December 26, 2005

HUMANNESS


Last year, I devoted my posts to business and IT (information management minus the technology). The new year, will be on both of those topics and again, I will reiterate the rich subject of ethics.

Many of you may find that devoting a portion of your business thought to ethics, is hardly supportive to making money. On the contrary, it is all about money. Yet, one fact remains crystal clear for most. And that is the fact, that we can connect and communicate through our humanness.

When we do connect, it is possible for all involved to readily accept the true focus of making money for an organization. That is business.

Being a dimmed-wit, excluding those that 'think' from the process of making money is not neccessarily wise. Including those that help make a difference can be influential to your bottom line. However, excluding them by thinking that you can short-change even your own staff from fruitfull endeavors within your company is not only being dimwitted, it bears no fruit-no 'balls' in the long-term.

Another scenario for those that are still holding out on my plea, will go something like this:

A place where we all work and play can be an island. It will never change-it will always be an island. Parties that we attend are populated by those that may be your neighbors, workers, or other acquantices. You tell your crappy ethnic jokes, and each of you make fun of the other culture...that's the way it is on an island. No matter how much joke telling or for that matter, how much you drink or toke, we all 'see' each other again and again. Remember, it's an island.

That's my point...on the world stage, in your offices, locally or somewhere on this planet, we are converging through persistence and communication because we all yearn to be on that island. Think otherwise, and we have starvation, ridicule, hatred, torture, danger, even death. Something that most assuredly happens in a time of war.

On an island, because we all use the same tools afforded us, we 'see' each others' humanness because we are on an island and rather than communicate terminal or dead end objectives, we always speak one way but mean another. Why? Because we know we cannot run, we cannot hide, we cannot kill our own community that lives on an island.

Humanness is an island of compassion. This scenario, I have lived for almost sixty some-odd years, which started on the island of O'ahu, an island in the Hawai'ian archipelego of seven islands. It is a true island story and works.

Of course, in any truth, there are opposites than can tarnish or melt the truth into discoloration, distortion, and non-existence. No matter...the truth stands. Think of this-all of you that are thinking about business are on the same wave pattern. You know each others thoughts and the winner is often on a win-lose trek. Some think the win-win and that can be beneficial if it's ethical but how many of us really think in terms of 'an island population'?

An island, is an island. It can be easier, if you but try by creating your own 'islands of thought' by considering our humanness.

December 21, 2005

dOUBLE-DUCE or is it Double_COLD; Case In Point.


Let's talk about those clients that you gain through attrition, luck and being in the right place at the right time. I have experienced all of these but this one is for you.

This is a story about a place I once worked in. I respected most of all the excellent worker's but as you read, I cannot stand blind ignorance. I suppose you'll understand, at least, I hope you can follow along. It's mostly about bright intellectuals who have let their own lights extinguish because of very low self-esteem and the fact, that they just can't get over themselves, It's a too bad, too sad situation. Enjoy!

NEGOTIATIONS: GIVE AND TAKE.

Know it alls-those that think, that their s--t doesn't stink, and those that are so weighted-down with outdated interactive models that their contribution is more of the same...hinderance, stalls, which produce increased costs too me and the company.

I have worked temporarily with a small group that fills the above menu. Please don't get me wrong. I have compassion for this group, simply, because they need help.

Both guys are exceptional but----

This is painful, because these guys can only 'see' their noses on their faces and that's it. Their dreams, ambitions and spiritual guidance is dashed by their own doings. I have never seen people do this to themselves, until now. Oh! I've heard of this type of masochist's narcissim, but up until now, I've never been a party to its details.

These are the types: Tell them the earth is round because you've seen it and been around it-they'll call you a heretic and try to dismantle you-piece by limb, until they can 'see' that you are just like them-they don't care about what you know or where you've been, there's the fault.

Failure to realize the bigger picture...It is not the demeanor or lack of professionalism, it is the shear ignorance by allowing unchecked ego to dominate these sessions.

Where there is a lack of understanding and overwhelming pessimism, there is fruition and maturity, presented as a lack of applying applied physics, using critical thought as a wand to discover for themselves, that the world is not flat. But that is not always the easy route.

Difficult times ensue, and I believe that hope is here when one of these friends understands, but in a day or two it simply, cannot be sustained. One or the other gives in and proclaims with all the arrogance and self-righteousness, that the world is indeed flat.

This is not unique though, most heads of private firms act like this until they themselves get hit so hard, that they wished their brain was interchangeable with a baboon's head-probably accepting the fact, that at this point, a baboon is smarter in many ways than they are. I agree.

Now, don't get caught up here in the technical...this is their downfall. Understanding too much of the technical and not enough of the big picture is their downright death-spiral into a place where technicians (whether programmers or technical applications) are a dime a dozen. You heard me right-too much of one thing without checking the scale for proper balance, makes Jack-A-Dull-Boy or for that matter, Jill-a Dunce!

Balance in the technical, the business, the infrastructure, and constantly selling the 'bigger picture' of a world that is indeed round, can win and influence friends.

Be forwarned; their is always a price to pay when sharing jokes, intimate secrets, desires, and despairs...THEY (the ones that believe with ALL their heart and soul) will always take another approach just to seem smarter than you. If your ethics are ever called in to recognize where in the hell is your brain, please take a short breath and acknowledge your inner spirit-it is probably correct, which you consciously prefer not to listen too, anyway.

That's fine-except when in business-if that mistake isn't in the R&D as a budget, then your ego tantrum, cost you and your company $1,000's. That's being a dumb-shit, you're just letting yourself become an ignorante' (stupid) person.

Hey, these guys just don't care-so go higher up the ladder, don't give up until you find the guys or gals that know that the planet is round because they've been burnt many times too, and will not placate the ignorant just for hell's sake.

Life is not only business but the edge seems like it. Life is all about the art of balance and refusal to be molded in a muck-pie, just to be 'friends,' by anyone.

Never give in-always ask for and demand the best representation-it's only your life.

December 15, 2005

BLINDED AND DEAD: A LAST DITCH EFFORT.

You can either do, any of your business, as unscrupulously as you want or do it using an effective bell-weather, SOME FOLKS call ethics.

You can be paid large fees for 'stuff' you don't deliver and call that 'just doing business', or you can have accountability. Which is it for you?

This is not meant to preach, 'I told you so', or spy as a predator on your own close dealings, but more so as my 'out going message' from my post to you, from experiences window.

I noticed a lot of these goings on lately in the U.S. Government. Not that any of this is new, but the fact is, most of these 'dealings' or underhanded shenanigans, are escalating out of control.

Now, I know this will depend on your honor, as to how you define your own immediate and personal ethical process. You can say-you're doing it because 'that's the way we do it'. Or, 'have always done it that way'. Or, you can parrot other 'rich' people by being as obnoxious as them and pretend, you are 'riding above the world' and none of this has anything to do with you at all. In fact, how dare someone like me, a lowly worm, write about you! Right!

Ok-let's compare your riches, your tokens and your threads that you have left behind. What???! THREADS-WHAT IN THE HELL, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Ladies and gentlemen-this has got to be the number-one ass-hole of our time...Do you suppose?

You are cleared-checked-if you have purged in the last year. Most of you of course, have no idea where I'm going or what I'm creating here-as a matter of detail, it's the crushing, lethal non-objectivity that those that play with 'The Power' to deceive at every corner and gate, have everything to do with this exercise-in a most particular manner.

It is just before the hot phosphorous touches your eye-lids to render you once and for all-blind! Just like that horrible fairy-tale you had nightmares about as a kid or as a grownup as you miserably slip into another unconscious void, leaving behind, yet another round of your precious spirituality.

I am done with you. Having witnessed most of it, I am truly (as a human being says to another) sickened at what you are doing again, now, and in the future. You did it back when...You do it again, in the present, which my friend is the future and base for your future to come.

I refuse to acknowledge the horrors again, with regarded vivid memories of history past, though feel more relaxed, if I can offer YOU, just once more, my sincere wish.

That in your cloud of arrogance, lack of soul-disciplines, retarded caring, and diminished capabilities, nothing to do with gorging, greed, or whoring. Including leaving out everything that is real under the sun-total feelings for the natural, as air is to sky, as running water respects the stone, yet fears the warm skies, as it is being sucked upward to the bigger sky, in the form of evaporation.

YOU my friend are neither there, or approaching cross-roads familiar. How I wish you could sense the coming-a second coming? Just a coming. A harbinger of truths that have been sounding their klaxon-loud-gong more times than the few remaining hairs on your head.

We alone live the karmic road of existence and to that, we that understand lend-in without malice, greed, pity, or repayment. Earlier, I stated that I am a witness-yes, a witness. I can 'see' what YOU do, and what you don't do. I am not the 'I', I speak of. I am not 'ONE' with the Holy One, I am, ME.

But, it gets tiring and now YOU do what you do-but please don't enjoy it, if it requires hate and bullying. Because, if it's considered a farce, you will receive the flashback, soon. This I know, very soon. It is inevitable, on course, and piercing, even to your heart of hearts, your strings. Once again to finally 'see' your threads, whom you have lifted up, your compassionate-wonder.

Most, may lose everything, including shame. Dignity left you, along while back. Girl friends, boy friends, wives, husbands, all disappear, as sorrow replaces their once space-holding virtues, and calls for the highest to intervene momentarily, if not, finally.

Karmic extravagance, one without guilt, one without misery, equals one without hope, one without clear thought, mostly death or dead can never smother the ethers of memory.

Hang tight -business men and ladies. Take stock of your first EQ. What's yours, what's your company doing? How far up the scale is that Ethical Quotient. If you do not have a quickened understanding of what I am saying, right now-then there is a good possibility, in more ways than I can share this moment, you lack the second EQ.

The second EQ is the only path to entertain your movement into enlightenment, not that I am enlightened, to that point, (it just sounds major-real good). Emotional Quotient; stability, caring, sensitivity, crying, real tears, are made for the strongest of men and ladies. Let me repeat myself. The strongest!

The weak, the ugly, the uncompromising, the phony, the mischievious ones, shun from its brilliance-they demean and foil the natural perfection. They do not care about my ground, which I share and walk on every day.

Peace,
Only you can prevent risk!
Enterprise Risk is here,
for you-everyday.What's your hand...?
How far are you willing to gamble?....
When is enough, enough...?
Never too Late To Change...change?

I again as witness, ask you as a fellow human that has had to be taught to be cruel, to kill another being, what is today?

For YOU?! Where are you?

Best To You-
My Business Friend!

October 19, 2005

Researcher - Burson-Marsteller

I've posted this because I find it to be VERY interesting; The research and findings from BM are stupendous and a warm - special thanks to Moon Kim for his introduction.

I can only reply with a hopeful thrust that myopic IT deficient visionaries are taught to dead-end.

Perhaps, we as IT pupils should understand that it is in our best interests by being more expansive, thinking globally, encouraging high-level strategic thinking in ALL business venues and individual corporate roles.

Only then will CEO's understand that there is a technical process thread that allows business to compete and succeed. Information Technology is that Golden Thread which allows Information, (truly priceless) to be managed for Corporate growth!

Thanks for Reading-
Lyle K'ang, MBA/IM
__
Hi Lyle,

I came across your blog on IT-related news. Your entry past March, title "Chicken and Egg" particularly peeked my interest. Given your subject terrain, I thought this might be of an interest to you.

I am a researcher at Burson-Marsteller, a global communications agency. We just finished working on a study regarding the IT Deficit in the world's largest companies. We found out that only 8% of Fortune Global 500 companies have a current/former CIO on their boards. We also compared the top 25 companies in Fortune Global 500 to the top 25 companies in India's Economic Times and found that the top Indian companies were 10 times more likely than the top Fortune companies to have CIOs on their boards.

Here is some more information, in case you might be interested.

http://www.burson-marsteller.com/pages/news/releases/2005/press-10-19-2005

Please do not hesitate to reach out if necessary.

All the best,

Moon Kim

--
Posted by Moon_Kim to Business Strategy - "Superior Technical Knowledge With A 'No Quit' Attitude!" at 10/19/2005 02:33:09 PM
--
HERE IS THE REPLY TO THAT CIO ARTICLE:
Monday, March 21, 2005

Chicken and Egg


Readers Viewpoint
Chicken and Egg
Posted: MAR 21, 2005 11:01:50 PM http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=3266

Enterprise Architecture must belong to an IT Emerging Technology group that has real interest from all the ’C’s.

The interesting inclusion of this practice is to have an ’IT Network Infrastructure Business Systems Manager’ belong and interface with these groups to teach business strategy and IT convergence together.

When technical groups meet cross-functional business groups, teaching begins. Architects’ step in and teach high-level thinking and process. Business Systems Managers teach process management to shore-up and encourage IT/IS specialists to think in broader terms-not only in granular functions.

Enterprise Architects’ then align their thinking to business processes and the CEO, albeit the Governance Board. CIO and CTOs belong to the Governance team. CIOs are asked more and more to think outward, concerning strategic and convergence alignments that equate well to CFOs and COOs responsibilties.

In a nut shell, these are the individuals that need direction in understanding what business they are in-core competencies, and ever-expansive excercises which the CIO/CTO bring to a Business/Governance Board.

It starts-by understanding the business units requests, the business of the enterprise and the ability to educate, soft skills included, everyone up and down, and through lateral points, while significantly calling for process alignment to eliminate and weaken, silo management (stove pipe) practices.

Lyle K’ang, MBA/IM
IT Business/CTO Consultant
____________________________________________________

July 29, 2005

- ## Most Aligned Corporation in The Big Bad World - ##

For sometime now, I have pondered and considered the hierarchal personality and its ability to learn on its own; the inherent value which is produced by such a structure, hence the name silo or smoke-stack management. Not a pretty sight and a bad structure to be under. We've all tasted a bit of this tragedy which continues unfortunately, today.

My technologist abilities and eagerness to architect 'best practice' methodologies is not always an easy fix for the customer. Why, the engineers, administrators and business partners add their intellectual solutions, which taken as a whole are more times than not scary.

When this puzzle is turned inside out-what appears on the surface is not always correct in terms of what is needed to make the infrastructure complete, when planning somekind of convergence activity. Thoughts and directions can ebb and flow; emotions can lead or inflame outrageous behavior. This is my story:

Tonight, I was discussing make believe scenarios with a regional partner that has a big stake within a principal-world-class software reseller. I was totally impressed in his abilities to explain a complex matrix of interaction to me between sales engineers, corporate account managers, mid-account and strategic account managers, and how they revolved around a chief technologist. I was almost overloaded by the intensity and the amount of information that was coming my way. I really tried to contain and understand all of its complexities, nuances, and business value that he articulated like an artist finishing a masterpiece.

Perhaps, during the end, I got tired because of my own intellectual overload and feeling good about the discussion, I still felt that I was the one who had lost something in the translation. I had gotten the picture that he so masterfully painted for me and was awe struck. I was in the presence of a representative for one of the highest quality organizations on this planet. Really! That is excellent customer service spelled backwards.

What am I talking about? Well, to be more specific, it is our ability to recognize quality when the opportunity arises. Here I thought it was just another meeting with a man that has a title and I'd be able in a short time to pick out the flaws and discuss these with my wife when I arrived home. But not so fast-I could not find any flaws-each of my questions where answered with concise articulation.

I guess there is a time for reflection and my time is now. Hierarchy? It would be very rare indeed to find this type of value chain within the biggest of corporations, the way this one is organized. It is as though, except for their own great individual personalities, a cloning of the best values a company has to offer for its customers' and employees.

July 02, 2005

WHERE IS IT? This Business of Compassion...



Have you truly wondered or taken the time to adjust your schedules so as to provide needed energy to family; loved ones, brother's, sister's, mother's, father's - have you?

Take your energy for business-only to find that unexpectedly you die, have a heart-attack or an anxiety collapse.

Where are your values and priority placement now?

What do you do?



The Business of Compassion!!


PROCESS MANAGEMENT:

A. First Steps to Implementation

B. Second Steps to Formulation

C. Third Steps-Continue the interaction that you have started with your loved one's.

Remember-it's your life, so come down and take the time! NOW!!




FIRST STEPS:
1. Take it-take the time out-now! One week-try it!
2. Provide energy to your home-now; take it!
3. Unexpected surprises are great-like gifts for those who have provided love and support while you were buried in your business-remember; now is the time; take it!!

SECOND STEPS:
1. Check on your cash flow-not now! Later! After doing your FIRST STEPS.
2. Take the time; now's the time to cut cash expenditures and expenses-get rid of many fixed costs; try to convert them to variable!
3. Turn fixed assets into salvage-cash for the business in which to do other patching.
4. Look at the overall health of your business now! This should only take you a week!

THIRD STEPS:
1. Now go back to the family!
2. Explain you have budget problems and/or bankruptcy proceedings! Do IT! Take It!
3. Expalin to your family-you are solvent and that you will be taking a two week vacation with them in two to three days-Take it! NOW!

believe that you are now entitled to celebrate in the 'I'.


Enjoy!
Lyle K'ang

June 29, 2005

It Started Out Just Having Fun...



That's how my music career started out: The Black guy in the middle asked me to come sing with them for an Air Force competition on base. Frankly, I liked to dance back then and never really considered myself singing...I was seventeen then, 1962. This picture is taken at that competition on Mountain Home, AFB Idaho.

I don't remember the names, except one-the guy's name in the middle is A/2c Faulkner. It was really fun, which later changed my life for the better for the most part.

I add this picture here, because I am later asked to join a performing group in Boise, Idaho as a business. We do well and our sound catches on in Boise. It was a new R&B sound. That's me with the 1963 on my pant leg.

You start out with something you like doing and wham! It's a fun, engaging business.

Remember, take your vitamins, and really get enough sleep or you'll burn out and never get where you're supposed to go.

P.S. No band-no back up-just having fun harmonizing with our voices-I was asked to sing baritone then. I later was asked in HAIR to sing tenor.


Thanks,

Lyle K'ang

June 24, 2005

...when we were young



Filled with hope-we created and inspired. The road was long, winding and gave us what we came for!!

Left to right: Mark (lead guitar), Buddy Georgia (drummer), Brian Bodine (bass), & Lyle K'ang (vocals).

Lyle K'ang

China: Overtakes & Owns America

China is posed to overtake the American economy by being more American than America. Clearly, this is disguised as a friendly merger, but what lies at the heart is planning. The article I refer to, is the fact that China is buying American energy companies.

America plans out as far as 15 to 20 years. China plans 50 to 100 year strategic maneuvers. It is now exercising it's plan.

The article states that we Americans are worried about our supply of oil but it is not the American people that cry out, it is those monsters that need a growing supply chain to feed its appetite. Rightfully, we cry about the high stink'in prices. The Corporations are not American any more than China's gain is for its people (though reports show that human rights issues are changing for the positive).

Though these corporations have incorporated in the U.S., their interest lie with their lusting, greed-driven shareholders. Collectively, none of them give a damn about the America you and I care about. The drive to produce oil by drilling, mergers, providing services; including military-commandos-soldiers of fortunes to guard the oil interests while our own government spins a tale about how such-n-such is a bad dictator or some similar story, is getting very old. By now WE THE PEOPLE should have already seen the obvious.

All the pipelines that have already been built from up North-near the Russian border, through Afghanistan and more coming elsewhere, is a testament for greed.

So, why shouldn't China buy up any American MNC (doing global) business-this is the strategy, the vision, finally THE tactical move to control and own the World....Slow, methodical, & patient cultivation of American trust is planned by the China strategy.

We now have our own 'turn-coat' Senators saying Bush wants this and we should do it-blah, blah, blah. Guess what you ignorant political ideologs, you are now China's prisoners...and NOT a shot has been fired on either side----oh, I take that back; China downed our spy craft-gave it back to us in pieces.

Am I unpatriotic, a traitor; NO! Maybe more grounded or realistic, because people like me dare to proclaim the inevitable - that the Communist Nation might just be the winner?! Is business - any way you can get it or does it carry consequences about ethical imbalance?

You decide-How about that!


Lyle Kekahi K'ang, MBA/IM
http://silomanagement.com/

June 21, 2005

...What Is Really Obscene

This article is not placed here to show you the politicos, politics about the subject and title, but to show you, that as a business, there are obviously many major failed points to recall.

Senior Management has failed because they themselves are not in compliance, first, with Governance policy and their responsibilities to care about divisions which include its people and welfare.

Spending caps are obviously, 'over the top' and those perpetrators through audit, should be fined, sued, jailed, and fired. In this case, this business is totally out of compliance, operating against all governance policies, rules of engagement, monopoly/oligopoly creation, stealing, human trafficking, murder, and a thousand other international business violations.

If one were to step back for a moment...the business, vocally purports to be an organization led by a great CEO, and a higher guidance system. Upon closer examination, we find that this is not true because, those claims do not financially equate to a sound business base. It has a large global business ethics problem, and hence, the statement; "Surely no God could be obscene enough to create this." ...and now the business article.


What Is Really Obscene
Recently remarks by Sen. Durbin about torture at Guantanamo and by Rep. Conyers referring to the Downing Street Memos have both been called obscene. These subjects are minor in comparison to what is really obscene.

It is really obscene when the worldwide expenditures for armaments in 2004 exceeded $1 trillion. The United States spent almost half of that amount, or almost 3% of global GDP. This does not include over $200 billion the US spent to fight terrorism.

In Western Europe and South America military expenditures fell. They increased in South Asia, Northern Africa and North America.

In the pursuit of DWD's (Dream Weapons of Destruction) USA has a current commitment of over $1.5 trillion. The Pentagon opposes many of these programs. They are created or kept in place by the politicians and civilians in the DOD.

These are obscene in any realistic aspect of life. The Merchants of Death have gained control of the world. The largest supplier is the USA. We sell more destroying, killing material than the rest of the world combined. Our government supports this. It crosses the aisles to all political parties.
We elected them and keep them in office.

What Eisenhower warned about the rising power of the Military Industrial Establishment has become far greater than he ever envisioned. Constant warnings from concerned people all over the world have come to naught. When retiring as Chancellor of the Lincoln Academy, I sounded this tocsin. Afterwards Gen. Westmoreland was decorated.

What is obscene is when you consider the good such amounts could do for worldwide poverty, free trade, health, shelter, education, ecological solutions, population problems, infra structures-just to mention a few concerns. Not even thinking about the rest of the world we are constantly facing what a minority of politicians and lobbyists feel is needed in America. Surely there are better ways to spend out treasure.

I am not even mentioning the countless thousands killed or seriously wounded as a result of these expenditures.

Surely no God could be obscene enough to create this.

The above is taken from Michael's Butler blog site.

He is the author and his material is copyrighted.
Author: Michael Butler, Monday, June 20, 2005 (c) 2005, Michael Butler
Michael Butler's Blog

CRM

I choose this article as a good way to understand complexity:

Before Implementing CRM Software, Redesign Your Workflow--All of It!


Hey, remember the long-running "CRM theater" show that almost broke the all-time rerun record? The one where a company runs out and buys software, then decides to do CRM? What a tear-jerker.

Finally, we got sick of seeing it. So they rewrote the script. I'm sure you've seen the remake. Where the savvy company decides to "do CRM right," so executives reengineer their sales, marketing and customer service processes first, then buy the software? It was supposed to have a happy ending. But it fell flat. Ever wonder why they couldn't write a happy ending to that script?

Lots of companies were left wondering. But this second set of bad endings shouldn't have come as such a big surprise.

Here's the deal. CRM doesn't involve just marketing, sales and service. It involves the whole business. Yup. Manufacturing, procurement, logistics, warehousing, accounting, billing, even HR sometimes. CRM is an organization-wide belief that affects business process across all functions, not just in the front office. Heck, if all you change is front-office stuff, you become a poster company for Freud's definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different outcome. If the back office doesn't change, the customer experiences the same stuff, just with front office make-up applied. Trying to mask customer-insensitive operations by dressing up sales, marketing and customer service is like putting lipstick on a pig.

Hear the roar out there? Those are howls of protest from frustrated companies and consultants alike, who think CRM is already too complex, too expensive and too time consuming--without involving the back office. My CRM motto? "Go big or go home." If you're not going to do what CRM takes, why risk less time and money when you're likely to get nothing back?

Want an example of thinking big--and reaping big? Take Ed Phillips & Sons--a relatively small wine and spirits distributor in relatively rural Wisconsin. Several years ago, management took a step toward CRM software, then wisely retreated. Very forward-thinking for the time. Didn't see how adopting CRM software would provide any customer benefits. Hey, what's so great about recording in CRM software that this retailer or that ice-fishes? Everyone does up there. That's when I received a call.

Before long, we had validated strategies and were combing through business processes for the entire operation, back office and front office. Looking at front office and back office together revealed many ways to add value to customers--such as increasing order accuracy; having field sales know warehouse inventory levels; giving sales time to discuss and plan orders with retailers, instead of reserving every second available for writing up and submitting orders; clearing up billing problems on the spot; sharing information and visuals about upcoming deals and promotions; projecting needs based on historical shelf turns; and on and on.

Know what? Not one of these benefits could be delivered by reengineering front office business processes alone. Nor, for that matter, could they be delivered using front-office, CRM software alone.

What type of ending did this CRM episode have? A very, very happy one. Not only did the Phillips crew deliver more wine and spirits to retailers, but also it delivered more value.

Yes, the implementation was complex--and got a little messy. Thankfully, local consulting firm Wipfli did yeoman work in melding a new, Great Plains back office system that talks to a specially configured Siebel 6 system that's augmented by bar code scanners hooked to HP iPaqs, which run custom software that feeds orders to Siebel, which uploads orders to Great Plains at every store--with Great Plains updating Siebel clients overnight with accounting and shipping data. And there's no high-speed access in the field; 56K modems do the job just fine by day, while everyone high-speed syncs from home or office at night.

Simple, quick, easy and budget-priced? Hell no. Pretty complex, actually. But know what? Business is complex. And when you simplify business to keep CRM simple--and quick, easy and low-cost--you don't get the benefits. So why do it?
When you think about CRM, think, "Go big or go home."
___________________________________________
Author Dick Lee is founder and principal of High-Yield Methods, a Twin Cities-based consulting firm specializing in helping clients achieve customer-centricity through CRM and proper alignment of process and technology. Lee is the developer of the Visual Workflow approach to business process improvement. You may reach him at dlee@h-ym.com.

June 07, 2005

Divisive Divide Within The Company

…the continuance and inaction of higher management, not dealing with issues, volunteered up from experienced lower echelon managers, which are real issues, only creates a more divisive divide within the company, which actually strengthens a person or group needing reprimand.


It's POLITICS as usual...and in this case, there's more to it, than just politics.

Let us now turn disharmony, disgruntleness, feelings of 'what a junk company this is', from the other employees affected into real lost dollars, from employee dissatisfaction-production decreases, and a thousand other personal, and mental 'goings-on' in someone's head.

This doesn't take a genius, it equals=costs to the company.

This, when examined closer is a mathematical equation created by turning intangibles into a tangible figure-that again, management can 'chew their cud on', if and only if, they want to gain back the money they burn.

What are we trying to convey?

Willful neglect and reluctance to automate databases to processes, is an absurdity. There are many companies operating in the U.S. that feel that they don't have a problem with their local internet and how they process orders and deliver orders to customers and vendors.

These wonder-minds, will never know how they can actually save dollars. If only at least, they would go into this in stages. But, wishing and hoping, only frustrates.

June 06, 2005

...more foolishness

Scenario:

An individual (employee) time sheet.

20 minutes for a VP to look over time sheets?
20-25 minutes for the individual to make corrections...

COMPANY: COSTS TO DO BUSINESS-INCREASE
Why and how does a company get to this point?

Let's examine the process: No Where To Go-No Where To Hide.


Obvious Conclusions: What is it? A $1,000 dollar bill here plus other costs which mount up to the TOTAL dollar amount, wasted!
Just to throw it away because a lack of application software or knowledge, that it pays to use your IT Infrastructure to it's fullest?


Give me a hint, folks...why?
Why...Would companies run their businesses this way?

Drop me a line...or sign on and reply to this post.

P.S. By the way-this is a true story. In fact, every thing posted here on this blog, are from real case studies for your knowledge.

June 03, 2005

NEW WAYS-BEGETS DRAGGING FEET SYNDROME

It is absolutely true...

Astonishing as it sounds, there are those that continue to hold firm to old, dead processes: like burning money, while the other hand is trying to keep it.

You cannot show 'em, nor do they want to know. You cannot explain it, because they do not want to listen.

They are too busy trying to get more profits. Hell, what is fixed costs, anyway? Arn't they knowing enough to know that fixed costs can become variable costs, simply because we introduce a new and more efficient process. The secret, that it saves money through revamping, should be a no brainer, but unfortunately, it is a hard subject for others to wrap their brain around.

I am referring to low bidders and how they get jobs. Low bidders; nothing wrong with that-right?

The problem I see, from my point of view, is that, if you low bid, then profits are minimized and you (business owner), will have to rely on other avenues of accounts receivables to promote cash flows. Fine, if you got it-but remember, it is taking away from one process to fund another.

Would it not be better, to have both or all other processes efficient, thus, contributing to the whole?
If we can cut costs at every level, we not only improve our existance, but the business' cash flow, isn't that a theoretical dream we all want to share in, or is the practice common?

You tell me!

You tell me-what's wrong with that?!

May 23, 2005

...Angel Money

OK! some of us are running ragged looking for the right folks that perhaps take an interest in our projects and fund them, with hopefully, continued support through proftable dialog and genuine interest in the whole-unique-project.

I have four fellows who are unique growers, some own six-hundred to nine-hundred-ninety-five acres of organic fruit, and are looking for untraditional ways in agriculture, that will return to them the needed investment dollars, plus their percentage share, and most notably, a cut in the business. Sure, let's see, they are patient individuals but they too want a successful start-up and stable mezzanine or growth oriented-curve that has a robust future based on pre-assessments, including statistical, quantitative and other creative tactical analysis.

Sounds good, doesn't it?!

Let's look a little closer and examine the goings on before we commit, OK!

What should you be on the lookout for?

Marketing: Who owns what-do we all own it?

Technology:
Again, who own's what-or is it better to manage this as a partnership, where we'll all have a say (a full circle-deal) but unlike a heirchical structure, with its up and down management.

Financial Management:
By all means, use this tool until we're blue in the face, but let's not be blinded by figures only. There are intangibles that somehow, just don't get to be in some analysis. This is criminal. How can anyone make educated decisions based on equations that lack the "soft" issues of intangibles, vs. only having a myopic vision of using just "accounting" measures. The future is built on several hundred "risky" visions coming into play or not. How do you cope with those "soft" issues of the future?

Strategic and Tactical focus: How we deal with these issues, takes an unprecedented way of presentation. Bonus structures should be built upon a foundation of innovation and creativity, where no one is parroting anyone, but truly bringing to the table of negotiation, true facts and research for divisional, departmental, sections, and/or company wide profits. Truly, it is the beast of 'best practices' to understand that a true vision be built on 'cash flow(s)'.

What am I on the lookout for?

My real question: What's the win-win structure for this situation? Let me know!

May 19, 2005

Project Management and Processess

Project Management and Processess-most of us use it, understand it, but many of us do not do it any justice.

Case study: Project Managers assigned to Construction sites, (Doesn't really know what to do).
Communication: Many down-hill don't get the messages.
Promises made-promises broken.

Costs that eat away at profits are now mounting-but who cares-it is a tangible equation and monetararily damaging figure, if you want to know about it. If you don't, it gets swept under the rug. Question: Does your accounting system capture these tangible (yet intangible amounts?).

Lost To You: You are the executive in charge, and still don't have a clear picture of what's going down around you, as to this project and other similar projects.

History: Today, a programmer and a (controls engineer), went to a site, specifically to set-up controls. Contacts were previously made with electrical people to have a specific area, powered-up to accept our controls. Upon arriving to the site, no power!

Continued History: Early part of this week, two programmers go to the same site, to inspect, and communicate their needs for the controls set-up date. All involved say its a GO and everyone understands everybodies needs. What happened!

Insert Other History: Now we get detailed in our research and find that we and others have 'touched' this project, so our costs are rising, right up to the GM and VP.

Equation: Calculate wages, benefits, lost time, lost time from other projects, the list goes on. What I find to be catostrophic, is the amount of $$$, that went to the " just wasted" barrel. The most insane point, I wish to focus on, is that nobody knows, or worst yet, cares!!!

Has this HAPPENED TO YOU?! Let me know...

May 09, 2005

Penny Wise; Pound Foolish

...yes it's still around and is the standard way of doing business. In fact, the common belief to save money by not recognizing savings within technology is mind-boggling, frustrating and down-right full of risk.

Let me try to explain:

A firm does business with pen and pencil. Forms are printed, data is manually entered.
Well, you get the picture.

Why don't the owners get the total picture?
Why are they blind to technology when it can save them 10's of thousands of dollars?

Let me know, if you see a similar problem.

April 22, 2005

Too Involved In The Details, To Care About Companies Changing Focus...

It is a fact...There are those amongst us that will continue to focus on the comfortable details which has always been easy to understand.

What men and women who have started their companies, continue to think in details as though they were doing task work: when the focus has now changed to larger views, strategic visions, if you will, that fall short-real short of their goals.

Unfortunately, the mind needs to expand, this we agree, but how do we convince the President of a company that their detailed approach and focus and continued favoritism for one aspect of the business may cause difficulty now and in the future.

Has anyone ever experienced what I'm talking about? If so, how did you overcome these limitations?

Thanks...

April 15, 2005

Understand What You're Up Against...Part #2

Manufacturing; Big Boys, Small Boys and Somewhere in-Between

...where to begin-so much to tell.
Refrigeration and piping-build systems in the field and do prep-work back in the shop.

What happens when a company has long understood that its bread-n-butter has comed from building these exact systems and now finds itself, not aware though, that to survive the next 20 years it must think in larger circles to understand its whole and universe?

Many companies have dug into the details, thinking that answers lie in those crevasses but only to find that most details are tactical, at the mid-level management arena and not exactly what you should be considering. Build YOUR executive strategic building!

Sure enough, details are important-yes, very much so, but if you're already arguing the point-you've lost out on the most important point, labeled as "direction"...which is harder to argue. We surely don't want to be working on the wrong details, or plan or component, do we?

Direction is an ambiguous design, plan, picture or ornament.

Make it visible by concentrating on larger pictures and thoughts. Today, start a new habit by taking yourselves out of the details and consider larger components, organisms if you will, as whole parts of a much larger circle than you previously realized, even in your most expansive moments.

Start your processes so that huge circles (business as a whole) come into view. Grow your circles as larger influences begin to come to mind. As your business starts to materialize into other dimensions, here we discover-strategic influences such as "core competencies", leading you out of tactical alienation and stubborness into a new light of sustained and broader thinking.

The Chinese have long done their planning but unlike our planning, which are five to 15 year plans, if that, have founded the 50 year to 100 year plan. Insignificant you say! Not on your watch! Won't solve a thing is your answer...STOP and LISTEN for just this moment for some truth that you too can use for your strategic direction.

First, 100 year plans will align your thinking with real world changes and the direction your business needs to steer to. It would equate to a large ship manuvering in open waters, trying to turn to port (left) or star-board(right) during the next 50 to 30 years. It takes time yes, but if you are not steering right now, you will not get there in time. Time is not stopping for you or I.

The above scenario allows your business mind to think differently. Notice how you're now thinking about customers, who they are and where are they in their plans!

Are you thinking about scalable systems that are changed-out and updated with the least cost to you?

Profit margins are now more aligned to your methods and processes to deliver system value to your customer.

You become aligned with their thinking-how can you help them to grow, profitably?

No more are you thinking of each sale-you are more visionary now and equate business survival to services and what you are as the deliverer of this service to your customer.

Now, we are down to the home stretch. 30 to 10 years is a large span of time, but when calculated as a sale a day to deliver that quality of service out to the right, (graphing) for the next 50 years to even the 100 year mark, we find lines of correlation, which we can quantify with managerial finance equations. This vision originated not from a 5 year thought, but thinking farther out to the right in time, more than ever before.

High level thinking as you know is the savior of business. Encourage your own mind to pull itself up, and go beyond what YOU percieve as normal.

Dare your mind, (take the time-quiet place-walk by the lake) to wonder. Go past the tactical road blocks and into areas you have never explored, nor given your mind the chance to think about.

Discovery: Five year plans are detrimental-Financial equations can be changed- (watchout what you do), business life is not always the tactical speed boat-it may excite you to know that your steerage is massive and cultural at best-these take time to manuver and manuver you must.

China knows where it is going (world manufacturing dominance), do you know where you are going tomorrow?

Till We See You Again-Happy Trails...

Lyle K'ang, MBA
Specialization in Information Management

April 08, 2005

Manufacturing; Understand What You're Up Against...

Understand What You're Up Against...

Part #1
Manufacturing; Big Boys, Small Boys and Somewhere in-Between


If I told you that I feel like most manufacturing businesses in the United States was going backwards until it stops again, circa 1800's, would you understand?

Technological advances are required for the most part to manage the business' financial package; and in larger companies, it's customer relations management applications and processes which is supposed to reinvent the way many businesses do business. The fact that business must change, says a lot about what is happening elsewhere, here, and all around a business.

Without any fore-warning, we have no one to blame for slow expansion but ourselves. You remember the ridicule each of you met when you found out that you were the cause of perpetuating the continuing practice of 'stove-pipe' or 'silo management' within your businesses.

You did not know that you could be wiser, but the very fact that you hindered your own companies growth is momentus.

We in the business are up against changing methods that threaten traditional manufacturing relations and ways of doing business. For instance, I know that within each one of us, there is a comfort zone and we-at this point, are threatened and terrified, because of change.

Change in this case, is not good but worthy of your introspection, and full attention. Without your energy and understanding, we all risk the chance that change will close your business and all of our jobs.

Why am I so sure of this direction that change has been charging straight for your doorway?

First of all-if you don't or can't understand what you're up against, we'll have to continue this discussion, when you are past denial, willing to clear your head for a moment, to 'see' what 'we' 'see', which you don't see or refuse to admit to yourself that possibly there could be a better way to think about expansion, that you are just not getting.

We really have much in common...Ready?!

Coming -
Part #2

Manufacturing; Big Boys, Small Boys and Somewhere in-Between

March 21, 2005

Creating an Enterprise IT Strategy...

Creating an Enterprise IT Strategy That Aligns with Business Strategy...

Dear Mr. Koch, CIO Editor;

I have tried to conceptualize inner feelings and practices which hinder interaction on projects concerning Enterprise IT Strategic and business process alignment.
The thought led by Boeing experience starts here:


Creating an enterprise IT strategy that aligns with the business strategy of the company

It is a cloudy and hard road to take when your CIO/CTO alignment is in the hands of CFO’s who have not graduated beyond their expertise of financial granularity, yet to embrace, the expansive vision of practicing CIO’s.

CIO’s are not IT Systems specialists-these are your IT Managers, etc.

Thought-creative, innovative and business intelligent, built on the premises that a Governance team/group/board has formed, will form and is functional. Functional in terms of individual abilities to be far-reaching and visionary, by using and understanding IT as a business medium which supports business value and its core functions.

To miss these values, actually flags the enterprise and governance team for failure. Network infrastructure, is a core competency unto its self but not the enterprise. The enterprise is survival-it is profit and cash flow(s). IT is supportive in nature-to bring about change within digital process alignment through management strategy which tactically supports business processes in all business divisions and units.

The lesson here: ability to create an eager group, which implements an honest exchange of information. An IT Enterprise Strategy is in actuality an exercise for making IT Strategy visible to the CEO, CFO and COO. When they themselves, are eager and claim the project, vision, and strategy as their own-we all win in this enterprise. This is the only top responsibility of an aggressive and thought-provoking CIO.

This requires trust, golf, boating, smiling, knowledge, architects, and the ability to forge ahead with excellent RFI's, RFP’s, and RFQ's through collaborative partnerships with suppliers, and the business units IT vision.

No more-no less.

Best Regards,

Lyle K’ang, MBA/IM

IT Business/CTO Consultant
http://www.SiloManagement.blogspot.com

Chicken and Egg

Readers Viewpoint
Chicken and Egg

Posted: MAR 21, 2005 11:01:50 PM http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=3266

Enterprise Architecture must belong to an IT Emerging Technology group that has real interest from all the ’C’s.

The interesting inclusion of this practice is to have an ’IT Network Infrastructure Business Systems Manager’ belong and interface with these groups to teach business strategy and IT convergence together.

When technical groups meet cross-functional business groups, teaching begins. Architects’ step in and teach high-level thinking and process. Business Systems Managers teach process management to shore-up and encourage IT/IS specialists to think in broader terms-not only in granular functions.

Enterprise Architects’ then align their thinking to business processes and the CEO, albeit the Governance Board. CIO and CTOs belong to the Governance team. CIOs are asked more and more to think outward, concerning strategic and convergence alignments that equate well to CFOs and COOs responsibilties.

In a nut shell, these are the individuals that need direction in understanding what business they are in-core competencies, and ever-expansive excercises which the CIO/CTO bring to a Business/Governance Board.

It starts-by understanding the business units requests, the business of the enterprise and the ability to educate, soft skills included, everyone up and down, and through lateral points, while significantly calling for process alignment to eliminate and weaken, silo management (stove pipe) practices.

Lyle K’ang, MBA/IM
IT Business/CTO Consultant

March 20, 2005

VENTURE & ANGEL FUNDING

Many of you out there would like to be funded and not by the traditional banker.

What I need is a Paul Allen; http://capital.vulcan.com/
or equally astute and ethical person to find a business interest with my project.

Without an interest from a Paul Allen, Angel funding and Venture Capital would be not as exciting for a $160M U.S.D. project.

What do you think?

February 28, 2005

Patents? So sorry you're five years behind; Case In Point.

There's new technology happening in the great continent of Canada. Toronto to be exact.
The technology promising to out live, out do, and revive the solar industry is solar paint.

Mr_Farlops writes "Using nanorods and liquid plastic semiconductor, researchers at University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a solar cell that can be painted or sprayed onto a surface.

Designed with implementation application in mind the costs plummet.

With China the way it is and the U.S. Patent Office so in debt and far-to the right in meeting technological challenges, the patents are behind five years. This won't do anything to help creations like 'solar paint', besides with perfect re-engineering techniques devised, China tells the U.S. to stuff our patents. If you have not noticed, yet, the U.S. economy will continue to decline.

Who's the technology winner? Why you guessed it correctly, for some time now and right the first time. For other's it is still hard to come to terms-but that's alright-you go on believing that the military is still the perveyor of nanotechnology. WRONG!!!

Corporations want to design, implement, compete yesterday. They want to win-so leave it to China to lead the way, companies will just have to develop, cross their fingers and go for the ride.
No matter how short-it's still a ride.

However, you could be the luckier one's, if you become a partner....(c) Lyle K'ang

February 27, 2005

Technical VPN Integration

The other day I was working for Merril Lynch as a VPN networking engineer. I'm an IT Consultant. I had a specific job to do which I hastened to complete.

This may be obvious to most of you but why when working with people on a bridge [Avaya, HP, AT&T] is it neccessary for me to listen to all the chit-chat, not neccessarily for my job but other people's input?

Why can't it just be straight forward-plug and play?