Yet Another (ex-)VC Blog

Much of the focus in the technology press on Enterprise 2.0 platforms has been on the similarity of these tools to public social networking systems like Twitter, Facebook, etc.

One consequence of this similarity, and one that’s being missed by the tech press and venture investors, is that these platforms make it possible for an employee at any organization to build an internal personal brand.

I believe over time (3-5 years) that employees will view their internal brand as critical to their success within the company, and the forward thinking ones will put significant effort into building that brand. Those employees that are on the bleeding edge will want tools to help them leverage these Enterprise 2.0 platforms in a more effective way.

Contact management and Inbox management tools (e.g. Mingly and Xobni) provide some functionality that can be additive to one’s personal corporate brand, but I believe there will be a strong need (again, in 3-5 years) for tools that provide inbound marketing-like functions that allow individuals to “get found” within their own corporations. These tools will be overlays to existing products (e.g. a Rapportive-like interface for Salesforce Chatter) and mashups, rather than standalone software packages, as they’ll need to augment existing collaboration workflows. Also, the focus of these tools needs to be on helping the individual be more helpful, expand their network within the company, and ensure they “get found” due to highly relevant, timely contributions.

Here are some sample use cases that might be relevant for such a product:

One might argue the Enterprise 2.0 vendors (e.g. Salesforce) will build some of these functions into their products. I don’t disagree with that assumption, but I believe that because these vendors are trying to build platforms that create value for the purchasing company, rather than the individual employee, the roadmaps they execute upon will neglect the needs of the individual employee who is trying to build his/her internal brand.

I believe in 5 years we’re going to see many NASDAQ listed enterprise software companies with in-market solutions for digital advertising — it’s the fastest growing market that they’re not in. They need to upgrade their systems to operate in a real time environment and adapt at the pace of change in this market. They have an opportunity to be in the revenue stream; right now they’re outside of it.

via The Industry ‘Take’ On SAS Acquiring aiMatch.

The shift from managing butts in seats to managing inspiration can be intimidating. If you take away the busy work of “watching people,” the manager may be left with an empty to do list. Remote work and ROWE rewrite the manager’s job description.

via Reward Value, Not Face Time – Tony Schwartz – Harvard Business Review.

This came across my desk this AM. Seems like a great opportunity for any of my civic minded readers who live in NY state…

"Governor Cuomo invites talented professionals interested in public service to apply to the Empire State Fellows Program.

The Empire State Fellows Program is a full-time leadership training program that will prepare the next generation of talented professionals for careers as New York State policy-makers. The first class of Empire State Fellows will serve from September 2012 to September 2014. Each Empire State Fellow will receive compensation commensurate with experience and not to exceed $72,765 plus a generous benefits package. At the end of the fellowship, a performance review process will identify fellows that will be given the opportunity to continue to serve as leaders in New York State government after completing the program.

Governor Cuomo will appoint each Empire Fellow to work directly with a Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, or other high-level policy maker. Work assignments will offer Fellows unparalleled experience collaborating with senior officials and participating in the policy-making process. While taking part in the work of government, Empire Fellows will participate in educational and professional development programs that will prepare them to confront the increasingly complex policy challenges facing New York State.

Applications for the Empire State Fellows Program must be received no later than June 1, 2012. Additional information about the Empire State Fellows Program is available at website at www.newnyleaders.com."

We’re drowning in email. And the many hours we spend on it are generating ever more work for our friends and colleagues. Here’s why. We can reverse this spiral only by mutual agreement. Hence this Charter…

via Save Our Inboxes! Adopt the Email Charter!.

I understand and admire the wisdom of the “fire fast” mentality but that wisdom is no substitute for the real work of leadership: figuring out the right people for various roles. Often when I help a client unpack their feelings while they are in the throes of a decision about whether or not to terminate someone, what is revealed are contradictory facts and ambivalent feelings. And too often, our discomfort with our contradictory feelings, our ambivalence, leads us to rush to judgement, destabilizing and antagonizing the entire organization.But if we wait, if we can pause and bear the discomfort of uncertainty, then we have a shot at getting to the heart of the problem manifested in all those facts. Then we have a shot at creating the kinds of organizations that not only succeed, but embody the best of our values, the best of our aspirations.

via The Gift of Our Ambivalence | The Monster In Your Head – Blog by Jerry Colonna.

(…)there are no magic solutions. Our belief in magic solutions that may happen some day in the future keeps us from doing what we really need to do right here and right now.

via A Minty Fresh Mind | Tricycle.

Yes, it sounds pretty crazy. But it’s true. In the seed and series A, you are selling promise and some execution. In growth rounds, you are selling something that already “works”. You are selling a marketing machine, and the ability to “put in 1 dollar and get out 2″. In between, you are selling a hybrid of both, and that isn’t easy.

via Why The Series B is the “Sucker Round” – ROBGO.ORG.

Experience is often over-rated. Some of the most successful startup teams consisted of people that lacked relevant experience at the time they joined. But, what they lacked in experience, they more than made up for in sheer talent and hunger. In the early days, hire athletes. People with raw talent and a propensity to get things done. Don’t be resistent to recruiting people that are early in their careers. You’re looking for arbitrage opportunities. You’re looking for the future stars — because you likely can’t afford or convince the current stars.

via Startup Lessons From 17 Hard-Hitting Quotes In “Moneyball”.

The willingness to reach out to someone you don’t know is crucial to the art of connecting, and especially important in uncertain economic times. Those who are in mid-career and may have worked for one company for years should learn connecting skills before they need them.For instance, most people’s natural inclination is to seek out friends at meetings and mealtimes. Banikarim says not to do that. “It’s easy to sit with someone you know,” she says. “It’s hard, but more interesting, to sit with someone you don’t know. This is not like high school. It’s not just the losers who don’t have somewhere to sit.”

via Forget Networking. How to Be a Connector | Entrepreneur.com.