend a helping hand to rise when we fall and give us the push needed when exhausted.

I look forward to a stronger, prosperous and healthy 2010. In the meantime, thank you, 2009, for an interesting year!

Tags: 2009, 2010, Business, challenges, simply web, success, Technology
Posted in Business, Technology |

The disconnect between business and technology is so vast, it is hard to believe one’s (technology) purpose  is to serve the other (business), simply put. In other words, business needs must be understood and identified for technology to deliver. And yet, technology is often excluded during strategic business plans, mistakenly associating technology as “cost” vs strategic partner in providing solutions, in many sectors.

So, logically speaking technology is more than just tools. It is, according to Wikipedia -

Technology deals with human as well as other animal species’ usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species’ ability to control and adapt to its natural environment. The word technology comes from the Greek technología (τεχνολογία) — téchnē (τέχνη), ‘craft’ and -logía (-λογία), the study of something, or the branch of knowledge of a discipline.^[1] A strict definition is elusive; technology can be material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include “construction technology”, “medical technology”, or “state-of-the-art technology”.

As for technologists themselves, too much focus is on tools – wikis, applications, infrastructure – rather than on strategic, smart solutions composed of people, process and finally tools. The reason is simple: the purchase of a tool, be it most expensive or most “recommended”, does not necessarily mean it’s the best solution for business in the absence of experts and knowledgeable workers. In the hindsight, those tools will ultimately be expensive waste in the company’s ledger. You may own a Ferrari but that will not make you a Formula 1™ Ferrari driver or an expert.

People

People are, or should be, knowledge workers driving innovation, outside-the-box concepts that provide cutting-edge or best solutions demanded and needed by business. People must be strategically allocated according to their individual strengths and knowledge to best serve the business. Unfortunately, the challenge in enterprises is often the people themselves. Larger the corporation, bigger the challenge. Oliver Marks, an expert in enterprise collaboration with intricate knowledge and experience at global level, talks about these internal challenges here, here and here.

On the other hand, technology staffing suppliers can be notorious for advocating “contractors” for projects of all sizes. Vendors love nothing more than providing headcounts – it’s an easy profit, as a prime contractor of a number of large corporations once told me. Sure, it’s a vendor’s dream and the best solution for many projects. But, is it so for every project? Are businesses being matched with right skilled-sets of knowledge workers? Many vendors hike up a candidate’s expertise and experience for a quick sell, often times without the knowledge of the candidate or the client. More importantly, is redundantly placing x number of contractors best option for the business? Adding headcounts without strategic plan is not a solution but a waste of resources and money. Contractors need time to adapt to projects and cultures while the project’s requirement is immediate hands-on. Additionally, bringing contractors on-board cause frictions between them and “employees”, wasting valuable time in a successful rollout. (“Contractors” and  “employees” is a topic by itself and require a separate post.)

The most pressing question to ask: how can collective knowledge be leveraged and shared in an enterprise to provide smart technology solutions per business needs on time, on budget and every time?

Process

Centralized and standardized processes and methodologies are the backbone of successful project and product rollout. Lack of which translate to confusion, inefficiency and waste. It’s virtually impossible to successfully rollout products repeatedly without implementing processes and methodologies. Processes will determine faster projects and products delivery, save time, effort and money, boost efficiency and gain more with less – primitively put.

Tools

Once right people and process is put in place, tools must be identified that is best suited for the business. It may be an out-of-the-box technology or a ground-up development.

Let’s study one aspect: determining best Content Management System (CMS) to meet the need of an enterprise running multiple (20-200) web sites with global locations.

Sometimes, when we receive new projects that do not require or have the budget for ground-up developments, our coders invariably suggest CMS that they are most familiar with: Symfony, Drupal or WordPress. Interestingly, often times without first learning of clients’ business needs or studying the entire requirements. Now, to be fair to the coders, most of them can build a site blindfolded on Drupal and WordPress. With the latter, they’ve launched (initial) mid-size, customized sites within 48 hours, to clients’ and my outmost surprise – pleasant, mind you.

Of all these three CMS, Symfony is most preferred while Drupal is the least desired. The former has clean, robust and dynamic framework while the latter is extremely procedural and has poor template system, to name a couple of drawbacks. Still, Drupal community has large followings – many have set-up shops developing sites solely on Drupal. I’ve heard arguments in favor of and against all three CMS, including comparing Symfony and Drupal to Mac and PC, respectively. WordPress, on the other hand, has their own strengths and limitations.

All three of these CMS undoubtedly have large followings and loyal users. They each have strong frameworks and all are open source. However, none of them are suitable for a large corporation that run multiple sites.

My personal preference – and favorite – is customized ground-up CMS development based on each corporation’s business needs. (Disclaimer: that is one of our core business and I can write a lengthy essay on the topic).

Selecting and determining tools should not be based on popularity, current work force abilities, one or two success stories but on business need. The question should be: is this the best solution for my business as a whole, not fragmented?

Both business and technology must work closely to eliminate this disconnection. Technologists should take on added responsibilities of understanding the business and consequently what is asked of them other than focusing solely on tools: hardware and software. Simultaneously, business people must include and share their requirements and needs with technologists from inception.

Granted, it’s easier said than done, particularly when change management remain a challenge. Connecting the dots between business and technology will eliminate waste, inefficiency, confusion while boosting more productivity with less, knowledge share and innovation.

And, it is feasible when executed from top down.

Tags: Business, CMS, Collaboration, Drupal, process, Symfony, Technology, tools, web, Wordpress
Posted in Business, Technology |

We all face stressful days, more now when financial market is uncertain, setting off a fuse with just a little nudge. The trick is to remain cordial in your correspondence – if an email ticks you off, instead of replying right away, hold off till you’ve calmed down. I’ve found walking away from the computer or ignoring the email helps.

Then there are days when your polite turn down of a service or product is considered an offense. An effective tool I’ve learnt from my brother is that when people offer you unasked advice – we are very good at telling others what to do, without rectifying our own very similar shortcomings – thank them, regardless. Sometimes you have to thank more than once when people insist you act on their advice or that you agree with them. You don’t have to agree, but you can take the high road and will probably eliminate conflicts by expressing appreciation and ending the conversation.

I’ve two sets of people, old school and new school thinking, whom I consult regarding my business. It’s fascinating how different the thoughts of those two schools are. As our business matures I find new school thoughts are more in alignment with our business needs. However, old school leaders share different sets of expertise and is valuable in certain aspects. Identifying these differences are crucial while maintaining healthy relationships. Although, no doubt these two schools are bound to cause friction at some point.

Opinions will differ. Don’t loose your cool though – just say thank you.

Tags: Business, conflict, friction, new school, old school, thank you
Posted in Business |

Remember Enron? More recently AIG? What did these two corporations have in common? Corruption and ethics violation.

Corporations do not collapse overnight. Corruption start in small doses, a little stealing here and a little stealing there. Very soon, that appetite for greed and total disregard for corporate standard of business conduct consume the greedy, dragging down the corporation along the way. These violations always occur at the top of the ladder. Unfortunate but history tells us so. Violation of ethics and corporate compliance should be stopped early.

Most companies formulate policies, often known as corporate compliance and ethics guidelines, that pretty much is – or should be – the backbone of a corporation. These policies set standards for internal employees as well as relationships with vendors and partners. Many companies take these guidelines seriously providing seminars and training employees to practice business standards set forth.

When a senior vice president of a publicly traded corporation is entrusted with added responsibility of overseeing  specific operations and performance, it becomes her responsibility to engage teams most suited for a specific job in the best interest of the corporation she serves. But when she engages or exerts influence so that her husband is hired, it’s a conflict of interest. Furthermore, she stands to receive direct financial gain by giving or influencing her husband to get the job. If that step involved zero opportunity for other competitors then the misconduct is much more serious and should be investigated, at the least. But the most obvious? You simply cannot, and should not, hire your spouse if you don’t own the company.

It is healthy to have competition and for corporations to practice equal opportunity. But, when privileged information is stolen under false pretense, it is not a competition. It’s dishonesty and playing dirty.

Recently, I evaluated and had lengthy discussions with a former executive of perhaps one of the largest corporation and the most recognized brand in the world. Learning of my intention, one of my well wisher advised me against engaging him. My advisor thought he was not a good fit for us and reminded me that his wife was our competitor. However, the gentleman assured me that our and his wife’s space were very different – our focus is on large corporations, his wife’s on small to mid sized market. With that clarification and verbal assurance, I briefed him on a couple of companies I had studied. Little did I know he was sharing my privileged information with his wife. Worse still, he encouraged his wife to pursue the very companies that he was gathering information from me, under the false pretense of working for us. Mind you, this is the same gentleman who once ran an IT division for one of the largest corporation. It gets more interesting: one of the employee of his wife is the husband of the senior vice president, mentioned above, whose office has the direct authority to oversee the hiring as mentioned earlier.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

Looking back I feel sorry for him, even though he was dishonest and demonstrated poor integrity. Without a corporate title, the person that is left behind is the true nature of an individual. When that proves to be devoid of basic human decency, it is a very sad image. Here was a man who received very handsome severance package, has a daughter nearly my age, betrayed my trust and cheated a very young company, all for some instant profit? Monetary gain is fleeting – money disappear as quickly as they appear – but the reputation you leave behind and the impact you have on people, will follow you to your grave. After 20 to 25 years in the corporate world, last many years holding executive positions, should have left him with dignity, honesty and self-respect. But, he failed to reveal any of those traits. What can be sadder than that?

Businesses are run by people. The success, or failure, are the result of the conducts of those same people. Without executing ethics and best practices, I doubt any corporation can survive. It is to my advantage that I’m rational, objective and practice zero favoritism at work – running a very small company compared to that corporation – so much so that my inner circle of people feel they need to watch my back, since I myself don’t do it, as someone put it recently, while friends are sometimes offended when we hire the best person qualified over them.

And what about that senior vice president? She violated the Corporate Standard of Business Conduct of the very company she serves as stated on that policy in Section 4 and 5 of certain pages.

Is business ethics really a gray area as the sage, above, claims or is it simply good for our business?

Tags: AIG, Business, compliance, Enron, ethics
Posted in Best Practices, Business |

Perhaps the most asked question I’ve answered was secrets to our sustainability as a young, privately held and self-funded company since our inception and during these challenging times. The truth though, there isn’t any secret to that formula. It’s following the basic principles of simplicity and listening to your inner voice. If that tiny voice is speaking to you, there is a very good reason.

Simplicity: Solutions do not lie in more complexity, it’s in simplicity. Keeping culture, people, process, technology – core of your business – simple is the key to sustenance. Avoid using jargon and buzz words that create more confusion than provide a solution. Sometimes they may be good for creating awareness of a brand and are most often used by marketing and public relations department. But, when running a business, provide substance and use language understood by your team, clients, prospects. Keep it simple.

Flexibility: Change is a natural process of life as it is in business. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee changing with business need is essential. During recession flexibility is perhaps the biggest asset of an organization, small or large. Adapting to change and being agile are qualities sought after by employer and clients alike.

Alliance: Your client, business partners, board of directors and advisors, and team members are your best alliances. Forming alliances is crucial in the growth of your business. Existing relationships must be nurtured and valued. Be the advocate for your alliances and the return will be many fold. Your alliance are your ambassador. (Forming right alliance is beyond the scope of this write-up but will detail that in another post). During recession your alliances are your most reliable source of expansion and growth. They know you and will vouch for you. Do not neglect your early well wishers while expanding your alliance base though. They are your proven asset.

Shared Vision: In order to remain sustainable, shared vision among key players – team members, partners, alliance – is vital. It’s virtually impossible to provide cutting edge solutions and technologies – or whatever business you may be in – if visions are not shared by core members. Those visions do not have to be aligned 100% but they must be above 85% – my personal magic number is 90%.

Transparency: Whether profiting or hurting in downtime, be transparent about your company’s plans and policies. If change is needed – cutting cost, layoffs – be upfront. Your team and your clients deserve the truth. Your transparency will drive morale, loyalty and repeat clients.

To remain sustainable we keep it simple, transparent, flat and yet elegant.

Tags: alliance, Business, Sustainability, transparency, vision
Posted in Business, Sustainability |