Create an App for Cloud and Mobile at PULSE!

With the world's mobile worker population expected to reach 1.3 BILLION by 2015, we need some expert app developers to keep up!

With this in mind, I want to share with you some interesting facts and statistics you should know as you consider the value of attending an event like Pulse for your cloud business.

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Our App Throwdown event at Pulse is not just a competition. It's core intention is to get you in the game! The tiles above are not just describing what's going to happen in the industry, it's potentially describing your cloud business.

The App Throwdown will take place on Monday, February 24th. The winner will be on main stage on Wednesday, February 26th, in front of over 8,000 re-sellers, clients, and IBM sellers – giving you the opportunity to reach a new and broad audience!

This is your chance to show off your cloud solution and shine! Register now  https://greenhouse.lotus.com/forms/anon/org/app/d1672a73-80de-473e-8fcf-473f25927516/launch/index.html?form=F_Form1

and get in the game!


Join me at IBM's Cloud Conference in Vegas! 14 Predictions!

The IBM Pulse 2014 conference is just around the corner! As the premier cloud conference, Pulse is an exciting event where you can explore the latest developments in cloud, security and asset management. This year's Pulse will be on February 23-26 in Las Vegas.

I invite you to attend my breakout session where I'll be talking about my 14 predictions for social business trends in 2014. I love looking forward as we journey into a new year of social business. To that end, I'll discuss key topics around themes, such as social tools, social talent and social conText.

To get a taste for my breakout session, watch this video I blogged about at the close of last year:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf5yg_ERDfo&list=UU5uf_n9qa5yQOGEXdGn2uKw&feature=c4-overview]

To add my breakout sessin to your Pulse conference agenda, go to this page <link to https://www-950.ibm.com/events/global/pulse/agenda/preview.html?sessionid=BME-2170A> and click the arrow button.

Hope to see you in Las Vegas, and I'm really looking forward to sharing my predictions with you and hearing some of your own!


Happy Valentines! Digital tip of the week –– Organize your Twitter stream by creating lists

When you follow a high number of profiles on Twitter, it is sometimes difficult to get to know the important and useful tweets in between the “noise” of your timeline. Twitter Lists come in handy to keep up with the best tweets from the people you follow and cut the noise in your stream. You can have different categories of lists eg “customers”, “partners” etc to help you sort the content and you can make your lists public or private. Plus, lists are a form of appreciation on Twitter, a gesture of gratitude. And you might get listed back too.

Learn how to create Twitter lists here.

https://support.twitter.com/articles/76460-how-to-use-twitter-lists


Mint, Bric

I learned a new term today -- MINT!

We have been doing strategy around BRIC for so long.  BRIC stands for Brazil, Russia, India and China.   These were the countries that were to drive the growth in the market.  I have been to all 4 of these countries and saw the growth engines turning but never the full potential that was projected.

But now there is a new term -- MINT -- Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey. Have you heard of this one?  Sure I have been to Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey and loved the.  Turkey is very exciting.  The tea is very good and the business growing.

But the stability is a question.  Turkey and Nigeria have politics that are in turmoil.   Indonensia is facing troubles too with investors.   So I'd love to hear your thoughts on MINT.

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Let's go fly a kite! The Social Flight!

This weekend I went to see "Saving Mr Banks" which is the story about how Disney received rights to the character of Mary Poppins! (It was a great movie!)  My favorite part of the movie was how the song "Let's go fly a kite" came to be -- and it got me thinking about kites and social.

There's an old saying in China - "those who fly a kite can have a long life."   Interesting --- kite flying on a regular basis can lead to longevity!

What does fly a kite mean in the Social Business world?

Get started --- and keep trying! You may not be able to get the kite up the first time. Keep going -- endure the failure! The same is true for Social. Starting is the hardest. You may experience some failure -- ensure through it and learn the ropes!
Practice! To fly a kite, you need to practice. My daughter and I tried multiple times at the beach and finally got the kite up! In Social, to really see results, you need to keep going and practice! Social requires learning the tools and the practices as well as your clients.
Fun! Yes, flying a kite is fun. It is relaxing. Social is the same. Keeping touch with your clients is fun --- not just the business side but the personal as well!


5 Things I Treasure On Christmas Eve!

Today is Christmas Eve!  I feel so blessed to have such a great family and friends to celebrate with this great holiday!  My daughters asked me what I love about this day -- as I am so excited the entire day!  Here's my list!

  1. Candlelight Service.   I love this service where everyone lights a candle and the light is passed around from one to another.  Candlelight services are planned to be a way for individuals and groups, large or small, to quietly reflect, pray together, or simply show support for one another.It is one of the most powerful things I remember about Christmas time!
  2. It's a Wonderful Life.  Yep, it's just a movie but has a touching message:  All of us touch so many people that impacts them forever -- whether they know it or not.  The film is considered one of the most loved films in American cinema and has become traditional viewing during the Christmas season -- especially with my family. We make hot chocolate and all of us gather in front of the fire to watch -- and cry at the implications!
  3. Potato Soup.    I love potato soup and before the Candlelight Service we eat potato soup for dinner.   I am Lithuanian -- born in the US, but my grandparents were from Lithuania. This soup is one of the recipes passed down from my Grandma.  It is so warm and delicious -- it would not be Christmas Eve without the soup!!
  4. Staying up to Midnight to prepare the presents from Santa!  Yes, we all stay up to prepare the presents under the tree, eat the milk and cookies for Santa, and even the carrots for the reindeer.  We tell stories of when I was little, or when my parents were little, and just talk.   Even though we are sleepy, it is special for family time with my parents and husband!
  5. The Season.   I wish we all could be as generous and happy all the year long!   The spirit abounds throughout the day and night.   There is something so special about that holiday smile.

I'd love to know your special traditions on Christmas Eve!

Have a great time.


Holiday Shopping Trends Leverage Mobile, Social

Happy Social Business Coffee Break!  Today we will focus on the season's fun of shopping -- discussing the latest trends from Black Friday, CyberMonday, and shopping for the holidays!!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrvS9VJ-4dg&feature=youtu.be]


Social Business Video Blog on becoming a Social Business Bank!

I get a lot of questions on what does Social look like in a bank.  We have shared many banking references where a bank has started their their journey to become a Social Business.  In past IBM Connect Events, TD Bank, GAD and others have presented their journey!

Since this is a journey,  we pulled together a view of what a Social Business based Bank would look like.   We created Open Financial Network, a simulated world class bank, demonstrates the power of providing customers and employees with exceptional digital experiences.  Experiences that are relevant, intimate, social, drive real value and keep them engaged - anytime, anywhere.

I'd love your thoughts!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkkFHmQLMw&feature=youtu.be]


Leadership matters! One of the Top 5 Social Business Questions Answered!

One of the Top 5 questions people ask me is does it matter if your leaders are sold on social and the answer is YES!

Getting your executives to buy into the concept of a social business in most cases is something that they will either get straight away or not.  Those who are switched on to “modern” technology will not need much convincing that implementing social technologies in the workplace will improve communications and enhance productivity.  Those who don’t see the need for it, of course, require a little more persuasion.

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However you arrive at their participation, they will most likely be nervous about stepping into a less controlled environment.  It’s a bit like them going to the local swimming pool where all the employees swim.  There’s no hiding!

How do you approach executives who are not Social?!

My advice to getting them into the water is to let them observe for a while.  Get your enthusiastic evangelists publishing and propose that your leader checks in on these things.  With their permission ask a public question.  By that we mean something they will be happy to answer in public.  Encourage your other trusted evangelists to do likewise.  Use the fact that you have a team of enthusiastic users to vary the method of interaction.  Ask in a forum post for a suggestion, ask in a micro-blogging entry something else.

Make it easy for your leader to get into the water by making it easy for them to answer.  A couple of short sentences for the first few answers to things is all that’s needed.

Once you have the leader taking part, albeit on a light basis, we need to convince the leadership team that they too should look at taking part.  That team will only see value in doing this if they see the chief doing it.

The leadership team will likely be nervous about what their own areas of the organization are putting into the social system – they will be concerned that their dirty laundry might be getting washed in public.  Try to quash this concern.  Remember that a social business is one which is engaged and transparent (and nimble).

Show your leaders that by participating in the system and answering cross-departmental or cross-organizational issues their area of the business shows its value.  Remember – your value is in what your share – not what you know in a social business.

Commitment

Altimeter's report shows that only about 1/2 of executives are engaged.  How do you get that commitment in your organization? 

leadership factoids

Having a strong commitment among the leaders in the organization sets the tone, volume and enthusiasm for the use of the system.  Remember that in any organization the leadership team are essentially “celebrities” and when they post information or participate in the system the staff become engaged.  As an analogy to this, while many people consider the old-fashioned two-page memo from the chief executive setting out policy and priorities to be deadly boring, everyone reads it.  Everyone engages.  So to get the engagement, to cross the social chasm, you need your leaders to start becoming more transparent.

You can facilitate this slowly by driving engagement from your core Social Business team from below.  Encouraging the execs to take a more active role in forum discussions, making the technology available to them on their chosen mobile device and empowering the gatekeepers to your execs – the secretaries – are all good ways of driving top-down participation which in turn drives bottom-up engagement.

Reverse mentoring as a technique for helping with engagement.  You should, however, consider preparing the ground by producing some executive training materials.  An executive handbook – amounting to a maximum of 5 pages of tips and tricks, some one-to-one time, and perhaps a presentation provided to them on paper or some other medium to help them get into the concept are all good approaches.  Above all show them that these are “special” materials – these are designed only for them.  They are intelligent people and like to be treated that way.  Give them the facts in tweet-size points.

Ask if you can check in on them from time to time.  If you get their approval then MAKE SURE YOU DO IT REGULARLY.  But not too regularly to avoid getting on their nerves!