Twitter, SMS, LinkedIn....all linked? Ugh

You may be wondering about what was hopefully an uncharacteristic tweet from me this morning. It said: "Try Lexy Martin. I should come up."

Back story: My stepson tweeted me about something this morning and then commented when he searched on me, he couldn't find me. Who knows what name he used? WOSM perhaps, for wicked old step mother? That aside, my response to him was "Try Lexy Martin. I should come up." This, sent via SMS.

So, I had been doing all this while lying in bed, using my iPhone to respond to emails, look at Tweetie, and even view SMSs. The latter, I use infrequently. And once again, it's clear why. Instead of responding to my stepson, I responded to EVERYONE. Everyone that follows me on Twitter and Everyone who follows me on LinkedIn. Fortunately, these connections are no longer coming up on Facebook because I figured out how to turn that off. The SMS/Twitter/LinkedIn connection will be turned off today! After this apology.


Next part of story: My husband was downstairs, logging in to LinkedIn and his other various connections. It's his birthday today and we'd already shared tea and I'd given him his birthday present. A KINDLE from the family. So, he sees that message on LinkedIn: "Try Lexy Martin. I should come up." And, grateful husband that he is, immediately runs up stairs.

So, for Ian, my stepson: If you search on Lexy Martin, my name should come up on Twitter. If not....PLEASE let me know. Obviously, I have my learning to do on that front if not.

And, for my Twitter and LinkedIn connections, that SMS this morning was not an invitation. Really. But, if you do come up, to the house, of course, we can have tea.

Have a great day!

PS: Will someone PLEASE teach me how to respond to an SMS?

Measure twice, cut once - another quilting/HCM intersection

I guess because it's winter and raining a lot and I can't be outside that I've been designing and making more quilts. Last weekend, I was piecing a border from a very cool Japanese woven by fussy cutting between designs. I needed to get 4.5 inch widths and cut one just 4 inches which meant that I lost the piece! Argh. It reminded me of the quilter's adage: Measure twice, cut once. My husband tells me that that's actually a carpenter's adage, but I think us quilters make good use of it too!

It got me thinking about software design and programming and that this adage applies there too. Although perhaps it's Plan Twice, Program Once. Now, I haven't programmed since Cobol was the dominant application programming language (yes...I'm older), so forgive the stretch here. Back then, we got a whole lot of user input into planning, then we designed and only when we got approval of the design did we start to program. Watching my husband do his programming today, it seems like that stage can be much more iterative and he can show users a strawman solution multiple times and get ongoing user input.

But just like with quilting, overdoing the part before you cut absolutely makes for a better end result, with no swearing either on the part of the quilter or the end user!

Thoughts?

And for those that want to see the latest quilts. These are unfinished! I'll post when done too.

This first one is "Berkeley Pieces" because I was inspired by a quilt I saw at New Pieces in Berkeley...very cool quilt store! I can see that I should have measured twice although I think I can square this up in the quilting.


This one, now that it's done looks like one of those pesky "Dear Jane" quilts. But it's not. This is done with Japanese fabrics and with Japanese quilt block patterns. I've been trying to learn to be exact....this may be the last one I do like this. So, it gets the name of "Japanese Jane." And, given how many sample squares I did not include, I definitely need to measure twice more. Of course, trying to understand a Japanese pattern is a bit tough!

Early view of IHRIM Link on Leading Practices

Every two months, as Co-Chair of the IHRIM Link (soon to be renamed), I “edit” the next issue. It gives the wonderful opportunity to really read the issues as I look for the minor errors of authors and the publishing process. Kudos to Tom Faulkner, Futura Publishing and to each of our fabulous guest editors for each issue! I’ve taken to tweeting as I review and here provide my log for the issue to be published in January. I started it on the holiday break and kept coming back to it amidst the festivities of two weeks of grandkids. In the list below, I’ve inserted comments from tweeters and Facebookers in italics.

Readers can subscribe to the IHRIM Link for just $37.95 and as I’m on the planning committee for the NEW and improved publication to be released in April, I highly encourage you subscribe. We have exciting plans! Even better, join IHRIM and you receive the periodical as part of your membership.

Here goes:
Looking forward to editing latest #IHRIM Link on "leading practices" banishing the term "best practices". Kudos Yvette Cameron, Saba. grtjob

Newest @IHRIM Link issue compiled by Yvette Cameron. Anyone at @SabaSoftware -- tell her she did a great job!

Nxt @ronhanscome Starting edits with article requesting semantic change of "best practice" to "leading practice" Bottom line - no 1 magic bullet

By the way. No one on Twitter commented, but lots did on Facebook. Leading practices is definitely the preferred term.

Next by @SyncoJonkeren. To differentiate from peers orgs should adopt new sourcing models including outsourcing

This article is aptly titled, “Unchain HR”

Nxt article: Talent Management for “New Normal” Why the Wisdom of the Crowd is Now the Catalyst for Change @UpdateMaksim @sabasoftware GRT!

Join @ihrim to read gr8t article by @UpdateMaksim. How 2 use social networking for recruiting, onboarding, performance management & learning

Onboarding tech-don’t waste $ on forms automation, invest in solutions 4 employee socialization that reinforce company culture

OK...done editing @IHRIM Link for today. Going to see the new Clooney movie with family. Happy holidays to all!! May 2010 be all we wish for

Actually I saw a ton of movies: Up in the Air, Avatar, Invictus, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squequel (I o have grandkids), and It’s Complicated.

Reading "From Change Management to Governance" by @rpannoni. Footnotes lead to great resources

The Change Handbook: Resource on Best Methods 4 Engaging Whole Systems by @tomdevane covers 60+ change mgt approaches from six sigma to soft

Problem isn't managing change but generating organizational alignment 4 objectives, strategy, tools & methods Governance addresses #rpannoni

First footnote in From Change Mgt to Governance article: @standishgroup. Only 32% of tech projects succeed: http://bit.ly/t1U1G

VERY interesting article: Ulrich for Next Generation: Why a new take on model is needed. Braam & Meijboom

Ulrich's model falls short on overall HR services interactions & no role for exercising oversite. HR services mgr is needed + governance

Next article is Best Practices in Evaluating & Selecting a Talent Management System...or any HR System Fletcher & #mattlafata

Best Practices in evaluating/selecting TM @mattlafata has 10 essential steps for evaluation process and lessons learned. Very insightful

Next article: Why Manage Risks by Martia Newell, #adp. Two-part comment on this coming up.

We have a choice to manage risk proactively or be surprised by problems. Human nature admires firefighting hailing rescuers as heroes.

That’s understandable for burning houses. A major goal of risk management is to prevent projects from catching on fire in the first place.

Nxt article-Leading Practices in Global HR: Determining Your Own “Best” Path Forward, Theresa Brett RexHealthcare. Timely topic

Whoa...now I know why we need editors. That last article is actually by @karenbeaman. Great article - 25 "leading global HR practices"

Leading Practices in Global HR has 25 practices organized by Strategy, Organization, People, Process, Technology, Management

Plus 25 great references (5 come from CedarCrestone research). Got to plug us sometimes! Great quotes by Dee Hock. kudos @karenbeaman

Next article: Harnessing Existing Assets to Drive HR Process Improvements-Financial Services Case Study. Roy Altman, PeopleServe

Altman article starts with the parable of Stone Soup - a lesson in cooperation and draws parallels to the case story.

Stone soup tale: villagers learn if everyone contributes something of value synergy occurs with benefits exceeding individual contributions.

Next article - Eliott Witkin humorist at @UltimateHCM. You will LOL over finding out if UofMich teaches HRMS. Kudos

Twitter for HR by @steveboese answers the ? how can social networking tools be leveraged for personal/organizational benefit - 3 reasons

Branding, establishing industry thought leadership, active recruiting are the reasons (Twitter for HR) @steveboese. Must read!

This last article is one that every tweeter will want to give their HR department!

Again: Readers can subscribe to the IHRIM Link for just $37.95. Even better, join IHRIM and you receive the periodical as part of your membership.

Social networking tools (like Twitter) returns the advocate to customer service

When I was 16 too long ago, having just started driving in my bullet nose 1947 Studebaker, I got pulled over for slightly speeding late one night. When the policeman asked for drivers license and flashed his light first on it and then on my face, he then flashed the light on his face and laughingly said: “Lexy, you were about five miles over the speed limit. I’m not writing you a ticket. Go home.” It was Bobby Rollins, the older brother of my girlfriend who lived across the street. He knew I was really a good kid, and let me off with just a warning.

When I bought my first house and went to my bank for a loan, where I’d been banking for MANY years, despite not really having the right credit history, the manager approved my loan. He knew I would be good for the loan. Today that seldom happens as you can’t get past the system-based rules to a person who will take the time to review your history and the situation.

But wait….perhaps social networking aids….true collaborative aids may be playing a role today and bringing back a person who will be your advocate.

Two days ago, I got a letter from American Express telling me that I’ve been put in the penalty box for missing a payment (heavy duty charges, a year's worth of onerous interest), a situation that immediate raised my ire and made me want to cancel my Amex card. Now, since I pay my bills in full, the onerous penalty wouldn’t apply, but there was a principle here for me. As a member in good standing since 1973, I was hurt. Particularly since I never got a bill!

I blasted my ire on Twitter and copied @AmericanExpress.

I received two kinds of responses: 1) lots of people saying similar things had happened to them and how they had handled it. 2) #AmericanExpress on Twitter encouraged me to #AskAmex. I did, and through the afternoon worked with one of their Social Media Inquiry people. (Yes, PEOPLE. American Express has a team on Twitter assigned to address issues for its customers.) If you look at #AskAmex, you will see the bio of the team: Now tweeting, Beth (B), Nadir (N) and Rachel (R) from 9AM-5:30PM ET M-F. When we’re not tweeting we enjoy cooking, football and spending time with family. Through DM, I was guided by them to go to my online account and send an inquiry with “my facts.” I did, and within a short time, I received the kind of letter that someone with a 35+ year good history with American Express feels she deserves. It started with: Thanks for taking the time to contact me via email. I can definitely understand how frustrated you would be with this situation. I have reviewed your account and have taken care of everything. It ended with: It was my pleasure to assist you. Have a happy and a healthy new year!

A real person handled this situation in a compassionate and expeditious manner! Wow….that sure doesn’t happen when one tries to get through phone menu hell. Not that I’ve had to contact American Express…perhaps its phone services are equally good, but I’ve had the occasional mishap with mobile services and have lost a credit card or two over the past 40 years, to be totally frustrated by the process of remedying the issues with the respective providers.

So, thank you American Express. And, especially thank you to the Social Media Inquiry group at AskAmex. And, I’m totally stoked on the power of social media! For me, it has returned me to the good old days of PEOPLE who support you when stuff happens. I feel like the group is my friend!

A look back enables a prediction for the future of HCM technologies

I was reading Jim Holincheck's 20 and 10 year look back, plus his predictions for today and 10 years from now. It got me thinking about my past as a futurist, working at the Institute for the Future and my time working with Patty Seybold.. OK...briefly, I've been working over 40 years, started as a programmer at Bank of America, then a couple of mutual fund companies, worked internationally at Dupont in Switzerland, then Stanford University Hospital and started my consulting work in 1980 at SRI International, followed by IFTF, then Patty, some time on my own and then The Hunter Group which has morphed into Cedar and now CedarCrestone. Up until Hunter, I used to change jobs every four years, but this has been a place where instead of leaving, I can evolve my work. But whew....that's a lot of work!

Anyway...when I started consulting work, it was as an adviser about office automation. IBM, Digital Equipment, Wang, Hewlett-Packard, Xerox and others all had these word processors or computers that evolved into integrated systems by adding data processing, email, decision support. To make a long story short about what happened....eventually, the functionality of all these vendors' office automation offerings looked alike, and here's the important part: the ONLY differentiation was the service and support the vendor or consultants provided!

Thinking about what Jim says...that MISO (Microsoft, IBM, SAP, and Oracle) will lose one over the next 10 years but gain one from today's ranks of business application vendors...maybe SalesForce, Workday, or Google? (MIGO?? maybe? or GISO??) Based on my old experience, I think the ones that survive and thrive in the business applications arena, including HCM, will do so because they get the IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE AND SUPPORT and all that is conveyed within. IBM already gets this. Oracle and SAP may start to bundle maintenance (just one part of service and support)into annual subscription packets and at least one will do fine. Microsoft if it is to evolve as an application provider must understand the importance of service and support to really play bigger time in the enterprise realms. And, Google, absolutely must get this. I watch all these companies that have great technical people developing custom solutions based on Google Apps or Sharepoint and watch the fact that these developers really don't get great leverage within their organizations because they don't understand that there is also change management needed to institutionalize solutions. And change management, consisting of all those things like project management, training, communications, building stakeholder commitment, etc. etc. is one of the most important parts of service and support. Hmmm, now that I think about it, even Oracle and SAP don't really get the importance of change management with their own service and support offerings, unless one pays arms and legs. Fortunately, they have great ranks of implementation/consulting companies like ours.

Giving yourself permission not to finish frees up energy - another quilting/work intersection

Last year I took a class from a world renowned quilter for a week. It's my gift to myself each year to spend a week learning something new at the Empty Spool seminars. By the way, if you've never gone, it's a wonderful way for quilters to learn! This year though, the teacher, wasn't my kind of teacher. For me, not very affirming. I digress here a bit, but I've noticed that sometimes great artists are really not great teachers -- some are great at promoting themselves and their work rather than encouraging and teaching students. I think I've had a few bosses like that as well. I digress.

During the holidays, is my time to renew myself with family, friends, and quilting. I've noticed, however, that in my studio I have a few UFOs -- a quilter's term for "unfinished objects." I like to think of myself as not a quitter -- as someone who finishes what I start. The UFO from that class, I've decided will never be finished as originally planned at that class. And, oh my...it feels good to recognize that. I declare it totally unfinishable! Of course, I will go through some doubts: 1. Is it unfinishable because my techniques are not up to it? 2. Is it unfinishable because I didn't like the teacher and she did not help me to excel? 3. Is it unfinishable because.... You know what, I don't need to know the reason. What I do know is that by declaring that one effort unfinishable,I feel ever so much more creative! Plus, it frees up one of my favorite fabrics that I want to use in another quilt project that is to be a gift for dear friends.

So, how does this intersect with my work life? Well...getting closer to retiring, I could declare my work career at an end, but I'm not ready for that, although the lesson I will take here is that when I do it will because declaring an end to work will free up energy for other loved activities and efforts. I think the better intersection is that sometimes we are asked to do things that should not be asked. For those, we have to stand up for our beliefs and redirect our efforts. What do you think?

My predictions for 2010 (Global, Business Intelligence, and SOA)

William Tincup asked a bunch of people in our HR technology arena to make predictions for 2010 and I rose to the challenge. All the big HR technology analysts from IDC, Gartner, Forester, etc. have made predictions about the steep projected increase of adoption of cloud computing/SaaS, social networking, mobile devices being bigger than PCs, etc. etc. So, I thought I'd get a big more granular and talk about three trends I see from reviewing our CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey data -- my little corner of the world (or at least my world):

1. The trend towards “going global” with a single instance of a core HRMS and common processes will escalate rapidly. I think the past year of economic downturn has focused large global organizations on cutting costs, more than ever, by moving to a single workforce system of record and rationalizing processes. I do see that they are being much wiser in the process rationalization and realizing that some processes really do need variations by country or business unit. Processes like workforce administration, compensation and performance management which have been handled first will be followed by recruiting and learning management.

2. The trend towards adopting business intelligence and managing with metrics will take two forks as the market moves towards higher levels of adoption. One fork will be a continued adoption of BI middleware technologies such as Oracle’s OBIEE, along with packaged analytics solutions such as OBIA/HR Analytics. The other fork is one taken somewhat out of frustration in that the first fork is expensive and takes total organization commitment. This second fork is towards adopting a SaaS solution. This one leads organizations again towards packaged analytics solutions and I personally think is a temporary blip (until organizations get that they really need to institutionalize the delivery of metrics and need some heavy lifting technologies), but it will make many of the SaaS analytics providers look very good for the coming year.

3. SOA suites will take off. Given that so many large organizations have an HRMS from Oracle or SAP, these organizations have already started adopting SOA middleware. They have gotten how valuable it is to address certain processes with automated support. Pulling from the CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey for 2009: Early adopter industries such as financial services are already using SOA technologies for core banking and to integrate disparate information sources to provide business intelligence. Higher education institutions, typically a laggard industry, are using SOA to integrate students with funding sources and to hook them up with back office services. SOA, most typically used for onboarding activities, will take off with other processes such as seniority handling, terminations (if these continue), and other work-life processes not already automated with the actual packaged applications.