If you have anything to do with Information Technology, you are probably feeling something major has shifted. IT Professionals as you and me, across the world are facing a new breed of challenges that are far beyond the technical wizardry we are used to tackle. It does not really matter so much if you are a guru in Server Consolidation, Hybrid Cloud, Application Development, Storage Management, Database or Systems. Sure, they’ll be happy to hire you, but the sphere of influence for you as an IT Professional has been widened and you will be left behind unless you expand your reach as well.

The role that has been affected the most is the CIO. It has actually been extinguished. Enter the age of the CIxO.

Susan was accustomed to confronting new challenges. She was one of the first employees in the IT department of BIO Ventures Inc., back in 1990. Susan was a fresh System Administrator when she was hired by Tom, the CEO, and she had to do it all from day one.

Susan would barge in the office, when it was still cold and dark, as the day was just starting to unfold. She would skim the recent stats of her systems, take care of all the issues and quickly shift to building the company’s information systems. Susan was taking care of hardware and software purchases, putting together the hardware, setting the networks, installing and configuring Windows, Solaris, Linux,  Databases and assisting the Development team.

As time passed Susan was helping out in matters that involved more IT realms and became the CIO. The tech stuff got more complex each year, and recently it was about virtual platforms, cloud hosting and such, but there was something else happening, outside Susan’s realm, which was fundamentally affecting Susan’s positioning in the company.

It was strange. Her role was so important for BIO Venture’s success, and strangely enough she felt threatened, with no actual contender to bring her down. Susan felt as if she became transparent during company board meetings. Derek the CMO, was always a bit remote, and would always resist long direct eye contact with Susan. Go figure, and Derek, being a marketing expert was supposed to be a friendly guy…

But recently, Derek was even more reserved, while dealing with Susan. It took some time for Susan to realize what was happening, but it got very clear last Monday, when Tom, the CEO was reviewing the recent marketing campaign, led by Derek’s team.

Tom was digging out the reasons for the failure of the campaign, and was throwing more and more questions at Derek, but during all this examination, he was also peeking at Susan, as if he was disappointed at Susan as well.

What was happening here?

Was Tom expecting Susan to help Derek, and How? Susan was the IT Manager, and indeed she had learned a lot about what makes Venture BIO’s customers happy and she had some great ideas on how to expand into new markets, using Social Media tools she would develop, and other means.

But Susan was not the CMO, Derek was. Or was he not?

Is Tom expecting that Susan would become the assistant director of marketing?

And to make things even more fuzzy, Susan noticed a similar feeling in regards to the Finance Department. Was Tom expecting Susan becomes also assistant director of Finance? What was going on? Susan was always making sure that her department was building systems that serve Marketing, Finance, Logistics and the other company departments. But now Tom was expecting for more than that, much more.

Here is my take on Susan’s case:

Businesses did not have IT systems around until few decades ago. Initially Information systems were used to take care of…information. Calculate, Gather, Analyze, Report, to produce real goods or actions to be done in the “real world”. However in the last decade the information became the product.

If in the past the CIO was working in the glasshouse, while Marketing, Finance, Logistics and even the CEO, did not know what the CIO was talking about. Nowadays, the CIO is on another Planet. The terms and solutions the CIO deals with today are even harder to interpret. Things are moving so quickly in the IT industry, that even CIOs have hard time capturing all the opportunities and risks involved in using them.

It has become impossible for the management team to relate and harness IT Solutions, not to mention social media, which hooks customers directly to the essence of businesses, and amplifies everything, wins and failures as well.

Therefore CIOs and IT professionals like Susan, you and me have to step in. We have to diligently expand our involvement and sometimes work 90% of our time as CMO’s, CFO’s, CEO’s, whatever is needed to close the gap our board has. We have to turn from CIO to CIxO. We have to let the little “x” be part of us, be it Marketing, Finance, Logistics, Human Resource, whatever needs filling in. As soon as the mission is accomplished and we have one “x” department ducks in a row, we should help out the other “x”s.

Will this position be considered pretentious? Will you get opposition trying to bring you back to your IT Only position? Maybe, and if so, no harm done, you already love your IT Systems anyway – right? It is my belief that in most cases the door will be wide open for you to step in and assist, actually, most chances, people are already disappointed you haven’t done so already.

So, do you want to be a CIxO? What “x” are you looking to help it?

Join the next episode of the IT Professionals Reporting from the Trenches Podcast here:

Subscribe On iTunes http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/podcast

Sync to your Mobile via Google Currents http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/google-currents

Add to your Circles On Google Plus http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/gplus

Follow us on Twitter http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/twitter

Like us on Facebook http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/facebook

Subscribe on Youtube http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/youtube

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

All the iProducts Apple has been creating could be much more than just selling great products. It might be directing us into a brave new world. My intuition leads me to believe that all those, and specially Apple’s iCloud and Siri might become the foundation of the new Robotics revolution.

Listening to Siri, I could not stop myself from reflecting on the sounds of Robots from Sci-Fi movies and books such as “I, Robot“, “Odyssey 2001” and others, and the associations those stories has brought about.

Is this reality designed by Apple, or just an accidental outcome?

What are the clear signs for this reality?

What are the dangers as well as amazing benefits to you?

Feel free to add your thoughts and questions…

Did you know that Steve Jobs and Apple always plan 10 years ahead? However, I’d say Steve Jobs was secretly carving out his plans from a 50 years ahead vision. Yes, those recent years are part of a much bigger story that is about to unveil.

Steve had always wanted get humanity a fair chance at expressing itself through easy to use integrated holistic systems.If you are an “artist” who has an urge to express yourself, you have to struggle with several mighty challenges:

1. Get food on your plate

2. Get someone else do the daily grunge work (cleanup, prepare food)

3. Own a great “expression” tool (paintbrush, computer) that is exceptionally easy to use (mouse, touch screen)

4. Have a great distribution channel (Book Store, iTunes Store, iPods, iPads, Apple computers)

I don’t think Apple’s vision was about getting food on your plate (help you get the job you need to pay for the bills). But the other 3 items on the short list here are definitely what Apple is all about, and they could bring you closer to the food on your plate. Actually there is more to it, but we’ll talk about this a bit later.

Get someone else do the daily grunge work

The Apple II series and later on the Macs, iMacs and the other Apple computers allowed lift off many repetitive calculations or actions. The iTunes program and its related iPod saved you lots of time finding the stuff you love and listening to it the way you like it. The iPhone, iPod touch and iPad has tons of useful APPs that save you time and effort and operating them is much easier than on a regular computer and they are available to you wherever you go, with just a touch of your finger.

Then Siri takes it a whole level up, by understanding what you meant instead of just executing exactly what you told it to do.

The iTV (my guess name for the forthcoming Apple TV) accompanied by Siri’s engine will lift off any remaining struggles we still have with scheduling the consumption of our beloved TV programs and screen heroes. We will be finally able to dump our remote controls and the click-click-click-why-doesn’t-it-work nightmare. We are getting accustomed to getting the stuff we do not want to do, by the iProducts, except for the physical world.

The iRobot will close the remaining gap and actually move things for us.

Own a great “expression” tool (paintbrush, computer) that is exceptionally easy to use (mouse, touch screen)

The Apple II computer was the first personal computer, but it was also the first platform that allowed developers create new tools for Apple II users. It started with the “VisiCalc” spreadsheet which took care of calculations grunge work, but in doing that allowed for financial creativity to spawn. This was one well-known example, but many other applications followed and allowed self-expression for many professionals and hobbyists.

The Apple II also allowed a relative ease of use in operating a computer, as it was the first to allow interaction using letters and words typed on a keyboard and displayed on a screen.

The Macintosh took it further with stunning graphics, clear menu system and easy to use interface – the mouse.

The iPod let people express their likes for music, and provided a simple interface to listen to them, and an exceptionally easy way acquire them through the iTunes store.

The iPhone and iPad allowed do the same with movies, but furthermore, allowed them to express themselves with a much wider audience, through the network access and social media.

Initially it was the Touch interface that drove quick adaption, and now it will be Siri.

The future Apple TV, will bring this experience to a much wider audience, at home.

Apple always facilitated quick adoption of its products by offering an innovative easier to use interface, making it easier to express yourself, and this leads us to the next story…
Have a great distribution channel (Book Store, iTunes Store, iPods, iPads, Apple computers)

We have reached the last item on the list, but I’d like to remind you we still have to expose the Invisible Agenda, but first let’s talk distribution.

The Apple II physical distribution channel was based on computer stores, and later expanded to computer and electronics brands and other partnerships.

However the Virtual Distribution Channel was based on the operating system platform, and developers who created software for the Apple II, increasing its value and reach, and forcing the physical channel to expand. People needed the software solutions available on Apple II and this drove sales for the hardware.

This increased when the Mac was out the door.

As the iPod was introduced, it was accompanied by the iTunes Store and partnerships with the Music Industry. This has widened to the TV and Film industry when the iPhone and iPad was introduced.

The launch of the App store, expanded the Virtual Distribution Channel (same as the Apple II system did in the past) and drove sales for more devices.

Siri might create a whole new category of a Virtual Distribution Channel, based on voice. It could analyze what you ask for the most, talk about all the time, and offer you products and services that match your interest. It could match what you and your friends like, and offer group discounts. It could offer information for marketers which is much more powerful that what Facebook now offers.

It is because Siri serves your most personal needs, that you would not even share on Facebook, not because they are secret. Let me explain. On Facebook you share what’s up with you. But you tell Siri what you need, all day long. You feel much more intimate with your personal assistant compared to your friends – right?

Anyway, combining Siri with the future Apple TV brings Apple’s personal assist from the road to your home, dumping away one of our most frustrating tool – the manual remote control.

The distribution channel might then include goods from stores. So your neighborhood mall will be paying 30% commission to Apple, for facilitating your shopping. Well, almost. Doing that Apple will complete a holistic integration with your life. Well not yet.

Siri is still virtual. Well, maybe not for a long time…

I believe that Apple has already got the iRobot ready for manufacturing. It is not being delayed because Apple cannot manufacture it, at least in a limited distribution. Apple needs Siri to mature, to get to know you better. Apple needs you to trust Siri and get used to using it. Then the final frontier will collapse when Siri becomes part of the new “mind” of Apple’s iRobot.

Apple will then be able to Get iRobot do the daily grunge work for you, you will own a great “expression” tool (iRobot will do stuff for you) that is exceptionally easy to use (tell iRobot and it is done), and Apple will have a great new distribution channel.

The iPhone, iPad and iTunes facilitated the marketing and sales of content (songs, movies, apps),and the iRobot will be the channel for the physical goods. Guess where the Wal-Mart’s iRobot version will buy your grocery from… It will probably be sold for almost free, once you pay the Wal-Mart’s monthly membership fee or minimum spending).

The Invisible Agenda (content not products)

People tend to believe that Apple is focused on creating great products.

I don’t think this is Apple’s main target.I believe that for Apple, It is all about the content. It was always so. Here is how it looks like:

Apple II – first computer – sell programs

Mac – first graphical computer – sell even more programs

iPod – first simple to use powerful personal MP3 player – sell songs

iPhone – first touch screen, powerful content/app mobile device – sell songs, movies, apps, books

iPad – first touch screen, powerful content/app mobile tablet – sell songs, movies, apps, books, services

Siri (yes, I am saying the product was not iPhone4S, it was actually Siri) – first voice driven mobile personal assistant – sell songs, movies, apps, books, services

iTV – first voice operated home assistant appliance – yes, the future Apple TV will not only make it easier for you to find, record and display your content. It will help you manage your life, focusing on shopping from your local stores (Google Local / Facebook Places killer?).

iRobot – first voice operated humanized personal assistant. From shopping to supporting your mother as she gets old – distribution channel – physical stores. Let’s face it, who would not be happy to avoid grunge shopping. We would probably still actually go to a store to buy clothes, shoes gadgets and cars

What’s next – who knows…what do you think?

Join the next episode of the IT Professionals Reporting from the Trenches Podcast here:

Subscribe On iTunes http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/podcast

Add to your Circles On Google Plus http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/gplus

Like on Facebook http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/facebook

Subscribe on Youtube http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/youtube

Follow on Twitter http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/twitter

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

IT Professional or not, you should love this second and last bunch of Innovation Tips. Those are the highlights of more than 35 hours of listening to the latest books and resources, aiming to scoop any innovation tip I can find, for you to use in your career or business development. Watch it all here on the Youtube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG8rr9Ni5FA

P.S. There are more tips to come, so stay tuned by subscribing to our “IT Professional
Reports from the Trenches” podcast at iTunes, or sign up to our mailing list, here on our blog here:http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog

Here is the summarized text version of this podcast episode:

1. Steve was always focused on both the science/technology side and humanities. So he could look at solutions that are both a great technology innovation and yet capture human imagination and ignite strong feelings. The root of innovation is basically taking your great ideas from realm A and applying them to realm B – such as learning influence and marketing and then using it to innovate in the IT / Technology industry, where people are usually only focus on technology.

2. When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started selling the “Blue Box”, which allowed people call long distance without paying AT & T, they sold each unit for $150. But the value of this (if you forgive them for doing such a hack) was they could see that Steve Wozniak could create technological solutions that can outrun huge companies and solutions such as AT&T, and that Steve had the ability to sell them for a big profit. This built confidence and energized them to start Apple, the Apple II and beyond. The lesson is, when you go on your journey, you should build your confidence, pick small projects that mean a lot, and succeed (naturally sometimes after failing several times). This confidence will become your fuel to the next much bigger goals.

3. Steve’s distortion field – Steve could make himself and others believe they could do, what they perceived as impossible, and as a result they really did make it happen (such as Wozniak creating an Atari game in just four days instead of weeks)

4. Steve looked a lot a Sony’s brochures and learned from them, but then he decided to take white clean simple line instead of Sony’s black line. So he took the time to learn from the best, but then he mixed this with his ideal, and created his own design. That can be true for your initiatives as well.

5. Why Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication – You have to get a deep understanding of the problem you are solving to be able and reduce the solution to the most essential elements. Doing that creates a solution many can use and feel powerful, since they can grasp how to utilize your solution and also solve their problem. Other slogans that mean the same and are powerful: “Real artists simplify”,  ”Less is more”, “Make things intuitively simple”

6. People do judge a book according to the cover…even the packages of the stuff from apple looks wonderful when un-wrapped. Make sure when people use your solution they have an exceptional experience using it.

7. Steve was making sure that even the “inner chip boards” should look great from the inside. If you wonder why that’s important, then the reason is that you as the project owner, product creator, owner, feel it in your guts if you have untidy areas in your initiative. This feeling will draw power from, reduce your self-confidence and self-worthiness you as you present your solution to the world. It is like Feng Shui for your mind and solution. Furthermore, people will find out about any mess you left behind. So better have it clean and tidy to begin with.

8. Steve could be very demanding with team members, but whoever learned from what he said and executed, could then stand up to him and earn his appreciation. This does not mean you should be rude to your team members. But it does mean you should carefully weight politeness vs. being frank and direct about the state the matters in your project. You should not compromise on quality, yet be compassionate to your member’s challenges. Steve was not very compassionate, but there is no reason to maintain the less favorable sides in his personality.

9. Never compromise for less than perfect, even if you have to miss schedule (first mac was shipped 16 months late because of that, but was superb). Most of us would feel uncomfortable sticking to perfectness, but you should consider injecting more of this attitude to your projects.

10. It is not done until it is shipped – true artists ship. So many times we think that having 100% of the solution ready, means it is done. Well, actually there is a huge invisible gap between 100% ready, and done. It is done only when it is shipped to your customers or users. Until then, it lacks whatever is needed to get you confident enough such that you actually expose it to the world.

11. The journey is the reward – Steve told his team members, “We are creating the future and one day you will look back and be proud of what you were part of”. He did that when times were rough. And it is indeed true. Look back at your life and you will see that. Use this in your team. This does not mean you should use this approach to manipulate others. To have this approach become reality, you need to act from the basis of a grand vision.

12. “I never did it for the money”, said Steve when he had the successful IPO of Pixar. Well, Steve was focused on maximum revenue, but the REASON for creating the products was very vision driven…Being driven by your vision has better chances to result in fame and fortune, yet focusing on your own benefits all the time, would drive your focus far away from the values you need to create, to succeed. Yes, it is not easy to have this stand, if you feel you are under paid or not valued appropriately. But even so, you can do your best to build your self-confidence and future value, until you move to a better place.

13. Steve called Larry Allison “our rich friend” because Larry was enjoying luxurious trips, while Steve’s Zen approach was more based on “The more you collect and attach to stuff (“toys”, titles, unfinished projects) the more your life is saturated“.

14. Long lasting companies reinvent themselves – “It is similar to the metamorphosis a butterfly goes through” – said Mike Marcula to Steve Jobs, as Steve asked for his advice, while returning to Apple. But why do (most) companies avoid executing on this attitude this fully? Maybe because it human nature to regard change, real massive change as a risk. People will turn their eyes away from the very clear risk, they incur, by avoiding change. Humans are habit oriented, that’s why they stay on the collision course in most cases. Everyone can figure out what is needed to innovate. It is going through the stomach aches you have as you take the innovation road, that will do the magic. To keep yourself going in the right direction, remind yourself how it would look like if you fail to innovate.

15. Design for “simple” – people want simple to use products because they want to feel they can own and control the solution you created. It is not about dropping features. It is about getting deep into the problem you are trying to solve and the tools you have to do that, while making sure the design, features the essence of the product. Leave only the features you absolutely must have to solve the main problem.

16. Get exclusive rights to the most critical innovative component in your solution, so others cannot compete for a while – that’s what apple did when they contracted with Toshiba, over the 5GB tiny drive that could hold up to 1000 songs, and was critical piece in the first iPod launch. Apple have been doing this since then will all of their products, wherever they could.

17. No divisions: Sony had failed to combat Apple’s iTunes/iPod combination since it was a corporation split into  divisions. Apple did not have divisions really. Everyone at Apple was responsible for the main bottom lines. You must not let divisions and teams compete and be separate such that the main goal the bigger team has, is at risk.

18. Allow Self Cannibalization, yet try to leverage one solution with another solution you have. Apple was never afraid to cannibalize one of its product sales for another, but it did pay attention to build its line of products so they leverage one another: iPod sales drove Macs sales and iTunes sales and vice versa.

19. The 3 Clicks Rule – Apple had a rule, as it created the iPod: Every action should take no more than clear trivial 3 clicks. That’s simplification.

20. Apple did not build stuff for their customers. Apple built stuff they would personally love to use. That’s how they hit the point while shipping their products. I’d say the formula is: Become your customer, Then Innovate for yourself, then ship.

21. Steve was always making sure the company is focused on 2-3 top priorities at each point. This saved a lot of time and effort and was a cornerstone in Apple’s buildup. He was making sure this focus is maintained as he was holding the periodic all teams strategy / ideas sessions. What should you do if you provide dozens of solutions? You could still put most of your resources on the top 2-3 products or organize your products into themes, and pick the 2-3 themes you want to focus on.

22. The iPhone4 Antenna Crisis - although the phone had problems, and a lot of “noise”. Steve took the time to actually analyze the data about this problem. Steve then found out they were minor and still he talked about it sincerely (although he was very sick and trying to get some rest with his family). Steve’s reaction was simple yet powerful:

A. Smart Phones are not perfect
B. We are not perfect
C. We are doing the best we can
D. We want our customers be happy

The first sentence actually took the conversation very smartly to another level, decreasing the specific issue of the iPhone4 and was genius. The second sentence was actually apologizing and setting proper expectations. The third sentence showed empathy and care, resulting in reducing the anger on the customers side. The forth sentence was kind of promising it would be worthwhile to wait for Apple resolution of this issue.

23. Android vs. iPhone (Open/Fragmented vs. Closed/Integrated). Steve’s approach was that many people will prefer saving time and effort in using Apple’s solution, even though they require you to use only Apple’s certified solutions. This could be an everlasting argument, but in reality, it certainly fit what many people want: stuff that always works vs. unstable/time consuming “open” variety.

24. “A players” love and thrive working with other “A players”. So you should minimize B and C level players where you need innovation.

25. Build a company and a solution not just for profits (most people go for quick profits). Build it to become a success for generations or years to come – this will purify your decisions about “quick gains”, which seldom fail very quickly, erasing and buildup of value you could gain.

26. A company starts to lose on its innovation and edge when the sales teams take over the navigation of the ship, pushing development and marketing away.

 

iRecommend Steve Jobs Books You want to Get Now:

1. Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson 2011 – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-walter-isaacson
2. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience - Carmine Gallo – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-presentation-secrets
3. Return to the Little Kingdom: Steve Jobs and the Creation of Apple by Michael Moritz – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-little-kingdom
4. iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It by Steve Wozniak – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-iwoz-steve-wozniak
5. Steve Jobs: Co-Founder of Apple by C.W. Cooke – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-apple-co-founder
6. I, Steve: Steve Jobs in His Own Words by George Beahm – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-i-steve

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Steve Jobs has created a unique legacy. Although I have been following Apple and Steve Job’s journey for many years, it still took many days to review all the prominent books published about Steve Jobs.

But here you have it, zipped into 17 Top Innovation Steve Jobs tips you can use now in your day to day job, in your startup or business: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLyuDmgllno

P.S. There are more tips to come, so stay tuned by subscribing to our “IT Professional
Reports from the Trenches” podcast at iTunes, or sign up to our mailing list, here on our blog here: http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog

Here is the summarized text version of this podcast episode:

1. When you look at apple now you see a huge corporation and that it is unachievable to do the same, but the fact is Apple started from nothing and struggled for years. Apple shipped immature products, incomplete (Apple IIe without docs), but they fulfilled a need. Combining what you are passionate about, and feel that is right to do, pay close attention to what people are telling you about your offer, adjust accordingly (as Steve has did in the first shipment of Apple IIe in the computer home brew club) then you have a really good thing going.

2. The other thing is that Steve looked at investors in a different way than other startup leaders were. Startups were looking at investors, VC as people who can help them financially, but at the same time could take control of the startup and massively change its route – and startup leaders did not like this. But Steve had another view on investors – they had lots of experience accumulated while helping other startups and can save him lots of time and effort. Steve put a big value tag on that experience and therefor was not afraid to get VC in the mix. Steve did put the investors under control, and selected them very carefully, but was focused on the experience they can bring rather than the money. Keep this in mind.

3. When Steve jobs asked an investor to help him, as he was starting out and had only Steve Wozniak with him, the Sequoia VC manager told him they were not going to invest in Apple, unless he gets on board someone who is great in marketing. The lesson is you should always have a marketing expert in your team. It could be someone who is part time, or even a service that takes care of the most important marketing needs for you, or it could be you if you learn and specialize in it (but then you would need to delay your other business operations). You have to get someone professional to take care of it.

4. In any case the other important habit Steve had, manifested again, as the Sequoia VC Manager refused to help
Apple until they get a marketing expert on the team, Steve immediately asked “Who would you recommend”. So each time Steve got a “No” as an answer he immediately would ask “What would you like to have then?” or ”What would be needed for you to say Yes”. When Steve got a “No”, he would not feel sorry, retreat, go to think and dwell about it or try to convince you to take what he had anyway. He would ask what would like to have him bring to the table, that you would really want.

5. It is important to note, Steve built a team – he was doing marketing, sales and leadership. Steve Wozniak was doing hardware and software, and he had another member doing financial management. Team building is critical. Steve was focused in connecting with the right people rather than coming out with the best product. He knew that getting a great team he enjoys to play with (wozniak-tech & 3rd partner had experience in failing and succeeding in biz), and offering stuff to buyers would lead to creating a great product (same as “Good to Great” book suggests). Put the right people in the Bus and then look for the right place to go to.

6. Steve had focus on building low-cost and quick, shipping on time, and make sure the product is innovative and needed so people forgive about any lacks in quality. He would then focus on quality as well, but not in the early days or if it stops shipping.

7. Apple was focused on building its products as a platform. That way they did not only sell to their customers, it was selling to its partners who in turn, sold to another tier of customers, bumping up the Apple sales as a result. That’s why VisiCalc, the Excel like solution caused most of the Apple IIe sales for many months, just because it was so useful and available for Apple IIe only. The natural choice for us is to think about our solution, but we should take the extra step and make sure it can be used by others to build their own solutions.

8. When Steve was shipping the first units of Apple, they have never gone through rigorous testing, they simply made sure it works fine (boots, loads, looks OK). He was focused on shipping, and putting better quality later. They did also focus on innovation, such as having the Apple use keyboard and screen to interact with (first such computer) or the Apple IIe color screen. The innovation here was thanks to Wozniak’s genius and focus on creating very efficient chips. Most of us try to make sure our solutions are complete, right at step one, even long before we have proof people will really want to use our solution.

9. Steve was very persuasive and that’s how he got Wozniak on the team, sell the computer and so on. We must learn how to influence, to get the budget, appreciation and support we need as IT Professionals. Relaying on technical abilities is not enough.

10. The biggest breakthrough in Apple’s history was when they showed their first computer board in the Home Brew Computer Club. Steve was planning to sell them for $25 apiece, but then one of the people who were considered heavy buyers there, said – “I do not really need those boards, but I would gladly pay $500 a piece in cash for a complete computer, and would be willing to pay for 50 such units”. Delivering on this request, multiplied the revenue size many times and put a bunch of money in Apple’s pockets, as well as ignited a much larger scale of operation that Apple were initially thinking of. This event validated there is a market with a high price point. Although Apple made much bigger revenues later on, Steve noted this as the biggest bump relatively in their history. Before you jump in to your next project or product, make sure someone will be willing to pay for it.

Steve Job’s Presentation and Innovation Secret Tips:

1. Do what you love, that way you will have the passion needed to carry you through the struggle
2. Create a vision and use it to motivate others to join you on your goal. Vision that is huge yet has the potential to create massive value to many, will cause your team to bring out the best of them.
3. Get Creative – by seeking for novel new experiences, ideas, people and solutions and creating connections between those and your vision. Creativity = creating new connections between different ideas and
alternatives.
4. Sell dreams, not products or solutions. Look at your customers as people with dreams, not as customers, and help them fulfill their dreams, then sell it. Don’t ask your customers what they need – they do not innovate, they iterate, they do not know what they can have. Become your customers and then innovate.
5. Say no to 1000 things. Simplify and focus. All this makes your innovation more powerful. Leave out what no MUST be there. The focus was on simple yet elegant solutions. But all this requires guts to remove stuff everybody got accustomed to, and are afraid to change.
6. Provide an extra ordinary experience. Apple are focused on enriching lives, not on selling computers. That’s why Apple stores do not have sellers, they have concierges and allow you to try all of the solutions.
7. Create wonderful presentations:
7.1 Create an Ahhhh! moment – a huge surprise to your audience
7.2 The rule of 3: People can focus and remember on 3 things maximum. Then talk about the most important 3 messages.
7.3 Share the stage with your peers or the audience. It is more engaging and interesting.
7.4 Introduce Heroes and villains – the problem you are trying to solve and the environment that allowed it’s existence are the villains and the solution is the hero. This creates interest and emotional engagement.
7.5 Use pictures and less text or information. Pictures can be much more affective in delivering an engaging message and can be memorized much better by your audience.
7.6 “Twitter” friendly headlines” – create focused short messages, so people can memorize and grasp them. Do not get sophisticated.
7.7 Sell dreams, not products, projects or solutions. Bring enthusiasm by aiming to change the world or the company or the current reality.

Yet the biggest advantage Steve Jobs has brought was he was never looking to look like others or avoid risks. He was very passionate about Apple and yet never feared losing. He never took his “status” or the company’s achievements too seriously (in spite of the tremendous fight he had), so he was not parallelized as many other companies. He demanded innovation and daring. That is why he and Apple could do the unconventional endeavors and win. As he said in his own words, he was forever hungry and foolish (but in a brilliant way!).

iRecommend Steve Jobs Books You want to Get Now:

1. Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson 2011 – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-walter-isaacson
2. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience - Carmine Gallo – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-presentation-secrets
3. Return to the Little Kingdom: Steve Jobs and the Creation of Apple by Michael Moritz – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-little-kingdom
4. iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It by Steve Wozniak – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-iwoz-steve-wozniak
5. Steve Jobs: Co-Founder of Apple by C.W. Cooke – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-apple-co-founder
6. I, Steve: Steve Jobs in His Own Words by George Beahm – http://itprofessional-mastermind.com/blog/stevejobs-i-steve

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

As promised in my recent article “Can IT Professional Take Real Vacations“, I am sharing here the 10 Magic Rules for an IT Professional worry free, long enjoyable vacation, as well as energized work day. You can start testing those rules immediately and share how they fit you. You want to click on the video now:

The survey results and tips from hundreds of IT Professionals (00-33:50 in the video) and then the 10 Rules for a great IT Professional vacation (33:50-49:06 in the video)

Here are the 10 Rules for a relaxed IT Professional long vacation in text:

1. Prepare: Any good vacation starts long before it begins, so you have to do the following months in advance.

2. Shape your mind: It would not help if I told you to make sure your critical tasks at work have backup in the shape of known how-to procedures as well as people who would alert you only if it is a must. It is because your feelings, about how much you are (or should be) needed at work. To combat this you have to “recover” another feeling. Usually when you start a vacation, you would still be worried or dealing (in your mind) with remainders of work stuff. It could take several hours or maybe days until you actually immerse yourself in the vacation fun stuff. Then when the vacation is almost over you start to feel a chocking feeling of regret. It is the regret over not fully enjoying your vacation. This is the unpleasant feeling you want to bring up to share your mind whenever you get worried about becoming less needed at your job, or that something will get messed when you are not in the office.

3. Create your next career position: Look into what would be more fun and interesting for you to do in your job, that would also multiply your value to the business. Then start doing now what your new roll requires. Use your spare time to do it. When people start noticing and appreciating your fresh contribution, pitch them into extending it. In any case, start mentoring other people to do whatever is considered routine for you, focusing on critical stuff first. Even if you do not get quick support for your new higher role, you would start to become that person in your mind, and can more easily “let go” and teach others how to take care of the duties your old role still requires.

6. Document everything that can block the daily flow of service to your users. Then let your team learn those procedures. This will reduce the biggest amount of interruptions during your vacation. Do not get worried about others doing your job as well. They already have enough on their plate, and if they don’t, then look at the next tip (well, read it anyway )

7. Realize: Your true value depends on the new innovative stuff you do not know yet, not on the stuff you already know how to do best. So let go. Teach others how to do it, while you take your steps into the new arena of knowledge.

8. If you have to, then set a single incoming “interruption route” to you in case of a vacation. Pick the best “backup” team member to review every issue that comes up and let him be the only one who have access to you during vacation. They should use SMS only to contact you and only in urgent cases. Phone is too intrusive and email is too time intensive, while SMS is cheap, short, and is available even when there is no internet connection. So use SMS and forget about the rest. Let your “backup” team member read the notification mails, answer phones, deal with whatever is needed in YOUR job.

9. Add your vacations to your work plans. That way you will not “run out of time” for your vacation. Add them to your calendar and personal as well as team project plans. Even if you do not get the exact dates right, it would be easier to extend, shorten and even move your vacation, once you had “planted” that “tree” in advance.

10. Uncover the “terrifying secret” and announce all your vacations in advance. If you are afraid that someone would think that you are abandoning the ship or not so much indispensable, then take a look again at rules 2, 3, 7. Make sure your tasks are synced with your “customers” according to your vacation, such that any high importance task is completed days before you take your vacation.

Here you get the “Time Management for System Administrators“ book that one of our IT Professional peers recommended during the survey.

P.S. You are probably wondering what where are the 2 missing rules (we have here just 8 out of 10 I mention in the recording). I simply had a glitch in my HTML editor, which I did not notice, while I was enthusiastically podcasting it. Well, maybe YOU could come out with 2 additional rules here

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Are you, my fellow IT Professional, looking back at the last two
months as well, and asking yourself, if you had a real vacation?

I mean, even if you did report your days off, set your “Out Of The
Office” auto reply, and did not arrive at the office, was your mind and
body really “On Vacation”?

There are many chances you were still:

1. Routing all your office calls to your cell phone, and actually answering them
2. Answering calls on your cell phone
3. Reviewing company mails during the day, AND replying to them
4. Reviewing your SMS or Pager Alerts and getting worried, maybe calling the office to make sure someone is taking care of stuff
5. Answering ONLY urgent phone calls for stuff no one else could take care of
6. None of the above, but still worried for more than one or two days into your vacation
7. Anything else?

8. Completely forget – maybe you were completely unplugged from your IT Professional job?

What’s your pick?

I will soon share with you few strategies you can start using immediately, so that your next vacation is much more enjoyable. Of course this should result in much better results in your IT Professional daily activities. But first, please vote on the quick linkedin survey I have here, and come back to check out the results.

Here is a direct link as well: http://linkd.in/nB1ZJY –  Can IT Professionals Take Real Vacations?

Bookmark It

Hide Sites