Building a Powerful Team

I used to think there was some ‘hidden voodoo’ involved with building a powerful team……..and maybe there is……I have been involved with team building for most of my adult life. I have learned that whether you are at church, on your local city council or in a huge corporation, good team building is an ‘art’ and also necessary for the health of any organization.

If I could pick just 2 things out of the many things that I feel are crucial to team building they would be:

1.)    Do not pick people that always agree with you. The quickest way to ultimate failure in business is to form a team of ‘head-nodders’.  If I have a team of 10 people, I make it a point to add at least 2 people that I usually would not associate with. I prefer young folks with an open mind and less experience. If you run a company that needs ‘out of the box’ thinking, do not be surprised when you get ‘traditional’ input if you pick only ‘traditional’ people for the team. Also, if everyone agrees with you, you are probably going to miss some really obvious blunders.

2.)    Give team members room to fail. Building a team of people and allowing no room for failure is a sure way to go out of business before you can get your business off the ground.  People must be held accountable but they must also be given room to make mistakes. In fact, until you have tasted failure, I contend that you cannot fully know success.

I love building teams and I have to admit that one of the greatest gratifications in business is when a team comes together and all the chemistry seems to ‘click’. Each person will know their role and will contribute as required. Maybe we’ll add a few more items in the coming days regarding successful teams.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

Bad Economy Got You Down? Try Innovation.

I am a firm believer that economic downturns are the times that good companies dig in and create something new and radical!

I remember my late grandfather very well. His formal education ended during his 4^th grade year but he was a man wise beyond his years even as a young man. He managed to fight for America during World War II, build his own house and barns and own a farm in North Carolina debt free before his death.

I look back on the lives of 2 American boys whose formal education ended with high school. These boys refuted the modern scientific theory of their day and said that man-made objects, heavier than air, could indeed fly.  Many laughed........ but Wilbur and Orville Wright insisted........ and they are now considered the fathers of global aviation.

It does not take the brightest kids on the block nor does it always take the guy with the greatest college degree (granted, it helps) but many times it takes a person that has a dream and the fortitude to see it through. These are the people in business that look at the same old tired processes and they visualize a future that is more efficient than the present.

Does the gloomy economy have you down? Now is the time to find a better way. Think outside of the box. Be a pioneer. Remember many of the greatest of American companies were born out of our Great Depression!

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

Why I still call it ‘Christmas’.

I can not apologize for my Christian stand. …..even if I wanted to, I could not. I do not consider myself a bigot. In fact, I consider myself to be very open to change and also very open to different cultures. However, my relationship to Jesus Christ is not open to debate.

Until February 6, 2006 I was going through life just hoping I was doing all of the right things. I had made some pretty big blunders. I have left a trail of broken lives behind me. Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of my past but things changed for me on February 6, 2006. I became acutely aware that within my own power I could not change myself. I had many folks fooled but I knew I was not fooling myself or the Creator. Sitting at my desk at work I admitted to Jesus Christ that I could not change myself as a person through my own power. I admitted to Christ that I was a sinner and that I trusted Him as my personal Savior.

I have lost a few friends along the way but words can not accurately describe the peace I have felt inside of me since that day in February. Sure, I still have my problems but I also have that peace.

I know people over the years have argued about what specific day Christ was born. I don’t get caught up in these theological debates…….. I can’t prove the specific date Abraham Lincoln was born. Many people have fought over the date and location of Lincoln’s birth. To me personally, I believe the historical record that Christ was indeed born. I believe his birth was supernatural. I also believe that Christ paid the price for my sins…….a price that I could not pay.

It is for these and many other reasons that I am compelled to wish all of my friends a Merry Christmas. If you know me very well at all, you know that I am far from perfect…….but you also know that my heart is for people.

My friends, Merry Christmas!

kml

2009

Intrapreneur or Entrepreneur??

There are trade-offs. It is really a matter of personal preference. Many intrapreneurs are folks who enjoy new ideas and innovation but simply lack the connections with successful venture capitalists to get financing. In fact, being an intrapreneur is a wonderful place to ‘test run’ your ideas within the confines of your current employer. The one glaringly obvious trade-off for the intrapreneur is the fact that your company could easily decline financing your idea and simply implement your idea within existing business platforms. Either way for the intrapreneur, you will know if your idea has value because you will either get financing or your idea will be implemented outside of your business proposal but still within the company. This is not necessarily a bad thing even though your idea is essentially stolen because you will at least be able to gauge whether or not you are having viable ideas.

Life for the entrepreneur is basically the same minus some of the safety curtains. The entrepreneur has access to outside venture capital which may be better but if the idea fails they may miss out on the steady income. For the young entrepreneur, just starting out may be tough without the safety net of a steady job but on the other hand the risk of having your idea pirated outside of your conditions is also considerably lower.

If you are currently employed and enjoy radical innovation, see if your company has any teams or programs to pilot your ideas. The market will weed out ideas pretty quickly that will not work. It is also important to note that while some ideas are potential game changers, they may simply be too early to market. The complete context in which ideas are introduced is very important. Much thought should be given to the product cycles and market cycles of your idea or product.

Successful elevator pitch discussion will follow in the next few weeks.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

The Sport of Business by Mark Cuban

Saw this........loved it...... and had to share it......

http://blogmaverick.com/2009/12/09/the-sport-of-business-3/

by Mark Cuban

The Sport of Business

Dec 9th 2009 9:01PM

I can’t go more than a week without shooting baskets. There is something about the feel of the ball coming off my hand, and the sound of the ball going through the net. It just feels good.

If I’m just standing in the gym, I can shoot pretty well. Playing in a game. Well it’s not quite what it used to be. I used to have a spin move that would work for me no matter who I was playing against or what level they were at. If I could get a pick and the defender went under, I didn’t have to think about it, I could hit the shot. These days, my mind knows what to do, but my body just laughs at me. Put me up against 20 year olds, and I won’t embarrass myself but it’s only because I know how to set a pick and hit an open, a very wide open jumper, and spend the rest of the game getting out of the way.

I love to compete. I always have. Playing basketball was just something I had to do no matter how good I was and its something I will always do, no matter how old I get. It gives me a chance to blow off steam. It gives me a way to refocus.

But no matter how much I love to play the game or how involved and competitive I get during a Mavs game, it’s only a minor release. Real competition comes from the sport of business.

In sports, you know who your opponents are. You know when you are going to play a game. You know pretty much how long the game will last. It’s mentally and physically exhausting if you are at the top of the game, but it still pails at the effort required to be successful in business.

The sport of business isn’t divided into games. It’s not defined by practices. It doesn’t have set rules that everyone plays by.

The sport of business is the ultimate competition. It’s 7×24×365xforever.

I love the sport of business. I love the competition. I love the fire of it. It’s the feeling of the clock winding down, the ball is in your hands, and if you hit the shot you win…all day, every day.

Relaxing is for the other guy. I may be sitting in front of the TV, but I’m not watching it unless I think there is something I can learn from it. I’m thinking about things I can use in my business and the TV is just there.

I could take the time to read a fiction book, but I don’t. I would rather read websites, newspapers, magazines, looking for ideas and concepts that I can use. I spend time in bookstores because 1 idea from a book or magazine can make me money.

I’m not going to go to dinner with you just to chat. I’m not going to give you a call to see how you are. Unless you want to talk business. Other guys play fantasy sports. I fire the synapses to get an edge.

That’s what success is all about. It’s about the edge.

It’s not who you know. It’s not how much money you have. It’s very simple. It’s whether or not you have the edge and have the guts to use it.

The edge is getting so jazzed about what you do, you just spent 24 hours straight working on a project and you thought it was a couple hours.

The edge is knowing that you have to be the smartest guy in the room when you have your meeting and you are going to put in the effort to learn whatever you need to learn to get there.

The edge is knowing is knowing that when the 4 girlfriends you have had in the last couple years asked you which was more important, them or your business, you gave the right answer.

The edge is knowing that you can fail and learn from it, and just get back up and in the game.

The edge is knowing that people think your crazy, and they are right, but you don’t care what they think.

The edge is knowing how to blow off steam a couple times a week, just so you can refocus on business

The edge is knowing that you are getting to your goals and treating people right along the way because as good as you can be, you are so focused that you need regular people around you to balance you and help you.

The edge is being able to call out someone on a business issue because you know you have done your homework.

The edge is recognizing when you are wrong, and working harder to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

The edge is being able to drill down and identify issues and problems and solve them before anyone knows they are there.

The edge is knowing that while everyone else is talking about nonsense like the will to win, and how they know they can be successful, you are preparing yourself to compete so that you will be successful.

That’s what makes business such an amazing sport. Everyone plays it. Everyone talks about how good they are or will be at it. Just a small percentage are.

Every single day someone has an idea. Every day someone talks about some business they want to start. Every day someone is out there starting a business whose entire goal is to beat the hell out of yours. How cool is that.

Every day some stranger from any where in the world that you have never met is trying to come up with a way to put you out of business. To take everything you have worked your ass off for, and take it all away. If you are in a growing industry, there could be hundreds or thousands of strangers trying to figure out ways to put you out of business. How cool is that.

The ultimate competition. Would you like to play a game called Eat Your Lunch. We are going to face off. My ability to execute on an idea vs yours. My ability to subvert your business vs your ability to keep it going. My ability to create ways to remove any reason for your business to exist vs your ability to do the same to me. My ability to know what you are going to do, before you do it. Who gets there first? Best of all, this game doesn’t have a time limit. It’s forever. It never ends. It’s the ultimate competition.

It’s the sport of business. It’s not for everyone, but I love it.

I’m fortunate. I have done well enough financially that I don’t have to play 24×7×365. I can and have cut back to 18×7×365. Family first now.

But in those 18 hours, you can bet I’m competing, and loving it.

But that’s me. You have to figure out what works for you.

Home, Small Business & MobileMe

Just when I swore I would never ditch my Blackberry……I did…..well, kind of.

Life was going along good. I was routing all mobile data (work, small business and home) through my personal Blackberry Bold 9000 when our company also decided to add Blackberry Bold 9000’s into the corporate mix. Somehow I ended up with more phones than I knew what to do with. I wanted to keep the small business and the home calendars and contacts in a different ‘circulation pattern’ than my corporate data which is processed via the company Microsoft Exchange server.

I’m not complaining at all. These are good problems to have because it means I am able to stay busy. So after some thought and discussion we made the move to the ‘evil Apple’ empire. The wife and I each use the iPhone 3GS and have a MobileMe account. It is amazing how true the statement is, “Apple devices just work.” Both of our iPhones, our home PC and the cloud server form the perfect circle. The wife updates our cloud calendar from the desk at home throughout the day and every device in the loop is automatically updated.

The next logical step for us will be the MacBook Pro for travel, training, consulting and presentations and finally the iMac for the house. (not all at once, we don’t have it like that yet) I challenge those of you who have hesitated on using Apple products for small business…….give it a try….you may be pleasantly surprised.

More to follow in the near future as we experiment.

kml

2009

Breaking Cultural Barriers!

I’ve listened to so many people tell me that there is some real ‘difficult science’ that must be learned in order to effectively bridge cultural divides in business. Many times I believe things are made to appear more difficult than they really are simply to keep people suppressed and limited to their daily routines.

I recently found myself emerged within a group of people from all corners of the Earth. Chinese, Indians, Europeans, Americans etc. were all working beside each other towards a common goal. No magic, no big voodoo…..simply human beings working towards a common goal.

I have a couple of pointers and they are not 'rocket science' tips……just tips from a regular guy that loves people.

1.)    Be honest. If you are not familiar with cultural courtesies, make it known before meals etc. Make it known what your customs are ask if there are customs that you should know about before proceeding with your meal. The first person at the table to do this is usually the person that ‘breaks the ice’ and can direct the conversation.

2.)    No fakes. Don’t pretend to know things that you have ‘no clue’ about. Admit when you need help. Most often people will fall over themselves to help you understand if you are sincere.

3.)    Plan, plan, plan. Rehearse each trip in your mind. Read about the cultures in which you will be interacting with.

At the end of the day after all the differences have been analyzed and debated one simple fact remains….we are all members of the global society and basic human needs remain consistent. Treat each human with dignity and respect and you may be amazed at just how far this long forgotten bit of advice will get you. The world does not revolve around me………but others.

kml

2009

10-20-30 Microsoft PowerPoint Rule

Most any Venture Capitalist you run into (worth their salt) can explain how they have sat through 100’s and maybe 1,000’s of PowerPoint presentations.

There is a pretty good ‘unwritten’ rule that we use in America that works well. (I emphasize America because Countries do differ slightly as to what they like to see in the presentations) Now for the ‘magic numbers’ explanation:

10 = 10 slides - If you need more than 10 slides to get your point across, you have already ‘missed the point’.  The persons listening to your dialog are human beings too and unless they are very different from the rest of the people in the world they HATE long boring slide shows.

20 = 20 minutes – You should be able to give your idea from 10 slides and you should be able to do this in 20 minutes. Again, if you can’t hit a home run in 20 minutes then you are out of the game anyway. (For personal instruction shoot me an email)

30 = 30 Point Font – The font should NOT be less than 30 point. Never place a ‘book’ up on the screen and expect the audience to be enthusiastic. No one wants to read that much.

This rule works. For references shoot me an email.

I was able to spend a week in Switzerland last week. We were fortunate enough to spend an afternoon in the Technopark in Zurich. (Switzerland’s Silicon Valley) We received some great insight at the park. There are several great young inspiring CEO / Owners there in the Technopark. More to follow this week regarding experiences in the Technopark.

kml

2009

My road trip and “Just Listen” by Mark Goulston

I was fortunate enough to take a little Thanksgiving vacation (working vacation) this past week. Monday – Wednesday was pretty much 90% work and 10% play as I had a deadline for our innovations competition. We made it though. I am thankful for a good team of folks…..some of the best I’ve seen in the last 8-10 years.

I was able to run by Barnes & Noble in Murfreesboro TN on Wednesday night and pick up a book titled Just Listen by Mark Goulston. I plan on purchasing a couple of additional copies and loaning them to some of my friends. The book is a must read for managers and anyone that wants to better understand how to ‘get through’ to those folks in your life that are ‘impossible’.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0814414036/

I love a quote found in the book from Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, “Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”

Hope everyone has a good holiday weekend. I’d love to hear your Thanksgiving stories!

kml

2009

Building Relationships

I have found that the pillar of any strong relationship is trust. Most any problem can be worked through if trust is established. This is true in the corporate world (internally within companies) and also when dealing with customers. Today, in addition to trust I picked up a couple of other additional thoughts.

1.)    It is better to ask many questions and give fewer answers. The best way to know how a person feels is to ask them. Assuming that trust has been established, asking people to tell you how they feel builds relationships. I know in my own life (at home, in the family business and at my public job) I find myself guilty of not asking folks their opinion. I believe Scripture to be very accurate as it states “In a multitude of counsel there is safety.”

2.)    It is better to listen more and talk less. Sometimes I find myself talking nonstop about some new project around the house, talking about some new business idea with our Services Group or rambling on about my corporate life. Occasionally, I have to pinch myself and remember that it is important to listen.  Again today I was refreshed to have some time to simply listen to a brilliant young man discuss his approach to business. I wish I had the time to jot notes as he spoke.

Building relationships is no easy task. If it was so easy then there would be less divorce in America. It takes hard work and it takes honest communication. The beauty of building relationships is the value that it adds to each of our lives. As I have stated so many times before when teaching classes on various subjects, “We as people are simply the collective efforts of others on our behalf.”

Anyone have some other points to add regarding building relationships?

kml

2009

Remembering Why I Love My Blackberry

A typical day for me is waking up around 6:00am. I stumble around for a few minutes and attempt to figure out what planet I am on. Within a few minutes my Blackberry Bold 9000 is powered on and 3 email accounts are pushed to my device. By the time I drive an hour to the office, I know my bank account balance, have received my daily Google news updates, and know what I’ll face that day at work in terms of schedules and emails.

My lunch usually happens somewhere between 10:00am-2:00pm. During that short break I am answering emails that I did not have time to address while at my desk. When the weather is nice I try to walk about 30 minutes during lunch. This is also a nice time to answer text messages or catch a quick bit of news as I walk.

By afternoon, I am letting emails that do not need an immediate response sit on my Blackberry while those needing immediate attention get answered at my desk. In the meantime I get a call and while on that call another beeps through. I am prompted for a choice, ‘to answer’ or ‘not to answer’. I choose ‘not to answer’. I continue my call with caller #1 as caller # 2 is speaking to my voicemail. I finish my conversation and realize I have 3 unanswered voicemails. I love Visual Voicemail. I scroll through deciding which voicemails need immediate attention. I scroll to voicemail # 2 and listen to part of it and then fast-forward to the end.

It’s now later in the afternoon. I leave for home. There’s usually at least one stray phone call for the ride home. I finally make it home and go for my daily walk/jog. This is the only time during the day that the Blackberry takes a rest from my side. I finish up my exercise, have a bite to eat and spend time with the family until their bedtime. Then it is one final check of the Blackberry and onto the PC to work another hour or 3. By this time the Blackberry was placed on the charger and the family is snoring. Usually around 11:00pm-12:00pm I wind down and remember just why I love my Blackberry. It is a working man’s tool. How I managed before my Blackberry is beyond me.

Guess what?..........we get to repeat the cycle all over tomorrow.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

Google Wave……..second glance..

Now my interest has been aroused. Tonight I have been goofing around on Google Wave trying to see if I can get some short terms benefits from this deal. I realized that I can drag Microsoft Word documents right into a created wave. Just for giggles, I thought I would copy a few web links into a wave. I then realized I had the option to embed YouTube videos into a wave. (I suppose this should not be a real shock considering Google owns both)

In fact, the more I use this the better I like it. I can see now that it is easy enough to copy sections of Word documents directly into a wave and collectively modify them. (Can not tell yet if there is a limit on text.) Anyone that figures out a way to insert slides in PowerPoint format into a ‘wave slide show’ let me know.

More to follow! This is exciting!

Your thoughts?

****Note: Windows 7 Ultimate Update**** I am several weeks into Windows 7 now with no reported failure. I had a few minor issues early on that were 3rd party software issues. I am starting to feel like this version may compare to XP......that's a good thing. I'll keep you posted.

kml

2009

Google Wave……a good start….

Well, I finally got my long anticipated invite to Google Wave. The anticipation was more fun than the application…….don’t get me wrong, I think the application has great potential. The key for me is connecting with people that I actually want to share information with. 

I am currently working on a project that could really use a ‘Google Wave’ or ‘Microsoft Groove’ solution. My team has folks attempting to collaborate from several  locations in the USA, Sweden and Switzerland. The real issue in the corporate world is that security is such a high priority, we really suffer when attempting to collaborate. We have weekly conference calls together with numerous emails being exchanged.

Microsoft Groove was ‘out’ in our case as it is not part of our ‘corporately approved’ software package. Had I been issued my Google Wave invite sooner, I suspect we would have test driven the software. The problem now is that we are in a critical phase and under great time restraints and do not have the time to beta-test Google Wave without the risk of missing our deadline.

I did tinker with Wave a bit last night. I’m still curious about bringing in documents and working on them together. It seems easy enough to have a conversation and drag pictures into a wave. I’d like to see  Wave offer the ability to open a PPT presentation (assuming all parties had MS PPT installed on their machines) and modify together as a team, while still maintaining the ability to chat etc.

I’ll definitely report back on this topic frequently as I work through my own learning curve and explore the features in greater detail.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

Are Entrepreneurs a Dying Breed??

Has the economy finally finished off the entrepreneurs? I hear stories of horror regarding the American and European entrepreneurs. Risk taking is now considered the eighth deadly sin.

You know, the thing that most people forget is that there is a HUGE difference in a calculated risk and reckless spending. Spending money on processes that are proven to produce failure is just plain ignorant. I equate this kind of risk to pumping money into GM knowing that labor unions have sucked every ounce of life out of the company. I say let them fail it will open the marketplace up for innovation. Someone please tell me how Ford was able to make it without government funding while GM sucked their own coffers dry and then pillaged the pockets of the tax payers. What GM needed was a real life entrepreneur to step in and make painful radical decisions.

I find it important to note that many of America’s great companies were born during the Great Depression of the 1920’s-1940’s. This was a time in history that men and women took calculated risks. The future of lives and families were at stake. Every penny was spent as if it were the last. I contend that ‘depressions’ and ‘recessions’ are not the time to repress good entrepreneurs but rather a time to encourage calculated risks.

I’d venture to say that 80% of the companies in America could cut 15-20% of their budget and never lay off one person. Think about where you work. How many processes can you name that add no value directly to the customer? We need to get our priorities back in the right place in America. Globalization of the economy is where it’s at. Successful companies in the future must be able to innovate and merge their processes into the global product chain.

For more study on this topic, e-mail me or make a donation and you will be sent a 5 page quick-study on the promoting of global intrapreneurship within your business.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

Salesmen – A Means to an End

How many of you have ever ‘bought’ a salesman? How many of you want to pay for the salesman as part of your purchase? I have recently become quite unpopular regarding my approach to ‘selling’ and ‘salesmen’.

The internet has changed the world. We may not agree on if the change was for the better or for the worse but we all agree that the world is not the same place as it was before the internet age of knowledge. Information has become available to ANY person with an internet connection and the will to do a little research.

30 years ago if a person in America wanted to buy a car they found information about the car through someone who already had one or through a local salesman. We had to drive from dealership to dealership mentally comparing what one salesman told us against what another salesman told us. Those days are OVER. (Thankfully) Now we simply get online search every possible configuration of the car and walk into the dealership knowing more than some of the salesmen know.

Times have changed. The salesman is now simply the gatekeeper that introduces the customer to ‘access of knowledge’ channel. The customer does NOT want to pay for the salesman. (Nor have they ever) Customers paid for salesmen in the past because they had no choice. My market research within my industry recently has helped me understand how the customer really feels but sometimes will not tell us simply out of respect. Customers want to buy a quality product and the service to support that product and VERY little else.

Contrary to popular opinion, the customer does not want to buy your lunch, or support your family, or pay the salary of your salesmen, or pay your rising health insurance costs. At the end of the day customers want their money to go towards a quality product and service support.

The sooner we realize this global shift in customer opinion and embrace the change the better off the entire world will be. We need to focus more on directing the customer to the correct portal of knowledge and less on planning a way to prop up a crumbling (and outdated) system.

Think on these things. When was the last time you bought a product and wanted to buy the ‘salesman’ too??

Sometimes we overcomplicate simple things. Your thoughts??

kml

2009

The Creation of Leaders

I look back in my life and am constantly made aware that my successes are simply the product of other people’s investments in my life and future. There have been times that I was on the brink of self destruction. (There will probably be more of those times in the future) I remember 2 or 3 times vividly. I had a dear friend in the US Army that cared more about me at the time than I even cared about myself. I remember staring at a ceiling in a run down rented house late one night thinking that I should just 'give in' and waste my life away on nothingness.

The next afternoon my dear friend came by and insisted that I start over and do something with my life. I shudder in fear when I look back and see how easily life could have gone the other way. I often wonder how many good people just need a little push from folks that sincerely care about humanity. Technically, every success I have in this life must be shared with those who prodded me along the way.

These thoughts lead back around to the title of this post. As I add years to my life I am now finding greater joy in seeking out those few people that really want to be leaders but just need a push or nudge in the right direction. I hope that when I am gone people will look back and say, “He truly cared for others.”

kml

2009

Watching as People Suffer

I have to admit that I have traditionally been the cold hard American Conservative. I historically thought most people that did not have jobs were simply too lazy to want a good job. It is quite ironic how humbled you can become when you watch these things happen to people that you love and care about.

My father was employed by a local newspaper company as a computer technician for 38 years. Anyone with access to any means of media has obviously witnessed the destruction of ‘printed news’ in this economy. So after 38 years my father was let go without one ounce of compassion. It did not take him too long to find a job but it was certainly for a lot less money and no benefits. He has been at it for almost 2 years with no benefits, holidays or vacation. I have been humbled to watch the man suffer that provided me with a private education, 3 meals per day and fine clothing until I was old enough to join the US Army.

I realize that many people have a far worse story than this. In fact, I am sure there are fine people with quality educations that would settle for 1/5^th of what they have made in the past just to have any job.

I am more convinced now than ever, that ‘sound’ business principles apply in recession just as in times of economic prosperity. We must be lean and focused.

If you are one of those folks suffering, my prayers are with you. If you have success stories or ideas of how to make it through tough times, feel free to leave your thoughts here on the blog.

kml

2009

Tracking Injuries.........

http://thefabricator.com/Safety/Safety_Article.cfm?ID=2344

When considering activities that can affect your company’s bottom line, don’t overlook the positive difference tracking injuries can make. Recording and analyzing injury data can help you identify and correct problem areas, properly plan for production alterations should an injury occur, and reduce the impact of lost workdays.....................

True Business 'Focus'

I have been enjoying recent studies regarding ‘quality’. I have also been engaged in conversation as late as today regarding this general concept.

I enjoy these conversations about quality. I find myself coming back to the same point of view each time I discuss any aspect of business. This point can be referred to in the form of the question, “What does the customer expect?” I hear many heated discussions in business on a variety of topics. One thing that always seems to amaze me is the lack of input from the ‘customer’s point of view’. Decisions are made each day. Quality control programs are put into place. Teams of people are assembled. Money is spent but all too often the customer’s input is excluded from the scope of our ‘quality endeavors’.

So what……… if we make a gadget that is designed to withstand a nuclear blast. The question should be, “Does the customer expect a gadget that can withstand a nuclear blast? Innovation does not have to come from within every time. We should solicit our customers for feedback. Every once in a while in life the ‘build it and they will come’ philosophy will work. (if you are Steve Jobs) However, more often than not, we could simply ask the customer what they prefer in terms of future projects and skip a lot of the ‘wasted motion’ that occurs in between. Too often we view the customer as the ‘sucker on the receiving end of a transaction’ and not as a true business partner. Successful customers create successful suppliers. In this age of web-based highly enlightened people……..the end user has again become King. Quite frankly, it is nice to see the priorities aligned as they should be once again.

kml

2009

Freeing the Mind

I have to believe that the human body is designed to ‘work’ hard but also to ‘rest’ hard. I have found that exercise and guitar playing are the things that best remove my mind from work. Don’t get me wrong, I love to work but I also love to play. I believe it is important for everyone to fit an exercise routine into their schedules. So many other small things seem to fit into place in life if a person exercises and removes the impurities from their bodies.

I’m not saying that music is for everybody but I do think it is important that everybody find something outside the scope of their work to remove their minds to a place of relaxation. Some folks like fishing, some like reading and the list goes on. The important thing is to keep the mind active but also to let it rest and focus on more than one task in life.

I find myself ready for the work week when I have had mental rest and physical exercise.

What do you do to free your mind?

kml

2009

Your Business…..Do You Love It?

You know I have been finding myself waking up at night just having dreamed of another process change or business idea. Up until a couple of months ago, I really thought I had some kind of ‘issue’ or ‘mental hang-up’. (Seriously) However, about a month ago I became part of a company contest called Innovations for a Better World in which people from our company (around the globe) could offer business inventions or innovations. After a serious culling process from a pool of 7,000 people and 250 submitted inventions / ideas, 12 actual ideas were chosen to move through the process and compete with each other. All 12 teams were together for the first time last month in Switzerland. For the first time in my life I sat within a group of people who had the same ‘issues’ that I had. Each of these people told me stories of waking up in the middle of the night with ideas. Many of the folks told personal stories of not being able to sleep at night and not being able to rid their minds of dreams of a more unified world.

I was humbled by the determination seen in the eyes of some of the folks on teams from South Africa, India and China. I realized immediately in the company of these people that we as Americans have become gluttons and ‘spend drunk’. We collectively feel that we are ‘owed’ a good paycheck. We feel that we are ‘entitled’ to certain benefits. Many of the folks there spoke at least 2 languages……..some spoke 3 or more languages. I saw folks from what America considers to be 3^rd World Countries with more national pride than I have seen in many years. I saw people with sincere hope. I saw people not only hoping and wishing for a better world but also people who were willing to work however many hours it takes to create a better world.

I am thankful and humbled by this experience. I am learning that loving what you do is a blessing. I am learning that dreams are not for the weak of mind but for pioneers. For without dreams, many nations of the world today would not exist in the manner in which they exist today.

Your business, do you really love it?

kml

2009

Listening to the Customer

***I should first say that my thoughts and prayers go to the soldiers killed on American soil at Fort Hood this afternoon. 11-5-2009***

You know, the more I understand modern business the more I see why some companies fail…….and fail miserably. I love this internet age. I know of no other time in history in which the general populace had such access to information. A Health Bill is being debated in the USA (Nov. 2009) and for one of the first times in history the ‘common man’ can simply download the Bill and draw his own conclusions and even engage in the debate at various levels online.

As related to business, we have the means to engage the customer. All we have to do is go where the customer is online and become a part of the conversation. The customer is more than willing to tell us their opinions, we simply have to listen. Sadly, many companies refuse to accept the fact that end users will go online and will state their opinions. We (the business owners) can either ignore the fact that the conversations are occurring or we can create our own conversations as well as take part in existing conversations.

I am amazed that during this age of knowledge and information ………we use this advantage so little. I maintain the stance, “If you want to know how someone feels, simply ask them.”

kml

2009

The Transit Strike in Philly

I was reminded today (as I sat in traffic on I95 in Philly) why I hate 'unionization'. How, in America, can a bunch of clowns ruin transit in a major city? So the subway and bus folks are on strike, therefore I95 out of Philly to the airport becomes a giant parking lot.

Can someone 'in the know' tell me if the conditions are so horrid to merit a strike that messes up life for the average person attempting to do the daily commute?

I mean, please.........they waited until the World Series went back to NY.........guess a city has to have their priorities, right?

Maybe after I 'sleep on it' a night I will not be so grumpy about it.

kml
2009

Being Corporately Lean – Adding Value

When the economy tanks and everyone is desperate to keep their jobs and all the folks you thought were your friends are attempting to ‘knife’ you to keep their jobs…….how do you react? …….or do you react?

I have watched many people over the last two years flutter and fumble around more concerned about ‘keeping’ their job than they have been with ‘doing’ their job. I have developed a pretty simple formula for folks that work for me. ‘Do’ your job and the chances are higher that you will ‘retain’ your job. This is the first part of my equation. The second is much like the first. Secondly, if you want to know if your job is secure, ask this question of it (the job) or of yourself, “Do I add value to the customer?” If you can not answer ‘yes’ to this question, then you should get real nervous. The days of floating along in a large corporation ‘under the radar’ are over. If you can not say for sure that you add value to your customer, you should start figuring out a way in which you can add value.

I think human nature is to ‘over react’ to every little tidbit of news we hear each day. We rush through our work to ‘keep our job’. We major on the minor. At the end of the day, every single person in an organization should be able to list at least one way in which they add direct value to their customer. If we all did this, the world would be a better place………and if we all ‘did’ our job for the customer instead of focusing on ‘keeping’ our job within the corporation, the world would also be a better place to live.

Serious times require serious people. Quality wins……..no matter the economy.

kml

2009

Uh Oh….the not so good about Windows 7

Well, I am now on week 2 with Windows 7 Ultimate. I have finally started finding the bugs that remind me of Windows software that I am accustomed to. Don’t get me wrong, there are still lots of things to ‘like’ but there are also those nagging Windows issues for me. I should add that I opted for a clean install on a new PC.

1.)    I am having the same ‘pain in the butt’ problems when dealing with desktop icons. When trying to copy pictures or files from a location on the hard drive to a folder on the desktop, Windows Explorer will freeze. All other programs will work but the desktop folder refuses to manipulate. It takes a reboot to solve the problem.

2.)    Windows ‘hangs’ after clicking the ‘shutdown’ button. The computer will go into shutdown mode but never power off. This is a known Windows issue in my opinion. I have had this same issue randomly since Windows 95 and it makes me mad enough to scream. It requires manually forcing the computer to shutdown. I always feel like I am going to interrupt some background process by doing this.

These are 2 issues that I feel like Microsoft should have mastered by now. These are two of the same issues I have had over the years on different pieces of hardware and different versions of Windows. I find myself stuck with Windows at times because my company (and most companies) use Windows in the corporate environment. If I want to stay ahead of the curve, I usually buy the latest version of Windows to use at home. Sometimes I feel like a part of that Apple commercial in which the guy says “this version fixed the bugs”. Two years later I find myself buying the hype again, “this version fixed the bugs”.  

We’ll have to see what bug fixes Microsoft offers. Anyone else experiencing the same 2 problems with Windows 7?

kml

2009

Music……..Nourishment for the Human Soul

Every now and again I run into someone else that is a ‘music fruitcake’ much like I am. It’s like this sickness that some of us have. I never claimed to be any good at it but I enjoy attempting to play a little bass guitar and a little regular 6 string guitar. In fact, I have found if I go more than a week without playing, I get this sick and lonely feeling and start having dreams about playing again. I never said I was right in the head or even remotely normal……….whatever you want to label it, this is how I am.

Well today I met a young lady who is as smitten as I am with music. She is also a guitar player and seems to have this same sickness of which I speak.

One way to know if you have the bug is to get around another guitarist and briefly mention a word like Stratocaster. I have found these words lead to more detailed discussions………and before you know it an hour has passed and you have that craving deep down in your stomach to retire somewhere with a guitar in your lap. Today was such a day. Having a party at church for the kids………met a music junky….the rest of the day was simply a formality……..a brief period of waiting……the summation of all good thoughts has ended with much music…..maybe feeble at best but sweet music to my soul nonetheless.

If you don’t have a hobby to get your mind off of business, may I suggest music? It will take you to a place that is tucked away deep inside of your soul. I almost feel that everyone has a bit of it……..at times it simply needs awakening.

I pray you all have a good weekend.

Kml

2009

Management - Dealing with Difficult People

It would be nice if we all lived and worked in a perfect utopian environment. Sad to say, we do not and we would probably not be as developed as we are today if we had no struggles and trials. It seems that struggles refine and define us as human beings.

I had a manufacturing manger tell me one time that 10% of his job involved getting the product out the door and 90% of the time involved keeping the people somewhat sane. The longer I stay in management (going on 15 years now, man I feel old!!) the more I relate to this guy. It seems the trick to any company is ‘the people’ not all of the other ‘things’ that you would think would be tricky.

I have a few tricks of the trade that work. I can not lay claim to these for men and women far more capable than I used these things many years before I was thought of. However, these are things I have borrowed and they do work.

1.)    Never let the actions or attitudes of other people change ‘who you are’ as a person. Many times folks will yank your chain just to see if they can watch you spiral out of control. Believe it or not some folks actually get a thrill out of watching chaos.

2.)    Don’t be scared to get angry. Holding in anger can be detrimental to the manager. I do not mean that you should explode into uncontrolled rage but rather understand that there is no shame in being truly angry. The key is to ‘not let the sun go down upon thy wrath’. Get the anger out and get it over with .......moving on to the next challenge. You can not meet the next challenge without emotionally getting through the one before it.

3.)    Never make a decision in anger or in haste. I have made a personal rule for myself. I DO NOT make major personnel decisions without at least one full 24 hour period elapsing unless it is one of those things that can not wait. My rule of thumb is to sleep on every major decision one night and see it through the eyes of a new day before implementing changes. This self imposed rule has accomplished more in my management career than any other single thing I can think of.

4.)    Don’t be fearful of the ideas and innovative thoughts of those that work for you. Some managers live in constant fear of that college graduate aiming to take their job or the backstabber trying to get ahead in the company on the faces and backs of those they work with. Empowering those people that work for you can be a real boost for you as a manager. Your employees can make you look good or make you look like a fool. Empower them and give them credit when they have a good idea. Nurture them…….. you might work for them one day. This is not our ‘daddy’s world’. Corporate structures are not remotely like they were 25 years ago in America. Be fair and work hard. It all works out in the end. Yes, it all works out in the end.

Again, these are just a few simple things that have helped me these last 15 years. The list is by no means considered all inclusive. I am sure many of you can add more. Feel free to borrow from my list. It’ll improve your business and you’ll sleep better at night.

Your ideas are welcome here!

kml

2009

How to distinguish yourself in the marketplace.

I was reminded today again just how important it is to 'have your own brain' in the marketplace. After 10 years of reviewing worker's comp cases and going through the filing process in the State of North Carolina, I am learning to rely mostly on 'me'. Most insurance companies and brokers offer various elaborate (and expensive) software schemes to help track injuries and create a statistical analysis database. Thankfully I realized early on that a great percentage of these softwares are not compatible with each other. So, for example, comp carrier 'A' sells me one package. Two years later we corporately decide to change carriers. Now carrier 'B' sells me another package to 'manage my claims'. I find out only 50% of the information will convert into my new format.

Today I had the pleasant experience of listening to a pitch regarding a new software offered through our comp carrier that managed our injury tracking and statistical data. I listened intently and politely. I then illustrated our 'in-house' developed method of tracking. I was told that our methods far exceeded what the carrier could offer and that we should probably stick to what actually worked.

I say this not out of pride but more out out of sincerity. If you have a method that is global, that works, that is legal and that is profitable........don't let folks tell you that you are crazy. Vendors come and go but 99% of the time they care about,....guess who? The vendor cares about the vendor at the end of the day. Do not fall victim to schemes that completely disregard processes you may have that actually work.

On the other hand, it is also important to admit if you have processes that are not global, that do not work, are illegal and that are not profitable. One of the largest failures I see in business today is the lack of acknowledgment of a 'shrinking globe'. Profitable companies can no longer isolate themselves within a region or Country. The market is GLOBAL. We must begin thinking in terms of internationally compatible software etc.

In summary, today was rewarding but basking in the success of today will not help me tomorrow....... for tomorrow is a new day.

Your thoughts?

kml
2009

Microsoft Groove 2007 - Google Wave

OK...............so I picked up a copy of Groove 2007. With a little help from a good friend we managed to work together on a document, modify a workspace calendar and do some workspace chat. (From 2 different cities) This is an amazing tool and I am ashamed to say that I have not used it before now. I suspect we'll be doing some more trials in the coming days............

............which leads me to..............

..........Google Wave.......if Groove can do this, I have to wonder what Google Wave might do. With a bit of luck, Google Wave might improve slightly on the Groove model and really amaze me.

These softwares open a whole new world of possibilities. My colleagues in Switzerland could work on the same document that I work on in the Americas basically in real time. As we modify documents we can also share calendars in real time and chat together. I think I am getting into this.

I promise to update in the coming days!

kml
2009

Google Wave ??

Is it (Google Wave) the next great 'hooop-la' or is it a flop? I'm test running Microsoft Groove 2007 now. I'm a little less than impressed with Groove as I am not sure it will fully function on my 64bit version of Windows 7. I am struggling.......I would almost sell a pet to test run Google Wave.

If anyone has an invite, hook me up.......


Note: I had my first Windows 7 issue today. I was attempting to drag an icon on the desktop into a folder I had created on the desktop and windows explorer 'hung-up'. I had a very similar problem with Vista? Anyone that can attest to this issue, please do........I'm curious.


kml
2009

Windows 7 Ulitimate - 2 Days and Beyond

I gotta say, I was about a 2-3 weeks away from the switch back to Apple after 10 years of separation. In fact, Apple was not using Intel processors when I last used their product. Because of my job, I made the switch to Windows. It was painful at first as we were then using Windows 95 in the corporate environment and for the life of me I could never understand why the corporate world used Windows after my first week using it.

I decided that if I was to stay ahead of the curve at work I should update my home computers to Windows products from the Apple platform. I wanted to be able to easily share files between work and home. (keep in mind, 11 years ago this process was much more painful than now days)

I did most of the obvious Windows upgrades over the years, 95.........98..........98SE............ME.........2000Pro.........XP Pro.............Vista..........and now finally Windows 7 Ultimate. Out of 8 different OS choices, I feel that only 3 were worth having. So now I'm wondering, was I a fool or do I chalk it up as a 'continual learning experience'? The ones that worked, worked well.........the ones that were bad, were terrible.

This all leads me forward in time to where I am today. I'm through the weekend and still test driving Windows 7.........(I'm keeping my fingers crossed) I'm getting the feeling that this upgrade is one of the 'good ones'. Usually by now, if I was going to have problems......I would have seen something pop up.

The install was even smooth for me which is one of the things in the past that made me want to put a torch to the computer. Back-ups were easy. Things feel more intuitive with this release. (Wait a minute, am I talking about Windows here?)

Maybe another day or two of this.............but again, so far, so good. I am pleasantly surprised.

Your thoughts?

kml
2009

Windows 7 - Ultimate - Day 2

So far this (Windows 7) seems like my initial experience with XP Pro when it first came out. Nothing weird. I have been going through the paces and can not find anything yet that does not work. I'm already loving the new improved taskbar. There are lots of little tweeks to the task bar that I love. The 'show desktop' feature is something I did not think I would use but I have used it several times already. By default it is placed in the bottom right corner. Hover over this button with your mouse and all open windows become transparent showing a view of the desktop. This is quite handy I must say.

Open programs shown on the taskbar can be hovered over as well to show mini windows of open items.

The only thing I have noticed is that Windows 7 does not load quite as fast as Vista did for me on start-up. Not a big difference but enough that I noticed. However, I'd take this trade-off any day if the OS is reliable as it seems to be.

So far..........still, so good.

Your thoughts?

kml
2009

Windows 7 - Ultimate

Going for the test drive. So far, so good. Installation of Windows 7 was straight forward. There were no surprises and the system seems very stable. UI is much improved. I can already tell that this is a better OS than Vista.

Daily updates to follow.

kml
2009

B2B Social Networking

I have heard that it can not be done! I submit to you that successful companies must socially network within their supply chain to reduce costs and improve relationships.

What are your thoughts?

kml
2009

iPhone 3GS Review 1

I’m not sure the traditional ‘what I like’ and ‘what I don’t like’ review will fit here. Apple thinks outside of the box so I think I’ll just combine the review. You will catch on.

Email

iPhone email is not all the way there yet but it is so close that it is knocking on a partially opened door. The set-up (to me) lacks just a little when compared to the Blackberry product line. My BB Bold took just a very few minutes to configure and it works every single time, every day of the week…….it just works. Like I said, Apple is getting close. Now with a really nice MS Exchange Support feature, Apple is knocking on the door of business and I can tell you I saw some bright minds last week in Europe and the folks that were using their iPhones seemed a bit happier than those of us using Blackberry products. I love the push email from Blackberry and I like the fact that I do not have to pay the $99.00 fee just to have the feature. Apple needs to get with the program here and realize this is standard service I should not have to buy MobileMe every year to get what Blackberry already bundles? Are you listening Apple? Summary: I like iPhone email……almost.

Keypad

It took me a little time but the touch screen keypad works. I just don’t think it is quite as fast as pumping out emails on my BB Bold. However, having said that, I would not want a physical keypad on my iPhone. In fact, that would be a real ‘mood killer’ for me. One of the things I like about the iPhone is not having a gadget that has a flip or slide-out keyboard or a front mounted keyboard that uses precious screen space. I do appreciate the ability to now rotate the device for a larger keyboard view on many programs. It does help folks with fat fingers like me. My suggestion would be to offer 3-5 various keyboard sizes in the ‘settings’ menu so that the user could pick the size that best fit. Summary: The keypad is a bit crampy for me but with a little use I overcame and did enjoy but still prefer the on screen vs. buttons for this application.

Internet Browser

Do you remember how insanely crazy I was over the BB Bold e-mail functions? I can tell you, iPhone internet browser (Safari) crushes all of the competition I have seen in this market. In fact, when on a trip, if my family requires information that must be found online the iPhone 3GS is our first choice. We can pay bills, browse any page, look at news……….and we can do all of this in the time it takes to fumble through the opening pages on my Bold. Yes I have mini Opera on my Black Berry and it is still lame beside the Safari used on iPhone products. I have nothing negative to say at all about the browser on the iPhone until a competitor gets within the same century as Apple……then I’ll offer a suggestion or two. Summary: Browsing the way a mobile device should browse. In comfort and in style……..and intuitive!

Communicating with "Generation Y" at the Customer site

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=160161216551&topic=24770

Guess what folks, we are getting older! Pretty simple concept, huh? Did you know Apple recently hired a college grad who had never used email or read a newspaper? This grad was highly sought after. His methods of communication consisted of only Social Network accounts. He felt that email was 'taboo' and the 'old way' for simple and common communications. Why e-mail from one computer to another when a person can chat & video directly from one mobile device to another?

Think about it..........in 10 years communication will not look as it does today.

Just for giggles........anyone following Google Wave? Imagine the power we have to communicate transparently and in real time with our customer? Two-way dialog with all needed media involved.

http://wave.google.com/help/wave/about.html

No paper, no airline ticket, no jet-lag..........simply start choosing the poisons that are eliminated from the process.

Think the customer would hate this? I spoke to one of our top customers last night, he wondered why we had not moved in this direction 5 years ago.

Very sobering, when asked why they did not tell us earlier, he stated, "We assumed you were the best in your industry and knew what you were doing.!"

This is PROFOUND! Somewhere in the process the customer did not feel our relationship was transparent enough to tell us this. This is not the fault of the customer this is where we as suppliers have not thought into the future. We have been so consumed with keeping our jobs and making it through the recession that we forgot about 'Generation Y'.......the leaders of tomorrow at the customer site.

I spoke with another customer this week that said most paper he picks up at trade shows and from sales calls get tossed to the 'recycle bin'. He says, "At least we're being 'Green' in the process".

Please offer your ideas here. Discuss openly.

It's a new world..........same customer, new generation of leaders.

kl

Knowledge-Fest......Innovation Is Not Dead

Just returned from a week of soul cleansing. I've been couped up in a plane today for 13 hours so my feeble mind can not do the topic justice tonight.......however, I must say......Innovation is not dead in this world.

I have tasted of it this week. I have seen peoples from many nations united at heart.

It is soul-food for the mind. Give me a day to get over this jet lag and I'll give you a taste of this soul-food of the mind!!!!!!!

kml

2009

On The Road Again........

Once again on the road. Will be in the UK tomorrow.......then Switzerland the rest of the week.

Next in line for the blog will be iPhone 3GS reviews.

Stay tuned.........

kml

2009

Blackberry Bold – Review # 2 – 2009

Now for the handful of things that I’m not so happy about on the Blackberry Bold.

Media Player

It is OK. Maybe to some it is great. Too bad for Blackberry that I picked up an ipod a few years back. Other pieces of hardware that try to do music & video seem to pale in comparison to ipods. The media interface is mediocre and it does not seem like high quality to me. It feels like media was an afterthought …………somewhere way after email.

Voice Mail

I must do a ‘before’ and ‘after’ here. Voicemail before AT&T offered Visual Voicemail on the Bold reduced me to the basic cell phone voicemail. It was a pain in the butt and quirky. The little message symbols went away sometimes after clearing voicemail and other times I had to pull the battery. However, with Visual Voicemail, all of my Blackberry Voicemail issues went away. It’s now very easy to use and intuitive. I must add here that I suspect the Voicemail issues were always an ‘AT&T’ issue rather than a ‘Bold’ issue but it was still aggravating to say the least.

Internet

I saved this to last because to me Blackberry has absolutely failed miserably in this area. And YES before anyone suggests it, I have tried both Bolt and Mini Opera for Blackberry and to me they are both lame attempts to correct the largest flaw on any Blackberry device. If I needed my Blackberry for heavy internet use, I would take a sledge hammer and smash each piece into powder. Reading web pages (and pdf files) is like going to a proctologist that has huge fingers. It is painful and embarrassing……….and sadly this one feature would drive me to another device in the future if Blackberry does not fix it. Don’t give me the ‘well it is so good with email that you don’t need internet’ story. That story may have worked before the iphone but not in 2009. Blackberry, fix the internet engine and you will remain highly successful for many years. Ignore it at your own peril.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

My Blackberry Bold – Review 2009

Well, I picked up my Blackberry Bold last November 2008. I immediately fell in love with some of the features. I’ll spend a day or two on the Bold and then I’ll address the iphone 3GS (my wife’s) next week.

Email

I was new to Blackberry until November of 2008. I can not speak to any earlier models of Blackberry devices. Email was the first thing that jumped out and ‘smacked me in the face’ with the Bold. WOW!!! Within 10 minutes of leaving the AT&T store I was getting e-mail from all 4 of my accounts. (2 Gmail accounts, 1 Bellsouth account and 1 MS Exchange Server account) It was just that easy and it has remained that easy. Email is what my Blackberry does best. I know of absolutely no way I would change email, period. Every device on the market would do well to pattern email after the Blackberry model. Did I mention that I love Blackberry email??

Blackberry Messenger

If your friends have Blackberry devices, there is no easier way to text them than Blackberry Messenger. I should add that Blackberry Messenger 5 was released this week (October 2009) with the barcode scan feature. Scan your friend’s device and it loads them to your BB Messenger friends list. Simple, intuitive and the way all messengers should work on any platform. I love this feature and use it daily.

Track Ball

Being a former Palm 750 user, I thought I would hate the track ‘ball’ on the Blackberry Bold. The first week, I hated the track ball. After the first week, I could not imagine any Blackberry without a track ball. Mine has been flawless and based on the UI of the device I think the track ball was the best solution.

Keyboard

I’ve been a Palm fan for years. I used several of their keypad/touch screen combos for years. I thought they were nice until I used the Blackberry Bold for 2 weeks. If the Bold can be beat in terms of style and accurate key boarding, I’d like to see the device that could do it.

Tomorrow you’ll get the things I do not like about my Bold.

Your thoughts?

kml

2009

Apple Snow Leopard vs. Windows 7

I gotta offer one more day of this......I am a tech junkie, forgive me......this article is too much not to pass along!!! I have pasted the link and posted the text here.

http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/10/08/whats-wrong-with-windows-7/

What's wrong with Windows 7

Posted by Philip Elmer-DeWitt

October 8, 2009 6:18 AM

Reading between the lines of Walt Mossberg's review

Photo: Microsoft

It's a given that Windows 7, scheduled for release in two weeks, is an improvement over Vista. But how does it stack up against Apple's (AAPL) Snow Leopard?

The definitive word comes in Thursday's Wall Street Journal and All Things Digital from Walt Mossberg, the diminutive dean of tech journalists and a man who takes his software reviews seriously. After testing Windows 7 for nine months on 11 different machines, he has pronounced it "the best version of Windows Microsoft (MSFT) has produced." (Ring a bell? See UPDATE below.)

"I still give the Mac OS a slight edge," he writes, "because it has a much easier and cheaper upgrade path; more built-in software programs; and far less vulnerability to viruses and other malicious software, which are overwhelmingly built to run on Windows. Now, however, it’s much more of a toss-up between the two rivals.

"Apple will have to scramble now that the gift of a flawed Vista has been replaced with a reliable, elegant version of Windows."

Mossberg has written a positive review; he has plenty of good things to say about Microsoft's latest operating system, and anybody who is seriously interested in buying it should read the whole thing.

But if you want to know what's wrong with Windows 7, we've excerpted the juicy bits below the fold.

In Walt's words:

• On a couple of these machines, glacial start-up and reboot times reminded me of Vista.
• On a couple of others, after upgrading, key features like the display or touchpad didn’t work properly.
• Windows 7 still requires add-on security software that has to be frequently updated.
• It’s tedious and painful to upgrade an existing computer from XP to 7
• The variety of editions in which Windows 7 is offered is confusing.
• Microsoft has stripped Windows 7 of familiar built-in applications, such as email, photo organizing, address book, calendar and video-editing programs. [They can be downloaded free of charge.]
• Windows 7 still isn’t quite as natural at networking as I find the Mac to be, but it’s better than Vista.
• In my tests, [a new feature called HomeGroups] worked, but not consistently, and it required typing in long, arcane passwords.
• The Mac still started and restarted faster than most of the Windows 7 PCs. But the speed gap has narrowed considerably, and one of the Lenovos beat the Mac in restart time.
• In the name of security, Vista put up nagging warnings about a wide variety of tasks, driving people crazy. In Windows 7, you can now set this system so it nags you only when things are happening that you consider really worth the nag.
• The system for upgrading is complicated, but Vista owners can upgrade to the exactly comparable edition of Windows 7 while keeping all files, settings and programs in place.
• Unfortunately, XP owners, the biggest body of Windows users, won’t be able to do that.
• They’ll have to wipe out their hard disks after backing up their files elsewhere, then install Windows 7, then restore their personal files, then re-install all their programs from the original CDs or downloaded installer files.
• Then, they have to install all the patches and upgrades to those programs from over the years.
• Microsoft includes an Easy Transfer wizard to help with this, but it moves only personal files, not programs.
• This painful XP upgrade process is one of the worst things about Windows 7 and will likely drive many XP owners to either stick with what they’ve got or wait and buy a new one.

"Bottom line," writes Mossberg, "Windows 7 is a very good, versatile operating system that should help Microsoft bury the memory of Vista and make PC users happy."

UPDATE: Kudos to reader Jon T. of Cardiff, Wales, for digging up this quote from Mossberg's review of Vista:

"After months of testing Vista on multiple computers, new and old, I believe it is the best version of Windows that Microsoft has produced." — Wall Street Journal, Jan. 18, 2007

"After using pre-release versions of Windows 7 for nine months, and intensively testing the final version for the past month on many different machines, I believe it is the best version of Windows Microsoft has produced." — Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8, 2009

Your thoughts?

kml

2009