What about Berlin anyway????

So there I was...... In a Berlin hotel...Forced to drink German beer.... Oh, the sacrifices those of us who attend the CWG conferences make for those of you that don't.... Read on to see what I thought about the show...

It was something I'd been waiting for the stars to align on... My being in Europe for other business reasons and therefore being able to justify going to a CWG meeting while there...Personally, I'm not a city boy, I'm a country boy.... So Berlin didn't really hold that much attraction for me....But a big Thank You to the Board and all the volunteers that put this show on the road...

 

Lots of good stuff.... But I'm not going to steal the thunder from others that want to write about all that.... My focus is on 2 things;

  1. Presenting in general
  2. Influence

 

There has been a lot of conversation about why people should present... For me, it all boils down to 2 things;

  1. Helping others
  2. Having fun

See, I believe that maybe, just maybe, people can listen to what I have to say and take away a nugget that helps them. When I tell a story about something, I also think it helps folks relate in a much faster and easier way...Whether or not that actually happens is debatable, but it can't possibly happen if I don't get up in front of folks and put something out there... Yes, in a way every time you present you put your professional reputation on the line... But so what?? Every time you present, you LEARN something as well... And if you take the attitude that you'll have fun doing it, not only will the audience have a better experience, but it really isn't that scary either...

 

So present at a conference some time.... Tell a story and have some fun!!!

 

Then there is the whole Influence thing....

See, I presented a little customer connect activity... Find it here;

http://www.configuration-workgroup.com/webfm_send/2304

 

This was all about an attempt to leverage the Customer Connect program to get some syntax enhancements made... Seemed to be well received... At least 4 customers raised their hands when I asked who would be interested... Of course, if they ever followed through and got involved is another question (or, as I state in a different presentation, "a horse of a different color")..

But it was really the conversation after the presentation, and the large number of customers that approached me over the course of the next 2 days that got me thinking...

You see, for a while there, it appeared that Influence was again dead... A semi heated debate rose up among the crowd over whether or not SAP would "pay attention" to something the customers asked for.... 

The biggest surprise was the comments after the day ended... I had a number of customers approach me and tell me they were "angry" or "irate", or "fed up" with the apparent "lack of response" from SAP... I thought it very interesting that these folks (generally) said nothing during the public debate, but had a TON to say in private... To each and every one of them I said "if you don't speak up publicly, or get involved in the efforts, then don't complain".... Because if you aren't part of the solution, then you're part of the problem..

 

Or as I tell American citizens..... "If you don't vote, don't bitch about the government"....

And that's the message here folks... Put up or shut up.....

Till next time...

Steve