#6 – Start a Journal

Friday Fun

journal_mike-siscoI started a personal journal in 1998. Then in 2000, the year I left my corporate CIO position to start my company, MDE Enterprises, Inc (also known as the IT Manager Institute), I created a 2nd journal that focused strictly on my company. For many years, I kept 2 journals – a personal journal and a company journal.

“So what?”, you might ask.

I guess my point is that I wish I had started journaling at the beginning of my career. From time to time, I will look back through an early journal and it always strikes me about things that happened that I had essentially forgotten. Many of these memories are special and I’m so thankful I took the time to put them on paper.

My company journal chronicles the events of my young company, , , growth, strategies, and many memorable experiences that would be lost had I not put them in the journal. So glad I did because it puts me “right there” when I read about them. I can literally feel the excitement and anxious moments when I launched a new book or training class or developed a new year strategy.

I know there are some great experiences early in my career that I wish I could remember, but they are probably lost forever. Likewise, there are people I have met along my long journey that I don’t remember, , , experiences and events that would be nice, even interesting, to read about now.

journal_MDEI’ve given hundreds of journals to people in the last 20 years or so.

  • Every Christmas I give a journal to a few of my family members
  • Dozens of MDE journals to  IT Manager Institute class members
  • Journal gifts to people I’ve worked with in consulting roles
  • Journals and fountain pens to special friends and family

In doing this, many have taken up the hobby of journaling. My sister-in-law takes it to new heights, , , her journals are amazing. My brother journals in a more basic manner but he is an excellent writer. He and I enjoy the experience of using fountain pens and that’s the pen of choice when journaling.

Me, I add photos, graphics, and even try to draw some to try and make my journal pages more interesting to look through. As you might expect, there are lots of photos of Dorine (my late wife) and Eddie (our son). GREAT MEMORIES are worth documenting, I think. Private thoughts, dreams, documenting special events that happen, and just putting ideas down are all part of what I do. There is no exact method, , , you simply write down what you want to record, , , or put in an image that makes you feel good, , , or at least, that’s what I do.

GREAT MEMORIES are worth documenting!

What caused me to write this article?

Good question and a memory that I’ll be writing about in my current journal this weekend, , , because it means something to me. I received a letter this week from Matt Branigan, a CEO who hired me as an “interim CIO” for a company in 2014-2015. He needed me to fix the IT support organization and ultimately help them find a permanent CIO, which I did. Matt became a good friend, so when my time came to an end I gave Matt a journal with a personal note inscribed inside. In his letter, he mentioned the journaling caption I wrote about in my annual Sisco Christmas Letter this past December; and he said he had started journaling in a leather bound journal with handmade paper given to him by a good friend, , , ME !!!!

WHAT A SPECIAL TREAT IT WAS TO RECEIVE MATT’s LETTER AND COMMENT!

journals

Believe me when I tell you that looking back in your journal will be rewarding and fun later in life. Again, I wish I had started earlier in my career; but I’m grateful to have started when I did in 1998. Lots of great content in my journals, , , even a few dollars hidden in some of the pages for a reader to find, , , JUST FOR FUN!!

The perfect time to start a new journal is anytime, , , but the beginning of a year works really well.

GOOD LUCK, , , and enjoy the experience!

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#6 – 3 Key Things Lead To IT Manager Success

Tuesday_TIPS

2023-2024Managing an IT Organization is hard work to be sure, especially to do it effectively. But, you might be surprised that the formula for IT success is actually pretty simple when you get right down to it.

I’ve managed IT organizations for over 20 years and after that I delivered training to IT managers all over the world for another 20+ years, , , that’s over 40 years of being in the IT manager arena. I’ve had my share of successes as well as a few failures that became great learning lessons.

To get to the point, I think there are three key ingredients that help you succeed in your IT Manager role:

1.  Deliver projects successfully – Being able to deliver a project successfully is THE KEY to gaining credibility for an IT organization and for you, the manager. This creates predictability in the fact that you can do what you say you will do. It also creates trust from those around you (senior managers, department managers, and your IT employees). Always remember, , , “the key to IT credibility is delivering projects successfully”.

2.  Focus on business value – Your IT strategy, your IT priorities, and how you think and act should be focused on BUSINESS VALUE. Believe me when I say that senior managers and department managers (the business managers of your company) will see you in a whole different light when they observe your focus and communication is all about business value, , , i.e., doing things that help the company succeed. Where most IT managers miss the boat is that they focus on technology and they speak in technology terms, acronyms, and the like. Do this and business managers see a “techy”, not a business manager.

           Business Value includes:

  • Increase Revenue
  • Decrease Cost
  • Improve Productivity
  • Differentiate the Company
  • Improve Client Satisfaction

3.  Communicate proactively – IT managers, in general, have a very poor reputation for not communicating effectively. Make it your mission to proactively communicate with your client (Senior managers and Department managers) and IT employees. They all want to know what’s going on, the status of key projects, and the direction the IT organization is taking to improve. Your ability to communicate relevant information proactively makes a world of difference and gives you an edge up on other IT managers.

I encourage you to focus on these three key things in 2024, , , it will pay dividends for you and your IT organization.

Best of success!!

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    Where is my car?

    Friday FUN #5

    Friday Fun

    Looks like Eddie will be discharged from the hospital today after a 5-day stay. He is doing well and we are both looking forward to getting home, , , and back into our “normal” mode. Both of us have been in this little hospital room since 5:00 am Sunday morning. Because Eddie has no short term memory due to the auto accident he suffered in 1993, I or someone is with him 24×7, , , because of the snow storm it has been just me this time.

    As I start thinking about the transfer, my immediate thought is, “Where is my car?”.

    I know it is right where I parked in front of the ER when I arrived here. I’m sure it is still covered with snow and ice, but no worries, , , we are going home today!

    So, how does this tie into a Friday FUN post?

    Simple, I “lost my car” in the parking lot of an IT Support organization based in Philadelphia once. Watch the short video and laugh it up at my expense.

    CLICK HERE to watch the video.

    where_is_my_car

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    Adjust To Your Situation

    Eddie and I are still in the hospital, , , expecting to be discharged tomorrow.

    snowman_benchAll the snow we got on Monday reminds me of the situation I faced a few years ago when I was trying to return home from Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA.

    Upon arriving at the Dar es Salaam airport, I see the sign that my flight is delayed. Uh-oh, not what I was hoping for. At the check-in counter the agent (who was very nice) told me the delay was due to a snow storm in Amsterdam, my connection airport to the US. She said I could wait in Dar or I could take the flight to Amsterdam although it looked like I would not make my connecting flight.

    FLIGHT DELAYMy decision was easy. Amsterdam has a terrific airport terminal with all the amenities you would want. If I’m going to be stuck somewhere, Amsterdam would be one of my top choices, , , so I decide to take the delayed flight and head that way knowing I’ll miss my Amsterdam connection.

    Well, I arrive in Amsterdam and the airport is a zoo. Hundreds of flights are stuck and people are everywhere.

    “Houston, we have a problem!”

    The problem I now have is that because I’ve missed my connecting flight I need to arrange for a new flight. Lines to the ticket agents are literally packing the hall, , , wall to wall people, all trying to make flight changes. It looks like a minimum of 3-5 hours before I would get to an agent, , , if at all. NOT GOOD!

    My analytical brain kicks into action, , ,

    WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, SIZE UP THE SITUATION, DETERMINE WHAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE, AND MAKE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENTS.

    My goal is clear, , , book a new flight that helps me get back home. How do I circumvent the problem of not being able to get to an agent in order to change my ticket? I thought of a couple of options but the one I was most comfortable with was pretty simple.

    My decision was to call my wife, Dorine, and ask her to help me make the flight changes with US airline agents. This way, I will have someone who knows what we need and will be able to continue working with me in case we need to make adjustments later. It also keeps Dorine (“Do”) in the loop with what’s taking place. PLUS, I trust Dorine completely in her ability to help in this situation. So,,, “Do” becomes my airline travel agent.

    She was able to quickly get me an alternate flight back to the US (Amsterdam to Atlanta, then Nashville). It meant spending the night in the Amsterdam airport, but I can handle it, , , just like I’m doing with staying in the hospital with Eddie this week while he is here.

    kioskAfter Dorine texts me the flight information, I need to get the ticket and I don’t want to stand in line for hours. Well, guess what, , , the kiosks are completely empty, , , so, I weave my way through the crowd to get to an empty kiosk and I’m able to print out my new ticket without a problem.

    DORINE, YOU ARE MY HERO!!!

    Now, all I have to do is check into the gate at 6:30am the next morning. All set, so time to look for a place to hang out, get something to eat, and charge my phone.

    The point with all of this is that “problems or challenges happen from time to time”. Think through the issues, evaluate your options, and take action to minimize the impact these challenges create for you.

    ADJUST AS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL!!

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    Contingency Plan

    Tuesday TIP # 5

    Tuesday_TIPS

    Do you have a “SNOW DAY PLAN”, “HURRICANE PLAN”, or a “FLOOD EVACUATION PLAN”?Clock

    You may not need any of these, but if you don’t have them, , , that’s invariably when you need them. Maybe you need to consider other situations depending upon where you live, , , like “TORNADO PLAN”, “DUST STORM PLAN”, or simply “POWER OUTAGE PLAN”.

    In Atlanta, we always needed a “SNOW DAY PLAN”. It doesn’t snow often in Atlanta but when it does it usually starts with rain, turns to sleet, then ice and finally, , , snow. In doing so, the roads are coated with a layer of ice which is great for sledding but not so good for driving. The real challenge is that it can shut the city down and because the Atlanta area is so hilly you can’t get out of your neighborhood to access the roads that are cleared. It’s a mess!! In many industries like hospitals the business must continue to operate so you need a contingency plan.

    You Need a Contingency Plan!!

    What made me think of writing this post is what happened to me this past weekend. On Friday, Eddie (my son) had an outpatient medical procedure. At 8:00pm he started having a fever. Eddie has medical challenges that cause us to visit the emergency room and hospital, , , 7 times in 2021-2022. It had been over a year, but I recognize the fever symptoms all too well.

    His temperature was up and down all day on Saturday, , , normal most of the day but at 5:00pm it spiked to 102.5. What has been worrying me is that we are expecting a major snow storm Sunday night and Monday, , , my instinct is that I’ll need to make the call by Sunday morning sometime as to whether we need to get to the hospital. If it snows, an ambulance will not be able to get up our hill until the roads are cleared. This puts Eddie at risk.

    Well, his fever spiked again at midnight on Saturday night and went to 103.2. At this point, there is no decision to make, , , I dial 911 and we take Eddie to the ER at 1:00am Sunday morning. It’s a good thing because we got 7 inches of snow on Sunday night and Monday.

    Eddie has an infection that causes the high fever, , , the hospital is where we need to be. If he had continued to have fever episodes I would have made the call Sunday morning to get him to the hospital because we have seen these symptoms so many times before.

    My point with all of this is that I was making decisions based upon anticipating “snow day” and the implications it would create for us.

    If your business can be adversely affected by weather conditions or other challenges, you need a contingency plan that puts you in the best position to minimize the impacts of such situations. In Atlanta, we created a “SNOW DAY ACTION PLAN”. In one company, our primary data center was in Atlanta with dozens of remote offices spread across the United States connected through our wide area network. If Atlanta went down, our whole company was down, , , not something we could afford to happen.

    So, when we heard snow and ice was in the forecast we executed our “SNOW DAY ACTION PLAN”, , , specific steps documented to help us prepare for and to minimize the impact of the storm headed our way.

    When you have an action plan to offset these things it gives you peace of mind, reduces stress, and allows you to be in the best possible position to “take care of business”.

    This is exactly how it helped me this past weekend with my son.

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    Friday FUN #4

    Friday Fun

    RAISED FLOOR

    One of the funniest things I experienced in my IT career was what I call the “RAISED FLOOR”. Watch a short 4-minute video that shows you why I was “floored” when I saw what this hospital did.

    CLICK HERE to see the video.

    raised floor

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    Tuesday TIP #4

    Tuesday_TIPS

    Motivate Staff With An IT Kickoff Meeting

    mike siscoWant to do something that will JUMP START YOUR NEW YEAR?

    The beginning of a new year has a feeling and an energy you get that you want to take advantage of. People feel somewhat renewed and excited about entering a new year. They are back from the holidays and there is a level of excitement in the air.

    One of the first Practical IT Manager Training Series videos I created was about holding an IT Kickoff Meeting. In it, I cover all the things you need to do to deliver a professional, effective, and memorable Kickoff Meeting. These timeless principles and the process will work for any organization.

    My first experience with a Kickoff Meeting was when I was an IBM Systems Engineer. It was highly motivational and easy for me to see the value in such an event. I incorporated Kickoff Meetings into my management agenda and it certainly paid dividends for me, , , it can do the same for you.

    CLICK HERE to watch the 35-minute video, , , it will walk you step by step through a comprehensive process to create an effective KICKOFF MEETING that they aren’t going to forget, , , GUARANTEED!

    KICKOFF MEETING

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    HAPPY NEW YEAR – 2024

    2023-2024I hope your holidays and this past year were great. More importantly, I wish your NEW YEAR (2024) to be one of the best in your career.

    A big part of making your year good, , , or GREAT, , ,  is about attitude. I’m a big believer that we create an energy around us based upon our attitude and demeanor, , , at work and even in life. People who are positive and get things done ACHIEVE MORE SUCCESS!

    I’ve struggled with this after losing my wife and best friend (Miss Dorine) in 2020 from COVID. I don’t know this for certain but the challenges Eddie and I encountered in 2021 and 2022 may have resulted from my poor attitude, , , at least somewhat I’m sure. 2023 was much better and guess what, , , my attitude and perspective of things was much better. I believe there is a “cause and effect” in all of this.

    Which brings me to 2024!!

    For the first time in 4 years, I enter the year with enthusiasm and excitement about being able to work again. It’s not that I have to work, but I want to work, , , I love my work and making efforts to achieve my company mission of, “helping IT Managers of the world achieve more success”. I’m excited about the possibilities of 2024!

    We will begin in earnest next week after Eddie and I wrap up our holiday time, , , I usually take 2 weeks off at the end of the year to refocus and re-energize, , , and watch college football BOWL GAMES.

    I hope you have taken time to enjoy family and “recharge” as well, , , a little downtime is very important.

    2024REMEMBER, , , ATTITUDE, whether it is positive or negative, is a choice we make and it is always within our control. One of the best examples I see every day is my son, Eddie. His attitude is positive every day, even when he is sick or deals with his challenges. If Eddie can be happy and positive, then I can certainly work on this. Believe me, it makes a difference and like I said earlier, I think positive attitude creates positive energy around you, , , and this can help you be more successful. I can feel it right now as I write this post.

    Here are a few photos from Eddie and my holidays, , , HAPPY NEW YEAR and BEST of SUCCESS in 2024!

    xmas2024

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    Friday FUN #3

    Friday Fun

    mark_photgrapherAssign a “paparazzi” to your team

    You know what a “paparazzi” is, right? It’s someone who takes photos or video clips of famous people in their day-to-day lives, , , people like actors, sports stars, politicians, celebrities, etc.

    One of the best ways to generate enthusiasm and motivate people is to deliver a slideshow and upbeat music in a staff meeting, Annual Kickoff Meeting, or special event. I picked up on this early in my career when I was with IBM, , , and I’ve used this myself for dozens of meetings and events in my career.

    PEOPLE LIKE TO SEE THEMSELVES ON THE BIG SCREEN!!!

    I assign a paparazzi to every IT Manager Institute class I deliver. At the end of the program. I share the photos with each person, and I give them copies on the class flash drive. Not only does it go over big with the students, but it creates a lifetime of memories for me as well, , , VERY SPECIAL.

    photographerThe photographer you see at the top is my brother, Mark. He is an avid photographer and has a great eye for capturing quality and unusual images with his camera. Find someone with this talent who can blend in and just happens to be at the right place at the right time and you will have a winner.

    Doing things like this can separate you from others and make it fun to work in your organization. This is great motivation material and it doesn’t cost a dime.

    CLICK HERE to view some of the “paparazzi moments” in my IT Manager Institute classes.

    paparazzi pdf cover

    Tuesday TIP #3

    Tuesday_TIPS

    Managing Remote Employees

    remote employeesIs managing remote employees a new situation for you? Or maybe, you are discovering it to be a challenge.

    If so, you need to read this article and watch the video below. Managing remote employees is a new trend in companies sparked by the COVID that began in 2020. This might be your first experience in this area, and I can tell you firsthand that it is a bit uncomfortable in the beginning.

    I’ve been managing remote employees since 1987, , , a long time. At first, I was a bit nervous about it (actually very nervous), but before I knew it I was settled in and it just became the norm of managing my IT organizations. We didn’t have tools or even the Internet in 1987, , , but we found effective ways to communicate and achieve the successes we needed to achieve.

    In managing remote employees, COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY !!!

    Today, we have excellent tools to help you communicate with anyone, , , anywhere in the world, , , just as if they were sitting in your office.

    OK, , , I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, but it wasn’t too long ago that these tools did not exist. With the need to allow workers to work remotely due to COVID in 2020, these tools became critical resources for managers of the world.

    Just take a look at the growth of ZOOM and you get an indication of this. Revenue spiked two quarters in a row in early 2020 and maintained record levels through the end of the year. COVID and the need to manage remote employees had a lot to do with this.

    ZOOM_Revenue_Growth

    I started using online meeting tools around 2010 after my discovery of video recording tools in 2006, so I’ve been using technology a long time to both record training videos as well as to conduct online meetings with IT managers who follow me, , ,  long before COVID.

    I introduced ZOOM to a company I was consulting with in 2015. They were spending quite a lot for a tool that was not working for them. ZOOM solved this problem quickly and helped me manage the IT Organization and the CEO manage the company more effectively that was spread across the US.

    To manage remote employees, you need two key things:

    1. Effective communications environment
    2. Process to manage remote employees

    Learn all about these critical elements in the 20-minute video titled, Managing Remote Employees

    CLICK HERE to watch the video.

    manage_remote_employees

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