Good discussions

This morning, I had a set of meetings with the Managing Director on whose team I work.  Following those meetings, we went to a nice restaurant and had lunch.  I had a set of topics, he had a set of topics, and we got down to ticking through the agenda.  Somewhere between finishing our trout and a cup of coffee, and interesting thing happened.  We both realized that we were having one of the best conversations we’ve had since we started working together.  We were on track and synchronous on most, if not all, of the items on our respective agendas, we had general agreement on the strategy for the account, and we were saying the same things about the progress my team has been making. 

I know that might not sound like a huge accomplishment, but we haven’t been working directly together for very long, and we’re playing on a rather huge field – so mutual agreement is a wonderful thing.  Further, my “aha” moment came when I acknowledged the mutual respect we have for one another, and what that means for our ability to work independently, secure in the knowledge that we’re pursuing complimentary goals that support one another’s objectives.

The best part of the conversation came when we both stopped working from our agenda, and just talked.  The outline was good, to frame the conversation, but when we both “just talked”, we got the most out of the conversation.  Often, in dealing with customers, colleagues, and employees, find myself talking to a purpose, rather than just talking.  I appreciate so much those times when I can just talk.  I think I’ll try to recognize and appreciate those times, when they’re happening.

Today was a good day.

The Software and the Business Model

So – now, the era of iPhone 2.0 is upon us.  Beginning July 11th, we’ll all be able to get the new 3G hardware.  Today’s WWDC keynote gave a very good overview of the new hardware features – but it was as much what wasn’t said that echoed louder than what was.  The hardware, itself, hardly seems worthy of the anticipation.  A better chip, a better battery, audio quality, and tapered edges.  No front-facing camera for video chats.  No fingerprint reader for security.  No mention of video capture, or the basics of cut-and-paste and MMS. 

What will it take for continued breakaway success?  Not solely the hardware.  What with the SE Xperia, the Instinct, the Bravia and others, it may not be the slickest hardware out there, by the end of the year.  It’s not the software alone, as the recent Android demonstration clearly illustrates that great software is possible – and it’s not solely a subsidization model, which has been around since the start of the US wireless industry. 

It was the software that stole today’s show.  More specifically, it was the strength of the SDK and the flexibility of the previously-unforgiving, draconian business model.  The hardware innovation that  was iPhone 1.0 is now improved, but not transformed.  What remains, then, is whether Apple will be able to capitalize on the headstart its gotten, in an effort to capture more than the sub 1% of market share it’s received thus far.  The slingshot factor will be the software and the business model.  Cheers to Apple, for their realization and their action.  I look forward to July 11th, for my chance to experience the new applications in a new way.  I hope that’s worth the anticipation.

Retirement

My father retired last week.  He’s 68, and he’s never really not worked.  He left Oracle, after being with them for about 20 years.  Before that, he was a mechanical engineer with a 25 year career.  He made the shift when I was in grad school.  I’m looking forward to more time with him, and having long talks well into the night – the kind that the reality of a 9-to-5 job and a trip back to Detroit prevent.

Weather the Storm

Several experts are predicting darkness before the dawn.  By most accounts, we’re in for a bit of tough time in the general economy.   Here in the tech and telco sector, the good news is – we’ve been there / done that. 

What did you do to make it through 2000 – 2001?  One of the writers at GigaOm did a recent interview with Scott Rafer one of the veterans of the sector, and a serial entrepreneur.  He outlines a number of strategies for weathering the coming storm.  Interesting, but I also recall a folks working out  strategies at IBM at that time.  Essentially, there were two:  A) hunker down, and try to avoid trouble – or B) be bold, create new strategies, new services, new offerings, and new ways of thinking.  I know several folks who survived.  Some had strategy A.  They’re still around (some of them) - many of them are in essentially the same jobs now they were then.  Strategy B folks – there were fewer of them – if they’re still here, they have better jobs, more interesting jobs, and they’re generally happier. 

There is something coming.  It won’t be easy.  Our customers will be trying to do more with less.  We may think there’s less to invest, making it harder to create – but that’s not so.  It’s time to push ahead.  It’s time to point the bow straight at the waves, and take them on.

Last Day of School

Do you remember your last day of school, at any grade level, from K – 12?  I sort of remember my 8th grade and something like 10th, but I can’t say that I remember either of them very well.  Kiana and Kendall got out of school today.  Kiana’s last day of 5th grade, and Kendall’s last day of 8th. 

Kendall had a number of exit exams, and seems to have done well enough to get out of 8th grade, and into whatever level of classes are offered at Wimberley High School.  He’s done well, and we’re proud of the education he’s had so far, but also how much he puts into it.  He studies hard, completes his work without prodding, participates in class, gets good marks, and is widely respected by his teachers and peers.  Kiana, without the pressures of full middle school exit exams, has been able to get through the week of parties and field days with grace.  Her fifth grade year has been excellent, outside of our disappointment in one of her instructors.  She’s found her voice in her writing (including poetry and songwriting), and her math and science enthusiasm and marks are outstanding.  She puts in so much effort – more than is expected - and her teachers appreciate not only her academics, but also her leadership in the classroom.

Both of their music has come so far this year.  Thanks to Dr. Woodard’s (Kendall’s choral instructor) interest in his singing, Kendall tried out for the Georgia All-State Choir.  He made the cut, went to All-State,  and had a fantastic experience.  Parallel to, and (I believe) enabled/encouraged by that success, Kendall has started to sing on his own – both with the four-piece rock band he put together, and solo with a guitar.  His band performed a couple of times for their peers at school, and he actually performed solo three separate times:  at the 8th grade dance, at a friend’s end-of-year party, and at a charity fundraiser, where he helped raise some money for a local teen’s bone marrow transplant.  Quite a year, by any musical standards.  Kiana, too, has had a very solid year of musical progress.  She’s gaining fast on Kendall, in the piano books – threatening to catch him in the next year.  She moved from the electric to the acoustic guitar, in an effort to be more a a singer/songwriter/player than the burgeoning electric front-person.  Her chord progressions, and her overall ‘feel’ for the music are better than ever – I’m so glad she’ll have an outlet for what I’m sure will be some real teenage girl angst in her coming years.

I hope today’s last day of school is memorable for these kids.  I plan to remind them of their progress.  It doesn’t seem like that long ago we had a couple of kids.  Now we have some rather independent young people, a teen and a tween.  I couldn’t be prouder of both of them (as if you needed me to point that out, after this glowing post), and I’m glad to be a part of their lives.  It’s their last day of school in Atlanta – and just the start of great things where we’re going.

Acceleration

I was talking with a colleague today, about the pace of business, and all that we’re expected to do – at our jobs, at home, in the community, for ourselves…    There’s a lot to do, we agreed.  The demands of the business have increased exponentially as we progress in our careers, and as expectations of others rise regarding our ability and willingness to instantly respond to the crisis of the moment.  There don’t seem to be more people around to do the work (the opposite, in fact), and the work doesn’t seem to be getting any easier, especially in troubled economic conditions.

The good thing is, I have the technology available to blur the lines between work and non-work.  I can be away from the computer, and be at my kids’ school band concert in the middle of the day.  I can create and submit that spreadsheet/email/presentation that just “has to” be done, without going in to the office at night or on the weekend.  The bad thing is, the technology makes it easy to get so much done that I (and I suspect others) try to do even more, and even more.  When I’m at the concert, if there’s an intermission, I’ll often “just check” the blackberry – more often than not, I’ll respond to something.  When I’m doing that “one thing” that has to be done, I’ll do others, because “there’s so much to do.”

I know it’s just a discipline issue.  I need to recognize when I’m doing too much – I need to segment, and it’s really my responsibility to create my own balance.  When I do take time, I enjoy the things I do.  Guitar lessons with the kids, for example, is usually the highlight of my week.  A cocktail and a conversation in the early evening is a perfect way to put some parentheses around an hour.   But during the week, during the day, when I’m buried in the latest thing, and there are 20 more “things” – it’s tough to lift my head up, much less my thoughts.

Remember, back in the day, when your colleague would walk down the hall, ask if you had a few minutes, and you could walk down to the coffee shop and talk business for a little bit?  I think I’m going to do that more.  And I think I’m going to be happy about all that’s going on.