Learning from a successful coach

IT Leadership:

1. The ability to have every one focus on a common goal
2. Get the team to commit and devote to the process (role model)
3. Commitment in your focus -- conversations, promptness, attention to detail, show concern for people
4. Empowerment -- get feed back, ideas, and input on decisions
5. Set expectations for yourself and staff
6. Coordinate team events such as: service projects, dinner parties, and various outings.
7. Help others achieve their goals will inspire effort and enthusiasm.
8. Establish expectations for performance and hold people accountable
9. Find out from every one what they bring to the table
10. Always continue to develop expertise
11. Extra effort to develop an edge / niche in the market
12. Continue to raise your game via networking, education, and conferences.

Develop a pattern of success.

The Year in the Executive Suite “taking stock”

As I look back and reflect on the past year, what have been the greatest successes, accomplishments, and goals achieved? In order to make this determination, I review the climb to the summit.


While reflecting on the rough economic climate in 2009, business prospects have improved especially in regard to potential cliental. There have been improvements in using social media sites such as Face book, LinkedIn, and Twitter to build a network of business contacts, industry experts, and various leaders. There has been success in building expertise in computing technology.

As many business leaders and executives truly understand the reach and power of information technology, integrating key technologies into business (is key). Being in position to develop and lead the development of key technology initiatives has been gratifying.

As a business and I.T. leader, the focus is truly understanding the business process and using technology to add value by increasing productivity, sales, and customer service. One of the prime examples is the mobile work force. Managing the mobile work force to ensure they have every thing they need at their finger tips such as: Email, Contacts, instant messaging, stock, GPS, voice mail, which provides great value.

The year has been successes by confidently bring value to the business, not just from a technology stand point, but also from a process and leadership standpoint. The end point has been the ability to help improve the way the business works utilizing key technology. The focus continues to be improving: business processes, customer interfaces, improving interaction among employees, customers, and suppliers.

Merry Christmas, Happy New year to business partners, family, and friends!

Security against the latest threats

Typical network security involves implementing a firewall. The firewall is a barrier between you and the evils of the internet.  Most good firewalls will examine common ports and protocols and ban and bar any suspicious packets from entry.

As many treats got more complicated, trusted sources, ports, and protocols carried any number of threats. It has become increasingly important to look inside data packets while nothing their source, destination, and type.

My typical network security  configuration deploys a firewall, content filtering, anti-virus/spam, and intrusion detection. As the number of device appliance increased, so does the cost associated with management and licensing. Out of necessity and consumer demand, unified threat manger (UTM) was designed. I will be reviewing UTM.

Global Diversity, Out Sourcing, economics

Global Diversity for U.S.A. has become a reality as the internet has made every corner of World accessible via the internet. While many companies top executives have embraced diversity, many companies and citizens are still un-accepting, or behind the times.

Many minorities and woman have made great progress in breaking the so called glass ceiling. We have a Barack Obama, a black president, Deval Patrick, the first black governor of Ma, and many other influential business people. When people make it to the top of their profession, they tend to hire and reward people in their inner circle. In the recent past, trickle down economics meant, minorities and woman where the last hired.


During this economic down turn, gains made in the Information Technology sector by blacks, Hispanics, and women have been reverse by wide spread lay offs.

Global diversification of the work place has proliferated as a result of wide spread out sourcing. Many support functions have been sent to countries such as India, Guatemala, and China. The fact is, many people in these countries can speak multiple languages (fluent English) but speak with a distinct accent. It time to realize that the world is no longer US (USA) and them (foreigners), but we as one!

When in this global economy, all U.S. workers need to be able to work with all cultures and countries. We as US citizens need to take a look at the world beyond our borders. How can U.S. business and workers use the global diversification and economy to our advantage? It time to refocus from Main Street to the global super highway and I as a business man, will be reviewing our relationship with Europe and our global strategy.

Massachusetts Information Technology -- State Legislature

Massachusetts state government and Governor Deval Patrick has under taken an initiative to merge all state agencies under one umbrella. The key person in this project would be the chief information technology officer for the state.

The CIO would help merge the MA highway department, public transit, RMV, and Aeronautics under the Executive Office of Transportation. The EOT budget was projected at 20 million which also over sees 3000 agencies.  One of the key duties for the CIO was working with the Information Technology Division and Federal funding sources to identify and secure financial resources needed to support IT initiatives

Once of the keys to merging agencies involved the state’s effort to move towards open document format (ODF) with in executive branch agencies. Transforming IT operations for 3000 agencies is a huge investment that the state appears not ready to make. The last two CIO have resigned as a result of the “Massachusetts Legislature's decision not to fund most of the state's IT projects”.

During the last three years, battle lines have been drawn over the direction of digit document format.  Both former CIO’S have decided to go with ODF, XML based format using a variety or products including IBM workplace and StarOffice.  The decision to not use Microsoft’s digital format resulted in opposition from Microsoft, legislators, government officials, and special interest group.

I was interested in tracking this project as I assisted in locating person to fill CIO position for the state of Ma. They key to project management is, the person or people running the project and associated funding. If either of these two variables are lacking, chance of success are diminished greatly.

American Dream -- Milton Academy style via Governor Deval Patrick

Milton Academy -- Deval Patrick

Deval Patrick's road to first black governor of Massacusetts.

Deval and his good friend President Obama both offered similar hopes of optimism and hopefullness

many people were hungry for. Many people felt that changes would bring a brighter day for every one, not just the rich and greedy.

Deval's back ground is interesting. He graduated from Milton Academy and Harvard law. He became a top federal civil-rights enforcement officer in the Clinton administration and cheif counsel for Coka-Cola.

Deval grew up in Chicago (poor) and earned a scholarship to prestigious prep school Milton academy. He went on to Harvard and graduated from Harvard law school. He was a private attorney in Boston, specailizing in poverty law and civil rights work. In 1994 President Clinton named him assistant attorney general for civil rights. Deval has lived in Milton Ma, but his residence was reported up for sale, speculating a move to Washington with President Obama.

Deval made his in roads as an attorney working for Stephen Rienhard U.S. court of appeals as a clerk. In Berkshire county, Mark Riehard is a polical science professor at Williams College,who helped Deval get the prestigious clerkship. Deval has built a multi-million dollar second home in Richmond Berkshire county.

Back when Deval started his campain for Governor of Massachussetts, Judge Rienhart helped

get the campain off the ground and was a person of great influence and affect on Deval's life and career.

One thing that impressed me about Deval, he was not freightened or overwhelmed that he would not fit in among youth of power and privilege at Milton academy. He made the effort to reached out to others and learned that other kids were just as frieghtened as he was. There was a sense of community among adults and teachers at Milton academy where others took interest in helping you along. I also learned that there is a strong minority presence at the academy, which must have been helpful as well.

By all accounts Deval has lived the American dream. Deval ran for governor on the premise of keeping the American dream alive. In order for people to realize the American dream, the USA must have a strong economy. The education system in the USA must improve and health care should be affordable. Deval has just released a new intitutive to help small businesses acquire capital, which hopefully will lead to job creation.

Deval is an inspirtion for all based on his hard work and success. His record as governor of Massachussetts is another question. My hope is there will be brighter days ahead for Massachussetts and USA.

I am heading to Milton Academy this week end to officaite a football game.  I wonder if I will run into any future leaders and hope to see some interesting sites.

Windows 7 upgrade and review

Windows 7 upgrade:

If you are currently running Windows Vista you should be able to upgrade to Window 7 with out a problem. Windows 7 is designed to run on the same hardware as Windows Vista which is good news.

Windows 7 key feature are:  the improved performance resulting in a faster and more stable operating system.  Newer systems will run Windows 7 fine, but on older systems, you should review the hardware requirements below.

The system requirements for Windows 7 are as follows: 1 GHZ or faster processor, 1GB RAM 32 bit, 2 GB RAM 64 bit, 16 GB hard drive space and a graphics card compatible with Direct X 9. You can also run Windows 7 upgrade advisor at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

The Windows upgrade advisor will let you know what hardware and software will work with Windows 7, all others you will have to find and load the appropriate drivers. Microsoft does have some new security features available in security essentials.  http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

The early reviews on Windows 7 are good. It’s faster, better looking user interface and has touch screen capability.  I will provide further overviews and review once I install.