Vantage Point (online) Magazine

Reaching a Vantage Point

Bill Pike — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:57:27 GMT

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. Robert Frost

Inspiration and Transformation -- Using Technology to Make a Difference

Bill Pike — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:29:28 GMT

When your company’s “product” is a software application, you can expect frantic growth, rapid turnover in the sales department, long hours, rumors, worry, and the eventual predictable corporate demise. These all seem to be a part of the cultural cycle; a cycle destined to be repeated.

So when you work in this volatile field, it is not uncommon to run across and recognize familiar faces from previous companies walking among the cubicles in your new, hopeful firm. “Hey, Barry, remember me? Didn’t we both work at XYZ Corp?”

In the 1980s Barry Tavlin started out as a software engineer and then was a software developer. He pioneered the mainframe software company’s usability and human factors efforts, and went on to be a director of research and development with responsibility for a corporate design control group. He was also the firm’s director of Internet technology

Today he is a Business Analyst, and a project manager on various applications for a large Southern California auto manufacturer. His duties include working on a major data center move, various PeopleSoft modules, content management and data warehouse efforts.

“I enjoy software development because it is creative and can be fast-paced. The company Bill and I worked for during the 1980s was very much like the Silicon Valley but considerably down-state from Northern California. While my timing was very good, I felt like a twig on a river. I stepped into my job at a good time, when the work was ramping up and I got sucked in. Still, as I look back, it has been, by and large, rewarding.”

Polymorphic Cyber Potential

During his tenure in that earlier mainframe software firm, Tavlin began to think about extending the latent power of technology to do more than process business transactions and manage the realm of system performance. If it was deployed with some foresight, the computer could be much more helpful to people and make them better at what they were interested in doing. Incrementally and over time, this germ of an idea became his obsession.

“At some deep level, helping others is the essence of who I am,” Tavlin explains. “It is part of my heritage and my personal value system. It has been at those times - when I was able to contribute - that I derived the greatest sense of personal fulfillment. Helping to make life better for others is proof that I have lived a worthwhile existence on this earth and it is much more important to me than to take into account the material things I have accumulated. It is a wondrous and abiding reason to be alive.”

The Quandary of Validation

It is easy to measure the accumulation of wealth and worldly possessions. The wealthy who inherited money or made their fortunes through luck, timing or hard work can easily demonstrate their affluence. However, without monetary gain, it is much more difficult to measure the subjective value of how one positively can help others over time.

The philosophical challenge, when one is engaged in a life of helping others, is the question; what is it worth? Does one need some sort of tangible recognition for helping? And at the end of one’s life, what does a compilation of “helping” mean?

We hear from time-to-time that an anonymous donor has bequeathed several million dollars to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (or some similar institution doing heroic work to help our society) to build another research wing. Who was that person and why did he or she do that without being recognized for it? Would we do the same thing?

We also hear about a similar benevolence in the name of a celebrity. Of the two, which is more truly a generous gift? Does being named as a donor on a bronze plaque in the front of a building inspire us to a greater or lesser extent?

We asked Tavlin if he had way to take stock of times he has been able to give back to others. What were these times worth? After a pause to consider his answer, he responds…

“I tend to believe that, giving back is truly selfless. If an accounting is needed, it is best managed on a personal score card. When looking in the mirror, one has to be totally honest about what he or she has done or is engaged in doing.

“I also believe that there are other tangible factors that can come into play such as external feedback from those you help, measurable results, compensation and public recognition. Each of these is important, and each plays a contributing role in helping to tally one’s sense of worth.

“At the end of the day…and carrying forward to the beginning of the next day, in my heart I know that what I am doing matters. I know when my behavior or my efforts are having a positive impact on the lives of others,” Tavlin says. “I feel good about it.”

Planning is one of the project management skills Tavlin calls on in his giving efforts. It gives him a sense of structure as well as a direction. Yet he is still very much aware of the tactical aspect and immediacy of the situation.

“I try to dedicate a portion of my time to how I would like to see things shaping up in the future. At the same time I must ask myself, ‘What am I going to accomplish towards my goals today?’ It is this type of thinking that helps me not only get through my day, it adds to my enjoyment and sense of accomplishment. Some actions generate immediate results, while others are simply small steps towards a long-term goal. I have learned that with almost all of my ideas, they are 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration!”

Deploying Assistive Technology

Tavlin’s interest in making systems more useful began when he pioneered the human factors department. The department’s mission was to make a technically obtuse software system easier for end users to understand, manage and operate. The success of his first deployed assistive approach began to nudge Tavlin’s entrepreneurial zeal. The figurative light bulb began to illuminate over his head.

“’Wait a minute!' I said to myself, 'if I can build it for this company, why shouldn’t I be thinking about applying human factors in a much broader context?'

“That epiphany opened a whole new world for me. I soon was learning about cutting edge ideas such as helping people with disabilities and ‘community technology centers.’ I learned about the Digital Divide and related organizations which offer access and training to people in areas that are underserved by computers. I got involved with ‘eGovernment' and participatory software implementations that allow people to publish and take a more active role in their community governance.

Disabled Freedom

When the Internet began to take off, Tavlin was involved in sponsoring a monthly public seminar series and wrote a newsletter that covered the topic of new ways to apply technology to help people.

He relates an amazing encounter he had with one of the seminar speakers, who at the time was a young man in high school and afflicted with Cerebral Palsy. The young man’s mother had founded the Computer Access Center in Santa Monica (CA) involving the application of computers to assist children with disabilities.

“What I witnessed at first was a disabled young man who was limited to getting around in a battery powered wheelchair. He had very limited control over his motor functions and was not able to speak understandably. My initial impression was that he was mentally as well as physically disabled. I was concerned about what was going on because I did not know what to expect. The obvious and unsettling physical challenges limited my perception and kept me from seeing his abilities. I could not have been more wrong.

“He slowly rolled in and motored up to the front of the room. He manipulated a mouse that had been adapted to work inside his mouth by clicking his teeth. The clicking started a synthesized voice playback program on his PC that, in turn, delivered a speech he had written by using that specialized mouse on the computer. He deployed an electronic device to play back his message. Through it, he spoke movingly and compellingly about how a computer helped him to be independent and accomplish things using brilliantly deployed technology.”

Tavlin reports that the young man has since gone on to earn a degree in graphic arts from Cal Arts. The experience triggered an even deeper commitment on Tavlin’s part to work with people and make a difference in their lives.

After a decade of being involved in various efforts that lent themselves to integrating technology with societal needs, Tavlin asked himself this question; Based on what I know, my mental database of accumulated technical knowledge, what can I do that could make a really big difference in my world? The question unleashed a storm.

Idea Storm

“It was in January 2006 that ideas began to emerge…It was as if my brain was on drugs, but I certainly was not taking any. Hundreds of ideas began to explode. These ideas would often pour out at all times night and day. Often ideas popped into my head when I would take walks on one particular street in my neighborhood.

“I would rush back home and write down these ideas as fast as I could. I began to wake up friends at all hours and share these ideas. My friends must have thought I’d lost my mind. I would scribble notes as fast as I could write and still the ideas kept coming at a frenetic pace. It was an amazing phenomenon.

“At times it was also frustrating because these ideas were exciting and I wanted to begin implementing them all at once. There were a number of times that I would wake up at 3 a.m. and put in time documenting brand new concepts before I went to work.

What came to Tavlin during his walks and early morning epiphanies were the beginnings of the connections that would eventually link enabling technologies to his struggle to matter when he worked to assist others.

“I had been asking myself the often troubling life-purpose questions; ‘Do I matter?’ ‘Does my life really make a difference?’ And then repositioning my questions within the context of the immediate present, I was also asking, ‘Do I make a difference now?’ Why then do I feel like I am not doing enough now and that I should be doing more?’”

For a methodology planner like Tavlin, it can be demoralizing and frustrating when one can conceptualize a strategic objective, but not be able to identify the critical steps and key players that will be needed so that a project can be put in motion and eventually completed.

“What makes me feel as if I matter is the positive and sometimes negative feedback I get from people acknowledging that I make a difference to them. Then I realize that, if my energies have positively influenced, a dozen people and these people, in turn, take their respective energies forward and each of them has influenced another dozen people, the compounded energies and changes truly matter in a much larger sense.”

“My small contributions have made an impact on others and, in fact, potentially thousands of people have already or will eventually benefit from what I have done. If I could trace the inspiration web to them, it would be measurable. If I could bring the Butterfly Effect into reality, what would benefit me would also benefit many other people who are asking the same questions about their lives mattering.”

Social networking sites (also known as Web 2.0), such as MySpace, Facebook, Linked In, etc. were still in their infancy at the time. Tavlin’s 2006 ideas about a bonding network had a common foundation but a radically different premise.

“This ‘network’ I was conceiving of would be an exponential number of people who are less focused on expanding one’s social interfaces and much more attuned to connecting us by recognizing our sources of inspiration multiplied by a thousand or more. It is about manifesting the positive influences we all have in our world: In essence it is a visible framework for the energy and effort, rather than indirect and, in some cases unrecognized good will. Through the network, we bring all that to life, and then we share it to inspire others.”

The Inspiration Project

Tavlin conceptualized how a network might operate. He engaged a firm to work with him as he coded the engine that would operate via an Internet website. That brand new Website is now live: www.inspirationproject.org.

“My goal was to have something that would not be entirely secular or religious. The Inspiration Project is not affiliated with any religious movement or organization. Having said that, I feel that we all emanate from the same incredible source. So the project celebrates that binding nexus as well as our shared bond with one another. If you look closely, there is an unmistakable spiritual dimension to it.

Tavlin wants to reach large, heterogeneous groups of participants who can use the site to their particular advantage and benefit.

“My hope is for big numbers of people to find the site. These include the (baby) ‘boomers’ who now feel the need to share a perspective of who they are in the world with their children and grandchildren. I’d like to see people use the site who may have experienced difficult times or are going through health issues,” Tavlin gathers his thoughts and adds, “…It could be anyone who has or is going through a challenge in their lives.”

Tavlin wants to also reach community organizations, spiritual seekers, students of personal growth, assistive technology advocates, social change activists, and other individuals, businesses or organizations that are involved in recognizing the good work of others. The hope is for the site to gather popularity and continue to add new people who make it their own, build their networks and derive benefit from it. The stories and inspiration will be passed on to others.

“Where ‘YouTube’ shares millions of videos of all types, our hope is that the Inspiration Project Website will share true stories from real people about being transformed and change the fabric of our culture in a positive way.”

* * *

Editor’s Note: Please take a moment to click on the link to the Inspiration Project and support Barry Tavlin’s efforts. Link>>

Shop at The Vantage Point Book Store

Bill Pike — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:50:03 GMT

Vantage Point Magazine operates as a non-profit venture. Proceeds from the Vantage Point Book Store are used to help defray operating costs. The virtual shelves of this bookstore share publications and videos related to current and past articles as well as choices of the publisher's favorites. You may want to consider purchasing the following:

1. Shattered Air - Yosemite National Park is a natural wonder that can cause your jaw to drop. Unfortunately, its beauty and fame tends to attract people; lots of people. Most will visit, appreciate the spectacular falls, peaceful meadows, clear rivers and streams, as well as sheer granite faces and leave inspired. It is, however, a natural place and poses risks for people who disregard safety rules.

This book tells us about a small group of reckless young men who, in 1985, exposed themselves to great danger. They knowingly disregarded the warnings on posted signs; the admonitions of others, and proceeded to climb to the summit of Half Dome (shown above) just as an intense lightning storm closed in on the monolithic granite peak. The story relates the events that led up to that fateful night and the horrible price they paid. The story is also about true courage and the wonderful people who helped to save lives that night.

2. Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer wrote this book after he developed an article on the same subject in Outside Magazine. also wrote the book "Into Thin Air" about the disaster while climbing Mt. Everest. Here is what Krakauer has to say...

"Working on a tight deadline, I wrote a 9,000-word article, "Death of an Innocent," which ran in the January 1993 issue of the (Outdoor) magazine, but my fascination with McCandless remained long after that issue of Outside was replaced on the newsstands by more current journalistic fare. I was haunted by the particulars of the boy's starvation and by vague, unsettling parallels between events in his life and those in my own.

"Unwilling to let McCandless go, I spent more than a year retracing the convoluted path that led to his death in the Alaskan taiga, chasing down details of his peregrinations with an interest that bordered on obsession. In trying to understand McCandless, I inevitably came to reflect on other, larger subjects as well: the grip wilderness has on the American imagination, the allure high-risk activities hold for young men of a certain mind, the complicated, highly charged bond that exists between fathers and sons. The result of this meandering inquiry was a 70,000-word book, titled Into the Wild, published in January 1996."

Young McCandless (shown above) tragically loses his life before he can return from his quest. Krakauer speculates in the book what may have occurred, but the actual cause of his death may never be known.

The journey Chris takes through the southwest is also fascinating and includes stops in Bullhead City, AZ, Lake Meade, canoeing down the Colorado River to Mexico, a stopover in "Slab City" in the California desert, a stay near the Salton Sea, to name a few of the unusual points of interest and new friends along the way. By the way, the Sean Penn directed movie (See Amazon video offer on the right), of the same title, is faithful to the book.

Additional information on the Chris McCandless story>

Book                            Video

3. When We Get to Surf City - Jan and Dean met in high school in West Los Angeles. They grew up in the late 50s/early 60s. They had a string of hits and were closely associated with the Beach Boys. Eventually the spotlight shifted to other artists and different music. Surf music faded in popularity. But Jan and Dean continued to do "oldies" concert events across the U.S. every summer.

Bob Greene, author of "Duty" and "Once Upon a Town" explores, from an inside perspective, what it is like to be a musician during the summers when Jan and Dean and their band toured the country. Greene calls it, "A journey through America in pursuit of Rock and Roll, friendship and dreams." From a Vantage Point perspective, a reader is able to visualize how hard Jan (shown on the left side of photo below) had to work just to be in the band after his nearly fatal car accident and traumatic brain injury. It also paints a word portrait of Dean who was a true friend through what must have been the most difficult of times.

4. Born Standing Up - This book offers insights into the unique Vantage Point of comedian, Steve Martin.  It candidly shares experiences along the path that Martin took and offers returns to a few Southern California clubs that no longer exist. Both his failures and successes along the way are candidly discussed. The result is a tangible, first-person thumbnail of who Steve Martin was when he got started and the often lonely road he took to became the well-known star he is today.

Perhaps you shared my view that Martin's path to success was quick and heady, particularly after zany appearances on the Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live. The book dispells that notion, instead giving a real-world timeline of Martin's ups and downs from the late 1960s through to the late 1980s. A very enjoyable read. His well-deserved 2007 recognition from the Kennedy Center must have been an especially sweet evening for him.

5. Surfing the Edge of Chaos - This paperback book was recommended by a friend while we were on a fishing trip in the mountains. I picked it up and kept finding ideas about how companies could be so much better.

If you have not come across this book already, you will be pleasantly surprised to find a number of excellent case studies. I was amazed to learn that the U.S Army was sited by the authors as an organization that is getting it right. Another case study was an analysis of the leadership styles of the CEOs at Sears. The authors explain what caused otherwise excellent Sears marketing and consumer mindshare initiatives to fail...and fail they did right on the sales floor.

6. These two management books were cited by Rick Maurer in the Vantage Point Interview article titled, "Best Practices on Making Organizational Changes."

6. In the Vantage Point article, "Soon to be gone - From a Military Doctor," Captain Stephen R. Ellison was profoundly impressed by the Spielberg movie, "Saving Private Ryan." Rent or buy, this is one classic (but sometimes difficult to watch) movie about the heroism of soldiers during WW II.

8. These books are included because they help readers further relate to background on a pending Vantage Point article/essay on the subject of managing innovation within organizations. Many thanks to Susan Wageman, Development Specialist and Grant Writer at JobTrain (formerly OICW) for providing the following:

Light, P. C. (1998). Sustaining Innovation: creating nonprofit and government organizations that innovate naturally (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Amabile, T. (1996). Creativity and Innovation in Organizations. Cambridge: Harvard Business School.
Brown, J. S., & Duguid, P. (2001). Creativity Versus Structure: A Useful Tension. MIT Sloan Management Review, 42(4), 93-94.
Horibe, F. (2001). Creating the Innovation Culture: leveraging visionaries, dissenters and other useful troublemakers in your organization. Toronto; New York: J. Wiley & Sons.
Sherman, H. J., & Schultz, R. (1998). Open Boundaries: creating business innovation through complexity. Reading, Mass.: Perseus Books.
Stacey, R. D. (1996). Complexity and Creativity in Organizations (1st ed.). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Life on the Mean Streets of the Inner Cities

Bill Pike — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:36:45 GMT

On a bright, crisp winter morning, we walked into a coffee shop not far from the skid row district in L.A. and a growing homeless population. At our appointed time, we slid into a booth to join Bob Engel who already was sipping his first cup of coffee. Engel lives an amazing, but often stressful life.

Bob Engel graduated from Taylor University in 1982. He portrays himself, when he first came out of college, as a “Richie Cunningham” type. The role model existed (channeled by Ron Howard) in the TV series, Happy Days. Today, Engel is 47 years old. He has been married for 17 years and has four children. His eyes have seen a lot of life and troubling situations since those early happy days.

“Back then, I was simply a clean cut, typical American guy. I never experimented with drugs and I never got drunk.”

It did not take long after graduating before Engel, this typical nice guy, began to find what would be his avocation and occupation.

“Service to others has always been a value and compulsion in my life. Even before college, I felt the need to do something; possibly the Peace Corps or a short-term mission…something along these lines. There are more references in the bible to caring about the plight of the poor, those who are disenfranchised, and the outcasts, than any other subject. I felt it was my Christian obligation.”

In his senior year of college, at the age of 21, Engel read a book by Dr. Keith Phillips called The Making of a Disciple.

“That initial read made me very uncomfortable. I said to myself, ‘No way. I have my own dreams and I want to do my own thing.’ So, I put the book aside, vowing that I would find another path.”

Despite his initial annoyance, Engel couldn’t turn his back on what he’d read. He picked the book up again and reread it a few days later. It became a turning point in his life.

“On my second reading, I must have had a more open mind and the message came through; this is what it really means to follow Christ. I needed a mentor to guide me and I also need to train or mentor someone else.”

That was when he first learned about the role of the organization known as “World Impact” and it aligned with his personal quest to make a difference.

“World Impact took more of a ‘front page’ in my life. I found out that they were committed to the poor in the inner cities of America as well as supporting the concept of discipleship.”

It was then that Engel needed to figure out how he would fulfill his role in helping the poor.

When he graduated from college, Engel’s physical image bore little resemblance to someone who would (or could) survive on the tough side of town. Slight of build and decidedly Anglo-Saxon by race, he was 5’ 9” and he weighed most of 119 pounds. Engel was a naturally good runner, but was unable, by his own account, to jump much more than a few inches off the ground. Contact sports were not part of his athletic background and no recruiters from the NBA or NFL had called on him during his high school or college years.

It is hard to explain his abiding fascination with the gritty lifestyle he conjured in the inner cities of America. Nevertheless, it was his calling early on in life and it would drive his aspirations and interests soon after college. His vision is strikingly unique.

“One can be committed to the poor by working on Wall Street. But, I always liked adventure and challenge. I thought I would find that in the inner city. I considered gangs and bullets a romantic notion, and I thought going into situations and incidentally helping people was a good fit,” Engel pauses to think about how odd that might sound to others and then smiles. “God had to work on me to get past that glamorous stuff and focus on helping people in need.”

In contrast to many service providers who come into the inner city from more affluent areas, Engel and his family live in the run down neighborhood, allowing him to walk the figurative mile in the shoes of the very people his organization serves.

“We are an ‘Incarnational Ministry.’ That means that we live or ‘relocate’ where we minister. Just as a missionary travels overseas, I go to the target area to be a witness by model and by word. That means I choose to connect with the poor as much as possible.”

As a family of six, Engel lives below what the federal government defines as the ‘poverty standard.’ At the same time, there are benefits that the ministry provides for people who serve in Engel’s capacity. In addition to health benefits, there is a board that is dedicated to taking care of the needs of the ministry staff. The question, however, remains; Does Engel consider himself poor?

The answer is, not exactly. Poverty, by Engel’s definition is a lifestyle with a lack of options. Engel, on the other hand, has a number of options at his disposal.

“I’m a smart guy, I have an education and my job prospects are viable. At any time, I could say to my wife, ‘Susan let’s pack up our bags, we are moving on.’ But the poor don’t have that option. They are firmly stuck in a cycle of poverty.”

Engel’s Job Description
Today, Engel operates in two completely different spheres.
• He is one of six regional vice presidents for World Impact. In this capacity, he oversees the ministries within the cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Fresno. The leadership role of VPs includes developing policy, procedures, resolving issues and strategic planning. The city directors report to the VPs.
• In Los Angeles, Engel’s title is “Coordinator of ministries.” In that role, he does the ground work on starting and supporting many small ministries. In this job, he reports to a city director, who in turn reports to another VP.

“My role in Los Angeles is at a very different level. If one were to look my responsibilities in a traditional org chart, it would appear distorted or skewed.”

Engel indicates that he is considerably more comfortable in his “trenches” role. He enjoys walking the streets. He feels at home in MacArthur Park, Skid Row, Watts and other severely economically depressed areas in Los Angeles. He enjoys going with the ministries he supports and working directly with the people who begin coming to the faith through these startup groups.

How Does The World Impact Organization Work?
“The best analogy I use is that we are a kind of ‘volcano,’” Engel uses his hands to simulate the conical shape of a volcano.

“The ‘inner core’ consists of these items; we evangelize, equip and empower the poor by establishing and supporting small churches. The energy that comes out at the top of our mountain is a number of emerging leaders of non-typical churches, which have been planted among the poor, who are closely associated with the very people they minister to. The ministers we support differ markedly from the ministers who are serving in established churches in the community. They may not be highly educated, have been to seminaries, or have an in-depth background on Christian theology. Part of our mission is to provide them with additional training and background in the word.

“The ‘outer shell’ of our mountain is what we call the ‘development ministries.’ These can include providing camps or retreats, schools, specific types of education, church stores, clothing, food, etc. Should they not be successful in supporting our inner core, these programs can be removed at any time and replaced by another program. It is our inner core of evangelism that remains a solid, ongoing structure. ”

Engel further defines World Impact as a “Christian Missions organization.” As such, they do not start or operate their own churches. They do, however partner with other Christian denominations and with Christian churches who are also involved in the inner city. That separates World Impact from being a “social agency.”

“As our individual church leaders gain stature within their churches, our goal is to gradually decrease our responsibilities and oversight until we reach a point where they are self sufficient. At the same time, we help these new churches form relationships with a number of other similar churches so that they can pool their resources and expand their influence by working together. ”

Candid Assessment
Engel's brow furrows and he ponders the question for several minutes before responding. His initial response is unexpected.

“Is there burnout in my line of work? Yes. I would be the first to admit that I have been affected by the situations I have witnessed. I’m human. I will question why I am up at 3 o’clock in the morning tracking down gang guys to resolve some sort of dispute.

“I’ve been hit; I have had guns pulled on me on our front lawn; gangs have shot at the house with little girls in it next door; I’ve buried a number of young men from drugs and gang retaliations; I’ve seen little, innocent children go hungry; I was the first one on the scene of a pregnant mom who was shot and killed in a car…”

Engel’s jaw draws tight as he recounts discovering a young, pregnant woman in a vacant field covered in blood. Her boyfriend had slashed her stomach with a knife causing her water to break. Engel helped her into his car and rushed her to the hospital.

“When I came in I was very idealistic. More than once, I was pulled over by the police letting me know that I was the wrong color, and asking me what my business was in that neighborhood. There have been many times that I have wanted to leave,” Engel pauses and his gaze moves considerably past our booth to recall the painful memories. “I would find myself saying, ‘I’m doing my best; why aren’t things changing for the better?’ I have also asked myself, ‘Does the gospel really work?’”

Perspective
As he gained more experience, Engel began to understand the larger picture of just how the city works. He also recognized how the destructive systems work against the efforts for good.

“It isn’t just the little boy at the bible club whose mom is hooked on drugs; it is the whole system of the city. There are forces of evil working in dark places around the world. Will we ever reach a utopia? Engel pauses. “I don’t believe so.

“The only thing I can stand on as I go along is ‘the call.’ God calls and I am obedient. Without that viewpoint, I would not be able to cope with the stresses in my life. The call helps me when I have to deal with: The prostitute who has been thrown on cactus for holding out money from her pimp; the grieving children of a woman who died from an overdose of heroin; or having to bury a bright young person whose life is suddenly cut short by a bullet or stabbing. From time to time, I refer to a verse in the book of psalms by King David looking over his city that reads,

‘For I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about its walls. Violence and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city. Threats and lies never leave its streets.’

“That verse was written over four thousand years ago. But if it appeared in the L.A. Times this week, people would read it and find it timely.

“I continue today to be a servant that has been called to do my part as I am directed by my God in a geographical place called the inner city. The gospel works one at a time.”

A Career Change: Leaving Technology for Medicine

Bill Pike — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:39:19 GMT

Something began to interfere with Ben Kershberg’s successful technical career in the automotive industry. That something took a long time to come into clear view and become a point in which he would need to rethink not only his values, but his career direction, as well. It didn’t seem totally logical to those who knew and worked along side him at the time. Ben was a very personable and outgoing guy with a great sense of humor. His technical skills were more than proficient; he was an extremely good programmer.

“It wasn’t like I woke up one day and decided to leave my job. It was more gradual. It goes back to how I got into programming when I was in college…I just sort of fell into my ‘computer job.’”

A math major at UCLA, Kershberg worked as a programmer for his brother to help defray his college expenses.

“Writing code was an easy fit to my math skills. It paid pretty well and I found that I was good at it.”

Kershberg was an educational whiz kid. He graduated from high school early at age 16 and then roared through college graduating at 20. Shortly after graduating, he considered doing post-graduate work in his major and possibly teaching mathematics at the high school or college level. However, he was tired of being in school. Kershberg passively elected to continue with his programming as an occupation. By his description, it wasn’t a career choice, more the path of least resistance at the time.

As he gained experience writing code, he became more successful and took on more challenging programming assignments. He worked at both Mazda and Honda in the information technology area.

“There were aspects of software development that I did enjoy. I loved the challenges of problem solving and I enjoyed going out to the auto dealerships on rare occasions to see our customers use my software as a productivity tool,” Kershberg says.

Despite his success and positive experiences, he was not able to block out the nagging feeling that continued to hum steadily in the back of his mind. Perhaps, he rationalized; many people find themselves in the same situation – working in a job with marginal to medium personal reward, yet unable or unwilling to identify their lack of satisfaction.

On the other hand, Kershberg was able to observe people on his team who clearly were passionate about computer programming. It was obvious to him that these people were much more enthusiastic doing the same exact type of work he was doing. It seemed that it was a better fit for them than it was for him.

“Throughout my twenties, I was going to work each day and it was an easy routine. Yet I could not seem to find a level of satisfaction that would indicate, to me at least, that I had found my calling. By the time I reached my thirtieth birthday, the question became more pertinent and persistent: Is there something else I could or should be doing?”

Kershberg was soul searching to find out where his career angst was originating. Money was not the problem as he continued to earn a healthy income. It may have been his increasing awareness of social seclusion.

“In programming I would sit behind a computer monitor all day. I really enjoy one-on-one interactions with people and, other than meetings, I was missing the opportunity to truly be with people. Even though I was surrounded by other people in low cubicles, it was a subtle feeling of isolation that I found increasingly difficult to tolerate. But I’d also have this feeling that I was underutilizing my capabilities working in the corporate world.”

Extending His Outreach
Kershberg made an effort to remedy some of the feeling of isolation by volunteering hours of his free time to recording material for the blind and dyslexic, as well as donating (blood) platelets.

“Donating platelets is better than donating whole blood because you get to watch a movie and they use smaller, less painful needles,” Kershberg breaks out in a grin, recalls the experience and adds praise to the institution. “They treat you really well at the Red Cross.”

His volunteering efforts continued but did not effectively ameliorate his discomfort on the job. Kershberg increasingly began asking himself, Why am I spending my free time on these volunteer activities when I could be more involved in something that would be fulfilling and much more directly related to a career?

Epiphany!
He wanted to be doing something where he could be helping people. He reconsidered teaching math and decided that the classroom aspect was not likely to be the more person-to-person experience he was looking for. One day, for seemingly no particular reason, he reflected on his younger brother’s experience. His brother had applied for medical school but was not accepted. To Kershberg, it was one of those “aha!” moments.

“The idea of medical school began to appeal to me. I wanted a profession that could challenge me. I have all these brain cells that ought to be put to use. I’ve always loved learning and medicine involves both, the application of science as well as complex problem solving.”

From the point of making his decision and the eventual putting the decision into action took a bit longer. Enrolling in pre-med courses would take four or five years longer to occur. However, by 2000, he became a new but “not so typical” pre-med student.

Kershberg - at age 34 - began taking his pre-med classes in the evening. Initially concerned about competing with considerably younger people, he soon realized that, based on his breadth and depth of experience and age, his Med School entry essays did not require as much creative writing to differentiate his background from his more youthful fellow students. In his subsequent interviews, he was able to convey his maturity, sense of purpose and his character which proved to be an advantage.

“At first, the classes were easy. I was much better organized and more disciplined than when I was a kid in school. I knew what areas to focus on and what things to place in the background. But I soon noticed that my memory was not as good as it used to be. So I had to work a lot smarter.“

Medical School in Israel
At age 37, Kershberg selected an American Medical Society approved Sackler Medical School at the University of Tel Aviv, Israel. During the four-years it would take to graduate, he would fulfill a lifelong quest to live in Israel, embrace the ethos and get in touch with his own cultural roots.

“I had a friend who went to Sackler Medical School and she recommended it as a great experience. I loved my time in Tel Aviv. It is a modern, cosmopolitan city with many historical places to visit. The popular music radio in Tel Aviv was fascinating because I would hear a montage of music from Europe, from the Middle East, from America and from Africa,” Kershberg explains. “The Israelis I met tended to be well informed about what is going on in the world. I found them often better informed than people of the same age in the U.S.

Kershberg also discovered that the Middle East was a very convenient central hub that connected him to many places. His travels included skiing in Europe, as Tel Aviv was only a three-hour flight to Switzerland; a weekend jaunt to Cairo to see the pyramids, a safari in Kenya and trips to Crete, Prague and Istanbul.

Advantages and Disadvantages
His first two years were dedicated to lectures in the classroom; the third and fourth years were more clinical involving time in the hospital. The lectures were given in English. However some quizzes and exams would include, at times, questions that were not exactly worded with an American syntax in mind as most of the professors were native Hebrew speakers. Occasionally, reviewing “wrong” answers on a test became the subject of lively discussions between students and the faculty over the actual intent of the question.

“One advantage I noticed was, during our third and fourth years, the heads of departments would give us lectures. We were also able to spend a good deal of time with the senior physicians. In contrast to U.S. medical schools, more contact would take place between students and the residents and interns.

“On the other side, the U.S. the students are considered more part of the team and are intimately involved with the patients, including updating their charts. In Israel, the charts are in Hebrew and the students weren’t allowed to update information on patient status. In that area, we missed some hands-on clinical experience.

How the Program Works
Sackler Medical School uses exactly the same U.S. medical licensing exams and gives the exams at the same times as they are given in the U.S. The program was initially limited to students coming from New York. However, now it is open to the students from both the U.S. and Canada. It is well known among hospitals in Los Angeles, New York and other large cities. In the fourth year, half the rotations (16 weeks of time) are done in the U.S. in preparation for doing interviews for internship placements.

“I interviewed primarily in Southern California where my family is located and I selected the field of pediatrics,” Kershberg explains. “because pediatricians were, by far, the nicest people I would meet throughout my academic experience. They treated the students nicely, they were cordial to other physicians, they rarely were stressed out, and were fun to work with. Whenever I was around the kids I would find that I always had a smile on my face.”

Currently, Kershberg is serving his three-year residency with Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.

“I was fortunate in that I did not have a family to support while I was in school and I had savings to draw on to help offset my medical school expenses. But even if one has family and may incur some debt, it is important not to be stuck in a field that is unrewarding. Age should be a consideration but should not be a barrier to a career change."

Ben Kershberg’s story is to be continued….

Best Practices on Making Organizational Changes

Bill Pike — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:15:08 GMT

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction” Winston Churchill

It seems that whenever changes are introduced in an organization, fear, panic, and defiance often can occur. To better understand how leaders can be more successful implementing organizational change, we sought out Rick Maurer. Through his new Website (7/23/2008) (www.beyondresistance.com), and his blog (www.changemanagementnews.com) Maurer provides expertise to help identify hidden resistance to change, overcome it, and implement even the most difficult strategic and tactical changes.

Vantage Point: How can leaders reduce the stress that can affect organizations when changes are introduced and people are upset about the initiatives?

Rick Maurer: One key to minimizing organizational stress is to understand where the resistance to change comes from. There are three levels or conditions where people find themselves resisting change.

1. I don’t get it (Level-one resistance) - If leaders who are introducing change are not communicating effectively or are using arcane jargon, people subject to the change are left in the dark and might be afraid because they don’t understand what is being presented.

2. I don’t like it (Level-two Resistance) - People may not understand the change and are making assumptions about what might be coming and their emotional reaction is often fear. For example, a leader chooses to use the word “restructuring” with a positive context in mind, such as expanding staffing responsibilities into new areas. Yet, the staff hearing the leader is keenly aware that the same term was used a few years ago as a codeword for layoffs. These Level-two fears may be in our subconscious and out of our awareness. The fear can also be very deep. “I’m going to lose my job,” “There goes my career,” “I’m doubtful that I will be capable of adjusting to the proposed changes.”

When people are at Level-two, it is not possible to give them more information, expecting them to understand what the changes are.” Once people enter the fear mode, they shut down. At that point, the change becomes personal. They are worried about themselves. They stop listening to the speaker because they’re listening to the voice inside asking, “what other firms are hiring?” or “how can I get a transfer into another area?”

3. I don’t like you. (Level-three resistance) - People lack trust in the leader to see this change through. These leaders are often considered to be “Flavor of the Month” people. They start a project and when it doesn’t come together in a short timeframe, they are known to get bored and move on to something else. When they move on, they often take their budget and close insiders with them. People will say, “I’ve been there with this guy, I’ve done my part only to get burned, I’m not going to invest myself in him again.”

VP: Is it also possible that they are resisting because they feel that they are dealing with a threat to the status quo, also known as, “If it isn’t broken…?”

Maurer: Sometimes it “isn’t broken” and resistance is the message leaders should hear.

VP: Is staff resistance at level-three very well understood by leaders?

Maurer: No. It hardly ever gets talked about. When leaders discuss change, they typically will ask, “How are we going to communicate things to the staff?” And sometimes they will ask, “What are their objections going to be?” Hardly ever do I see people asking, “What is our reputation within the departments that will be affected?” or, “How credible is my image as a leader?”

VP: How important is “street credibility” when leaders are about to make changes?

Maurer: Extremely. I’ve seen changes happen where people didn’t understand it, but still went along because they trusted the leader. Conversely I’ve seen potentially good changes fail because the troops did not support the leader.

VP: Can you give a real life example of how a leader’s credibility enabled a significant change?

Maurer: Here is one example I believe your readers can relate to. In the lead up to the Iraq war, Army General, Colin Powell went before the United Nations, there was tremendous amount of positive press coverage pointing out the truth of what he was saying. As a result, many Americans were inclined to support the war effort. It’s common to hear people say that his speech shifted their own thinking about what the use should do with regard to Iraq.

VP: General Colin Powell was a popular general long before the Iraq situation. He was well-known and well-liked as a proven leader. Is effectiveness at Level-3 based more on “Personal Charisma?”

Maurer: It does not have to be charisma. There are a number of non-charismatic leaders who have acquired a tremendous amount of level-three trust. There was a book that came out a few years ago called, Everything I needed to know, I learned in Kindergarten. The book provides a set of values that can help you measure the amount of trust collateral you have in an organization. If I recall correctly, the book included things like:

Are you good at keeping your promises?
What you see is what you get (You are consistent and trustworthy)
If you say you’re going to get something done, you do it.
Do you listen to other people’s ideas and are you willing to be influenced by other people’s ideas?

Over time, you’ve earned your credibility either because of your track record or your knowledge in a very special area.

VP: Is Level-3 credibility something leaders are born with?

Maurer: For some people, it is an innate part of their leadership talents. But it also can be learned. It is simply paying attention and doing the responsible things every time. I wasn’t born knowing how to floss my teeth but I learned how to do it. By the same token, one can learn how to keep commitments; one can learn how to see things through; and one can learn how to listen to people.

VP: What if, as a leader, I have a reputation for not meeting my project commitments? How can I change the negative – but accurate - perception people have of me?

Maurer: First, you have to be open to getting that feedback. Then you must demonstrate, in word and deed that this time it is different and your commitment is going to be unwavering until the project is complete. Then stick to those promises you made.

VP: Receiving unflattering verbal feedback, admitting my past flaws and changing my ingrained behaviors going forward takes considerable intestinal fortitude.

Maurer: Certainly it takes courage. But if you are in a leadership position you ought to be able to do those things. Otherwise, your organization did a poor job of placing you in a position of responsibility. Perhaps you don’t belong there. The actions of leaders are often far more important than their words. I know that may seem trite, but it is true.

VP: Can you share how effective leaders are good at listening to people on their team? Do you have an example?

Maurer: I know a CEO of a well-known, Fortune 100 company who can come in to a meeting, get up in front of a group of people he may not know in any given department and conduct a Q&A session. By the end of his time with these people, they are willing to follow him anywhere he asks them to go.

VP: He sounds like the pied piper. Not to harp on the term, but it sounds as if he has extraordinary charisma?

Maurer: No it isn’t his charisma. He has a very direct, sincere and human way of responding to people. People trust him because they see him as a “straight shooter.” If someone asks him a question and he doesn’t know the answer, he doesn’t give a 20-minute political side-stepping response. He simply says, “I don’t know. I’ll find out and get back to everyone.” And he does.

During one Q&A session, someone asked him one of those pointed questions that came across in an accusatory way. “What are you executives doing about this one problem?” His reply was, “Thank you for having the courage to ask. That is a great question and I don’t have an equally great answer. I have to tell you, it is something we struggle with. I’m open to hearing suggestions, because we need to figure that out.”

VP: So this CEO relied on candor and honesty when he responded to tough questions instead of dodging the subject.

Maurer: Yes, exactly. He didn’t try to fake it.

VP: Trust and being honest are commodities that can be in short supply when senior execs know information, yet are reluctant to tell the troops or stockholders in order not to damage morale. It was galling, for example, to hear Kenneth Lay plead with the people at Enron during their company meeting. “C’mon folks, we are going to get through this and reach a better time. Let’s hang in there and pull together.”

Maurer: He was lying to his people and he was a convicted criminal. He wasn’t alone. There were a number of people in that company who were simply lying to the stockholders and employees.

I believe that there are a lot of ethical, good leaders up and down every organization who stand to benefit from asking the question, “What are people saying about me when I’m not in the room and what impact is it having on my effectiveness?”

VP: When it comes to ensuring that the right audience understands your message about making changes, who primarily needs to hear it?

Maurer: I’m writing to organizational leaders, not to the rank and file. When I communicate to the leaders, I am stressing that they have to pay attention to the rank and file, to get them involved and listen to their feedback. Clearly that is my primary audience.

My second audience is consultants who are working on change projects. We also reach a wide variety of people who sometimes surprise me….students, clergy, etc.

VP: What happens when change is originated by the rank and file going upward in an organization? Are the odds stacked against these types of change initiatives?

Maurer: There are two kinds of change that can occur in an organization. The first type is called, Transformational Change. Examples might include, we are entering a merger with another firm, we are entering a new market, we are doing something our company has never done before. Transformational changes must be lead from the top. They cannot succeed without the full support of the senior leaders.

The kind of changes that can work from the rank and file up the organization are continuous improvement changes, often associated with Six Sigma initiatives or with manufacturing in Japan, Kaizen or continuous improvement.

These types of programs that can work from the bottom up must be supported by senior management but can be initiated from lower levels.

VP: When you consult with people in organizations, how do you unify the group to think along the lines of better change management?

Maurer: I do a simulation of an organizational change. I have a typical communication I hand out to the group that is done rather poorly. I give them a few minutes to read the announcement and then I ask them, what would your reaction be to this initiative?

I write their responses down on a flip chart. Invariably, the reactions from the group are all negative and fall into level one, and level two categories. The fear about losing one’s job comes out, even in this canned presentation. I also get level three responses, asking, “What has he been smoking?” or “Oh no, there he goes again.”

People are laughing, but it is amazing how they are picking up on the concepts I am presenting. Every one in the room has been involved with a badly structured change initiative.

VP: So they see the fears and then get the underlying message. And they are saying, there must be better ways to introduce change.

Maurer: Yes. Within minutes, the people in the room are focused and aligned with me ready to learn. We then begin to talk about it from their leadership perspective. I will ask them, suppose you have a list of concerns like the ones on our flip chart and it is your project they are worried about. What do you do to begin to turn those issues and fears around? The second thing we talk about is how we can avoid having a negative list like that in the first place. How can we initiate changes that almost immediately bring about support?

VP: How does an effective leader deal with people in a company who take pleasure in sabotaging larger group support of change?

Maurer: Awhile back I was writing an article about a very good quality program at a cell phone manufacturing plant. In doing my research, I went on the shop floor and asked one of the supervisors a question along those same lines.

I asked him, what is done about people who attempt to undermine the program. He explained to me that those people represent a five percent subset of the total number of people who are fully on board and supportive. He told me, “With ninety-five percent ready to go, we just ignore the five percent.”

In Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman’s book, In Search of Excellence, they talk about that notion by saying, the wrong thing to do is to give attention to that five percent. On the other hand, if the CEO and CFO are in that five percent, then you better do something to recover their support. You can’t ignore your senior leadership stakeholders.

VP: If someone comes to you expressing disagreement with a change and they fall into that five percent, what do you tell them?

Maurer: I’d love to have you on board. We need you and the skills you bring. But you need to know that the “train has left the station.” These are things we need you to do in order to support this effort. If you can support it, great. If not, you’ll need to leave. So, you have a decision to make. Let’s meet again in two days and you can tell me if you want to continue to be part of this team.

VP: So you are asking them to be open about their stand and making a commitment to the success of the project.

Maurer: Exactly. When I’m working with a planning team, I will ask them to identify who the stakeholders are in this project? The list begins as a small number, perhaps three or four people, but usually grows quickly as the planners identify impacted departments and key people.

Then I ask my planning team members:

What do you need from each of these stakeholders?
How likely are you to get it?

For some of the people, perhaps all that is needed is positive support for the project, informing staff to help out. For other stakeholders, the CEO for example, what is needed is a champion who is willing to include a line item in the budget, mention the importance of the project in the next company meeting, etc.

Then the team needs to identify the potential trouble spots. Where are we likely to get resistance? What can we do to turn that initial resistance into support? This work needs to take place long before the conversation about the train leaving because, these people may have very important information to share regarding key sticking points affecting the success of the project.

VP: So potentially negative feedback from stake holders early on in a project lifecycle is a desired thing?

Maurer: Yes it is. Something happens when we get an idea in our heads. It starts sounding better and better to us. After thinking about it in isolation, it becomes the “best idea ever!” We tend to lose the ability to look critically at the idea.

The New Coke initiative is a good example. The reality is, not every idea that individuals or organizations have are perfect. Some are flawed; others are totally impractical. That is why resistance from those directly involved can be a positive influence. These voices of concern are asking troubling questions about the emperor’s choice of clothing for the company parade. Could it be embarrassing?

VP: With “best idea ever” momentum building, the emperor giving his blessing to proceed, and project deadlines possibly already being set, isn’t it difficult to hold up the “parade planning committee” when troubling concerns are raised?

Maurer: It can be very difficult and upsetting to all involved. However, those important voices need to be considered and dealt with before going on with the project.

VP: Is there a less traumatic way of getting feedback to a planned change?

Maurer: I like to refer to the work Kathy Dannemiller did. She would ask a planning team to put together and share (in a presentation) a proposed plan for change and then ask for feedback from all over an organization. To manage the responses, she set up three categories of feedback:

What makes you glad?
What makes you mad?
What would you add?

VP: How does dividing feedback into categories help reduce the negative trauma?

Maurer: Putting the “Mad” stuff in a context makes it safe to talk about the negative issues. It also helps to determine the level of support (“Glad” feedback) a proposed change has even though the feedback expresses certain concerns. The spirit is, how do we make this idea work? Channeling the feedback makes it harder to simply tear the idea down out of spite.

VP: Thank you for sharing your insights about change with us.

Maurer: You are most welcome.

* * *

editor's note: The books mentioned by Rick Maurer in this article are available through the The Vantage Point Book Store.

Understanding the Role of “Thought Leadership”

Bill Pike — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:40:41 GMT

Since January of 1997, Terry Corby has been a Partner/Global Marketing Director of Marketing with a portfolio of responsibilities that today include global marketing leadership for Thought Leadership at Accenture. Additionally, Corby heads global marketing for two of Accenture's major service areas - the Strategy practice and the Human Performance practice. The term “thought leadership” caught our attention and we wanted to understand more about it and how Corby sees it being applied across Accenture’s worldwide client base.

Terry Corby

“It may not be well known in all business areas, but it isn’t a new term,” Terry Corby says. “When I first took on the thought leadership responsibilities at Accenture, about three years ago, people would ask me to define the concept. The resulting conversation would last a couple of hours.” Corby chuckles at the recollection of those greater in-depth discussions.

“Since then, I have learned to use a shortcut definition that gives people a more succinct answer. Here is how I define thought leadership: It is vision, research, and new thinking or ideas around current and future business or technology issues."

According to Corby, all professional services companies, as well as people in the legal profession use the term. Any company that has wanted to do consultancy or professional services will often invoke the term.

“As services and products become harder to differentiate among competing firms, ” Corby explains, “…companies outside the traditional users of thought leadership are increasingly using the term and the efforts associated with it to help identify the unique qualities of their products and services as well as to create a stronger bond with their customers.”

The emergence of thought leadership usually comes about through two possible activities: Research such as an outcome of academic research, or as a part of invention or innovation that companies carry out through their work with clients

“It might be helpful to explain how thought leadership emerges from research. A timely example could be, a client needs to actively manage the issues relating to the emerging of competition from non-traditional or emerging markets. Our research work, The Rise of the Multi-Polar World looks at how companies need to address the challenges of the new competitive environment. This research resonated so well with our clients that we are now launching a second phase of this research where we are able to provide deep insights into how CEOs of emerging market multi-nationals are approaching the challenges before them as they grow their companies.
“Innovation or invention can make for powerful thought leadership,” Corby explains, “where a new and possibly transferable solution is created in response to a client problem. Customers anticipate new thinking and innovation. They expect best practice and that you bring them the latest thinking from your experience working with other companies around the world. The best examples of innovation can indeed be considered as thought leadership.”

Corby points out that despite the relationship, thought leadership is not to be associated with the activities one generally associates with traditional marketing.

“There is a creation of thought leadership as we just discussed. Another aspect is getting thought leadership into the market place, doing that calls upon a separate discipline and skill set.”

Getting Started
According to Corby, thought leadership can begin in an engagement with a business client in several ways. It can grow from the front end of the new product development process, where thought leadership can recommend practices, or come in the form of diagnostics to determine gaps. It can also be used to stimulate ideas among the client team to help them work through and identify potential solutions to their issues.

“Our Accenture High Performance Workforce Study is published annually and is now in its seventh year. Creating a study every year allows us to look at patterns and trends over time, which has provided us and clients with a valuable insight into the challenges of developing a high performance workforce. We have created a front end diagnostic alongside the report that clients can use to begin the process of examining the issues in their own workforce compared to those in the report. This is a great way to bring thought leadership to life and help start a discussion.

Our work over the years in the Talent arena spurred us to write a book this year on the topic, The Talent Powered Organization where we introduce whole new ways of redefining Talent Management that are required to be successful in this important area for clients. Having a distinctive point of view is crucial to the success of any piece of thought leadership and this book is a good example of that.

Most often, the marketing of thought leadership is through published work, one-pagers to 300 page books, promoted through the media, events, the Internet, direct marketing, advertising and, of course, in conversation with clients. The resulting expertise over time and involvement in a subject area can produce people who are considered “Thought Leaders” – highly experienced topic leaders or subject matter experts in their unique area of study.

“Thought Leadership is an often misunderstood and even ridiculed term, but is a required tool in the business portfolio. It is certainly one important way to deliver ideas rather than pure sales messages. More importantly it is how our firm is able to work with our clients on the execution of these ideas.

Who Are the Next Thought Leaders?

Corby believes that he was attracted to thought leadership because he entered the business world with a background on the creative side. Positions in film and television production encouraged people, such as Corby, to be open to new ideas; have an ability to problem solve on the fly; create impact and, in general, think creatively. By way of illustration, ten years ago Corby helped to start a non-profit enterprise in the UK called the Talent Foundation. His title in the fledgling organization: Director of Possibilities.

“Actually, it was and is my belief that everyone in a leadership position should have that title!”

From his position at Accenture, Corby says that it is fairly easy to identify people who are capable of rising through the organization and into the thought leadership channel. He describes the following attributes as considerably “outside-the-box” thinkers.

“The people, who will eventually be thought leaders, tend today to have and articulate a distinctive point of view on their specialist subject. They tend to be motivated to write down the facts and reasoning that supports their point of view and are likely to try to push others to think beyond what is possible today... They enjoy being published!"

A Climate of Perseverance and Trust
Being in a global role requires speaking credibly about a vision well ahead of delivering any tangible results. His role in his company can be ambiguous in that, as Corby reports, it can sometimes seem like you own everything, and yet own nothing.

“A global role can sometimes mean you own the responsibility and accountability for success without owning all the pieces that will achieve it.”

Corby typically becomes involved in a project based on having a very strong and well connected network of different people from throughout all parts of the organization around the world.

“The fun part of my role is recognizing connections and pulling disparate things together that, when combined, can make for a larger and bolder vision and greater level of impact. To gain attention, thought leadership by its nature needs to be created and delivered in ever more innovative ways. To achieve this at scale means developing trusted relationships with a strong network of colleagues around the globe that can link efforts to deliver true global impact. When it works well, it’s the best feeling you can have.”

And Finally
As with any large organization, it is not possible to be involved in every engagement and every idea that is emerging. The challenge Corby faces is to make sure, to the extent possible, thought leadership is a success across Accenture’s 170,000 person workforce.

“With the size of our company, that is a lot of flowers blooming and it is not possible to be directly or even indirectly involved with everything that is going on. However, what’s important is to focus your efforts on what you want to be known for in the marketplace? For us, it is about delivering high performance for our clients."

The Accenture UK Website>>

Soon To Be Gone - From A Military Doctor

Bill Pike — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:09:40 GMT

Many thanks to the International War Veterans Archives for generously allowing Vantage Point to reprint Captain Stephen Ellison's original article. This article was actually a personal e-mail correspondence to a friend, Mr. Gene Tuttle, in April 2000 while Captain Ellison served in the U.S. Army under the administration of then President Clinton. Although not intended for widespread circulation, the e-mail, with some unsolicited editorial modifications, has been forwarded to many others and has continued to circulate around the world. Here is the original copyrighted text of Captain Ellison's message to his friend.

Your note about the movie Saving Private Ryan touched me deeply. As you know I am a doctor specializing in Emergency Medicine in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One trauma centers. They are both in San Antonio, TX and they care for civilian emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in the world living here because of the location of these two large military medical centers.

As a military doctor in training for my specialty I work long hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep, food, family contact and the endless parade of human suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean more pay, only more work. Most often it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash. Often it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large military retiree population it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience in Panama prior to medical school, I have caught myself groaning when the ambulance brought in yet another sick, elderly person from one of the local retirement centers that cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of what citizens of this age group represented.

I saw Saving Private Ryan. I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage in the first 30 minutes but by the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly survivor at the graveside asking his wife if he'd been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept and had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless.

Situation permitting I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would never bring up the subject without the inquiry. I have been privileged to an amazing array of experiences recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital.

There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic trying to start an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised despite her illness and the multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what we call a "hard stick." As the medic made another attempt I noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said "Auschwitz." Many of later generations would have loudly and openly berated the young medic in his many attempts. How different was the response from this person who'd seen unspeakable suffering.

A long retired Colonel who as a young USN officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a pacific island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, his head cut in a fall at home where he lived alone. His CT scan and suturing had been delayed until after midnight by the usual parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi to take him home then realized his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the phone to make a long distance call to his daughter who lived 70 miles away. With great pride we told him that he could not as he'd done enough for his country and the least we could do was get him a taxi home, even if we had to pay for it ourselves. My only regret was that my shift wouldn't end for several hours and I couldn't drive him myself.

I was there the night MSG Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept for the last time. He was very sick. I was not the doctor taking care of him but I walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick he didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of Honor citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later.

The gentleman who served with Merrill's Marauders, the survivor of the Baatan Death March, the survivor Omaha Beach, the 101 year old World War I veteran, the former POW held in frozen North Korea, the former Special Forces medic now with non-operable liver cancer, the former Viet Nam Corps Commander. I remember these citizens. I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in but now I am much more aware of what an honor it is to serve these particular men and women. I am angered at the cut backs, implemented, and proposed, that will continue to decay their meager retirement benefits. I see the President and Congress who would turn their back on these individuals who've sacrificed so much to protect our liberty. I see later generations that seems to be totally engrossed in abusing these same liberties won with such sacrifice. It has become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Their response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not lost in the next generation.

My experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing an incredible generation and this nation knows not what it is losing. Our un-caring government and ungrateful civilian populace should all take note. We should all remember that we must "Earn this."

Rangers Lead the Way!

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Dr. Stephen R. Ellison is a native of San Marcos, TX and a graduate of Jack C. Hays high school in Kyle, TX. He received his B.S. in Biology from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, TX in 1987 before enlisting as a Private First Class medic in the U.S. Army, serving in the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, GA. He was the Enlisted Honor Graduate of his Ranger School class and participated in the parachute assault of Torrorrijos/Tocumen Airport, Panama during Operation: Just Cause.

In 1991, then Sergeant Ellison was accepted to medical school at the University Of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on a U.S. Army scholarship. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree and promotion to Captain in 1995. His transitional internship was performed at Brooke Army Medical Center. He then served as the initial company commander and program director for the new Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center, Ft. Bragg, NC.

In 2001 he Graduated from the joint Brooke Army Medical Center – Wilford Hall Medical Center Emergency Medicine Residency in San Antonio, TX and was promoted to the rank of Major. While stationed at Ft. Hood, TX assigned to the 36th Medical Evacuation Battalion, Major Ellison was deployed in support of Operation: Iraqi Freedom during the initial phase of combat operations into Iraq. Attached to the 3rd Infantry Division, Major Ellison was one of the first medical personnel to arrive at Saddam Hussein International Airport on April 5, 2003 during the initial operations to secure Baghdad.

Dr. Ellison currently resides in Central Texas with his wife and children. He resigned from the Army in 2004 but continues to see many military retirees and dependents in the Emergency Departments he now attends.

Reestablishing a High-value, Technical-to-Business Culture

Bill Pike — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:42:52 GMT

This article describes a leadership journey involving Robin Barrett (below). During the journey, Barrett had an opportunity to reshape his career as well as to identify his interests and passion.

Barrett was asked in the fall of 1995 to join American Express in the United Kingdom in the capacity of Chief Information Officer (CIO) responsible for international technology (all American Express technology organizations operating outside the U.S.). While the firm is continuously successful, worldwide, Barrett’s job offer did not promise an easy time. Rather, it was a call to help restore an IT organization that had gotten off track and was not delivering as needed.

Robin Barrett

“At the point in which I joined Amex, I knew that I was joining an organization that effectively was broken,” Barrett explains.

Indeed, when he arrived to assume a leadership role, there was a very reactive, order taking mindset to the technology group. The concepts of creativity and adding value were missing. Group managers and staff lacked credibility with their business counterparts and the result was causing extraordinary frustration among business units.

At a time when the business was going through revitalization and needing to expand their business lines into new areas, the existing systems were unable to support these objectives. The technology was archaic and incapable of delivering acceptable results. Under production conditions, the applications frequently broke down, causing enormous problems and negative exposure to the business.

The technology leadership at that time Barrett joined the firm lacked the commensurate experience and the confidence to take the business firmly on an improving technology path. Whatever was tried was destined to fail.

They were, in effect, paralyzed, demoralized and unable to work their way out of a troubled situation. Conversely, the business units were increasingly strident in making demands of the IT leadership to develop new applications that exceeded the available skill sets and developer confidence to deliver workable solutions. The business had reached the point in which they despised the technology group, expressed no confidence in them whatsoever, and was openly electing to bypass them entirely to look for technology solutions from external suppliers.

“My mandate coming in was to figure out what was needed internationally and recover the situation. Because we were international, and operated outside the corporate dictates in the U.S., I was given a good deal of latitude in how I approached the issues,” Barrett said. “My management allowed me the freedom to craft my own solution.”

Barrett quickly recognized that he would be involved in unraveling a complex relationship. The open hostility between areas was as much of a problem for the business as it was for the IT group. Behaviors were in place on the business side that would never allow the technology to recover its full-partner role. Ironically, the demand for new applications, in itself, contributed to an increase in the antagonism felt on both sides, because of the assumptions of inevitable failure. To Barrett, it was a project management nightmare.

“What I observed were instances in which the business had not been clear from the start about what it was they actually wanted. Conversely, the IT group lacked the fortitude to insist on clarity, as well as to resist spurious changes to the original specifications. Changes were introduced, often at mid-stream, as the project progressed,” Barrett explains.

“When the application eventually went into production, the lack of effective project management and technology leadership coupled with poor communications between the stakeholders and technology group, resulted in the business having little, if any, ownership of the features and functions they had requested some time during the development cycle.”

The technology group at the time, according to Barrett, was not adept at understanding business terms, nor was it able to relate effectively to the need to give priority to launching new products. In short, there was a yawning chasm between the IT department and its constituent users. As the situation spiraled downward, the business users, whose own objectives were not being fulfilled, ended up literally shouting at the technology people in meetings out of sheer frustration.

The Cost of Delivering New Applications
Because of the limitations described above, and the lack of robust, flexible technology platforms, it would typically cost in excess of $1 million to develop and launch the infrastructure around a new credit card. The high costs had to do, in large part, due to the nature of the platforms designated for supporting new cards. These host-based platforms were hard wired and inflexible.

When a new card initiative was requested, the business needed unique features for each new market, new product and new card. The technology group seeking to avoid frustrating their requestors and adding to the rancor, would agree to all the customized specifications at the kickoff of a development cycle.

“The problem was, the technology group was effectively building a whole new technology platform every time we launched a new card. We lacked the reusability of useful components developed for other cards. This made the products exceedingly expensive to produce.”

Barrett indicates that there are only five basic variables that need to be deployed in launching a new card: card design, credit limit, interest rate, fees, and grace period. If the technology group could bring the business to understand what the relative costs are for modifying only the five variables, rather than 20 or 30 “bells and whistles,” it would dramatically reduce the costs (borne by the business) of producing new card offerings.

“The costs associated with running systems as well as developing new systems were quite high. It also took an unacceptably long time to develop the system. It was not unusual to take 12- to 15-months to develop and launch a new card in a market,” Barrett said.

When American Express competitors were able to accomplish the same objectives and produce viable cards in two-to-three months, this knowledge only added to the frustration the business users felt.

Taking Stock
Barrett describes a checklist of the situation he confronted.

“I was aware that:

The existing applications were failing frequently due to poor design causing long periods of down time to make repairs
The systems in production were inflexible and so it would be difficult to make enhancements to them
We needed to find a better way for IT to respond to the need for new cards to meet business opportunities or match competitive inroads.

In the longer term, we needed to change the attitudes and mindsets so that we could begin to plan for new technology platforms that would be much more flexible allowing new cards to be launched at a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the time.”

Changing Mindsets and Fostering Resilience
It was clear to Barrett that the changes for the better could not begin until the mindsets of the business and technology people were both changed and the relationships improved. However, no changes to the dismal situation could begin until the technology group was capable of delivering.

Barrett was given the authority by his management to hire 10 technology leadership positions at the vice president level. He recruited people he felt had the tenacity, leadership and technical skills to take on and run the areas that were faltering.

“I was able to attract very capable people from good firms to come in to start to turn the IT group around. I had the leeway to also to give them the latitude and freedom to change not only the ‘paint’ but the ‘canvas’ too”

Barrett gave his turnaround plan a hard deadline of 18-months to succeed. His strategy was to get good technology leadership on board and then gradually apply efforts on the part of more seasoned leadership to gain control over existing processes and begin swapping out systems that were prone to high failure rates. He knew that if he did not make the changes that were needed, he would be the point of blame and someone else would be brought in to do what he could not.

Avoiding the Compulsion to Firefight
When systems failed, the mindset of the organization at the time was that the entire IT leadership would be expected to jump in to help coordinate the recovery efforts. To Barrett, this seemed wrong and he was determined not to be pulled into the tactical firefights.

“It is not uncommon for individuals in technical areas to get promoted from technical to leadership roles,” Barrett explains. “These people often have difficulty leaving the comfort zone tasks they performed well before being promoted. They have great difficulty being able to resist a hands-on tinkering approach, particularly when systems crash. That was totally inappropriate as far as my role was concerned. If you are frequently down in the bottom of the ship doing repairs in the engine room, you do not have the perspective to plot and steer the course,” Barrett said. “There were plenty of good engineers, but I was brought in to provide leadership.

One of the first things Barrett had to do was to change people’s expectations about his role when something went wrong.

“They should think twice before coming to me and expecting me to lead the team to fix it. I would tell those who came to me, ‘My focus is on developing a new strategy and fixing the root causes, not on troubleshooting problems. I would tell people who came to me, ‘You are responsible for this application; you understand what the issues are; you need to meet with the business and let them know the situation; you are fully capable and I expect you to manage this problem through to its resolution.’”

While Barrett’s remarks may have given recipients the impression they were getting a rebuke, they actually were part of his larger strategy to rebuild the confidence of individual IT managers to take charge of their respective product areas while not getting seduced into making the repairs personally.

The Climate of Blame and Finger Pointing
A common practice that would take place during any of the frequent system outages was to ruminate in the IT hallways whispering about which team, which manager, which system or database was responsible for the most recent failure.

Barrett noticed that no formalized practice of involving all parties in a post incident assessment of what actually happened was occurring. So he changed it. He introduced post incident “review meetings,” Those practices and procedures that had not prevented a problem from occurring could be changed or refined, as needed.

“One of the first principals I introduced in our post problem meetings was, it doesn’t matter who was to blame, what does matter is what can we all learn from this incident so we can reduce the likelihood of it happening again or how can we do things better.”

Barrett needed to restore some sense of inter-departmental connectivity and establish a framework of trust to build on, if he hoped, in the longer term, to reestablish cross-department teamwork.”

Behavior Modification
In parallel with growing the strengths of his management team, Barrett also began to push back on the behaviors of business leaders whose bellicose style and negative communications were unacceptable. His newly appointed senior leadership people also started to do the same.

“We had several confrontations where shouting matches would ensue between the business and my technology leaders,” Barrett relates. “My people would be treated with irrational anger and disrespect. When this happened I would call up the business leaders, inform them that the behavior would not be tolerated and, if it happened again, I would withdraw all technology support from them.

“I was not averse to walking out of unproductive sessions with our business leaders saying that I will be happy to come back when we can discuss this calmly and intelligently with a solution in mind.’”

Barrett found that once he directly challenged a bully on his behavior, it began to change the behavior. He also directed his senior managers to carry the same approach with their business counter parts. He instructed them not to fall victim of the “blame game” and focus instead on ownership of problem solving.

“I wanted my team to be people who could stand up and say, ‘It doesn’t matter who is to blame, we need to get out of this situation. What are you going to do to help resolve this problem?’”

Once the adversarial posturing was called out as being unacceptable, it opened up opportunities to identify problems that had actually been occurring on both sides.

As the climate became less confrontational and cooperation improved, Barrett’s team was able to identify mistakes that were not always totally the fault of the technology group. Some mistakes were now being understood as being rooted within the business, such as inadequate certification or over certification, as well as data failures introduced by the business.

“We started to rebuild several of the collapsed bridges between the business and technology areas.

Team Rebuilding
“We had to find ‘courage’ and we needed to relearn how to trust one another. To do this, we invested considerable money in organizational development. We had our leaders and middle managers take a five-day development program that put them through physical stress and intellectually challenging situations that broke people down and then rebuilt a team around a new mold. They were shown where the culture was and where we all needed to be as well as what needed to change to get to our new culture objective. ”

Barrett and his senior leadership also insisted that the entire organization be more “business aware” and “business savvy.” The IT teams needed to understand the business drivers and help guide the business partners in adapting appropriate business solutions. Technical analysts needed to be business analysts, as well.

“We had to lead our own people in building and rebuilding communication skills in a business-centric direction,” Barrett explains. We needed to be clear about our performance expectations and the consequences of non-performance. We also needed to improve on the nerve of our leaders to deal effectively with poor performance on their respective teams. If our programming and operations personnel were unable to move in the right direction, perhaps it was time for them to move on.”

Numerous roundtables and town hall meetings followed up the initial communication of the goals. These occurred in 12 different locations across the globe.

“The journey we went on was one that required people to change their behavior. The technology had to change for the better, as well. We began to see a marked difference in how we could respond to market demands. When I joined Amex we were only able to launch three cards in a given year. In 1995, we began to see exponential growth in the way we were able to launch new products. For example, in 1996 we launched an unprecedented 25 cards and then the numbers went up to over one hundred products within the next three years.”

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Editor's Corner

Bill Pike — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:18:51 GMT

If this is your initial visit to Vantage Point, I bid you a warm welcome. The editorial focus of Vantage Point is to produce thoughtful (and thought provoking) articles based on an individual's first-person experience. Such experience may be positive or negative. It will almost always include learning or, at the least, share some insight into things to be avoided.

Vantage Point is editorially independant with no axe to grind. We welcome the opportunity to have Vantage Point articles reprinted in other publications. Please feel free to send an e-mail note if you would like more information.

Should you you have someone in mind that would make a good candidate for a Vantage Point profile, because of a challenge they overcame or what they have accomplished, please send me an e-mail at bill@vantagepointmag.com.

Your questions, comments or suggestions are most welcome.

Bill