…and it’s free. http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html
Microsoft Business Connectivity Services (BCS) in SharePoint 2010
Learn how Microsoft Business Connectivity Services (BCS), formerly named the Business Data Catalog, enables users to read and write data from external systems.
Microsoft Business Connectivity Services (BCS), formerly named the Business Data Catalog, enables users to read and write data from external systems—through Web services, databases, and Microsoft .NET Framework assemblies—from within Microsoft SharePoint 2010 and Microsoft Office 2010 applications. Both SharePoint 2010 and Office 2010 applications have product features that can use external data directly, both online and offline. Developers can gain access to a rich set of features and rapidly build solutions by using familiar tools such as Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010.
One area of business that I always try to improve on and study is the art of sales. I am not a salesman by trade, but whether you want to admit it or not, we are all in sales. To me part of being influential is to act as if you were trying to sell something. I’m not talking about selling something that someone else doesn’t need, I’m talking about a point of view to get someone to see the benefit of what you are trying to do to help them.
The Golden Circle idea by Simon Sinek explains this the best. Here it is:
Every company know what they do, either a product or service.
Most companies know how they do it, through processes or workflows.
Few companies know why they do what they do.
Knowing that, the companies that excel at explaining the “Why”, their purpose for presenting their product or service to the marketplace, truly end up successful out there.
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” – Simon Sinek
Here’s an excellent TED.com video explaining this more in detail.
A little fun with IT project management concepts Dilbert style. Enjoy!
Add “What if?” to your growth toolbox today.
- What if we did things a little different?
- What if we tried this approach?
- What if our people understood this?
- What if there were no boundaries to what we could do?
A one hour and fifteen minute webinar introducing how to get started with building a project management site within Sharepoint 2010.
I find LEAN manufacturing very refreshing.
It’s an odd thing to say, but after studying the concepts, they are so simple. Basic concepts such as the ones mentioned below I think is the true definition of getting back to the basics when running an organization. Toyota’s success to me is the quint essential example of adhering to basic ethical standards, strictly over a long period of time, demonstrating that the story of the tortoise and the hare can be applied almost anywhere. Here are some examples of the simplicity that I find so elegant.
3 Pillars
- PURPOSE: The reason the company exists.
- PROCESS: The method a company uses to add value to its products and services
- PEOPLE: The people that participate and improve the process.
LEAN’s power is in the simplicity of its objective: if an activity adds value, keep it; if it doesn’t – eliminate it.
Toyota Production System is the belief that it’s the people that improve the company and everything else is a tool to support those efforts.
The LEAN process focuses on the people who are experts in the process to them identify waste.
So if you find concepts like these fascinatingly simple, pick up The Toyota Way. Even if you are solely responsible for IT in an organization, I found it an invaluable reference. There are concepts that apply to technology that I have ingrained in my mind that are part of my everyday principles, but that’s whole other discussion. One of the serendipitous results I got from reading this book was a better understanding of how the stakeholders of a large organization might think.
Publish Excel data to SharePoint display in InfoPath
May 5th, 2012 | Posted by in Technology - (0 Comments)My new research has begun with this topic. I’m quite curious to dive into InfoPath. I definitely have badges of honor with Sharepoint and Excel so I think it will be quite fun to see about learning how to integrate them.
Exploring HR practices and theories finds myself relating to so many topics around leadership. I think it’s simply because you are dealing with people. With that, I remember writing down the definition of human capital management as the company Kronos puts it.
“Human capital management is an umbrella term that encompasses typical human resources administration functions – time and attendance, hiring, payroll, scheduling, benefits, etc. – and talent management, to ensure the most valuable employees stay with the company. To keep the workforce humming, they must be nurtured and developed so that they feel invested in the process (whatever the process may be.) This is the area where superb leaders really shine.“
The last line could be nice a sales hook, but I like the theory behind touching base with the HR department processes to improve the team.