Galloping Off

40 months.

i have been at SAP for 40 months.

brief story time

uber-mensch and ultimate CRM champion Bob Stutz asked me to come over and help with the strategy to righten the ship. there was a ton of good stuff, incredible promise, and some work to be done - so we did.

spent a few months working with Bob, the board, and the teams setting the product lineup into a better place than before (and, yes - it is there by virtue of the incredibly talented engineering team and Bob's guidance). then came time to implement it - and i am not the right person for that... more of a talker than a doer -- KWIM?

i moved on and focused on the service strategy (the jewel of the crown, if you ask me and my 30+ years dealing with clients and how to make them happy).

but, but, but -- there was something missing.

needed work in messaging, positioning, and story-telling. i became an evangelist. Bob left, and i battled on to create a coherent and unique positioning, and engender the conversations around it.

excellent message, great position. i would've never said this before - amazing teamwork across the cx spectrum. truly unique group of individuals who made it happen.

alas, again - i am not the greatest executioner -- er, no, strike that... i am not great at execution, talker v doer, etc.

the time has come to leave the righted ship, and after an incredible learning journey for me to find the thing after the next thing (wrote a little some some on linked in last couple of weeks).

the amount i learned in that time is immeasurable.

came to SAP thinking that vendor life was a piece of cake and left understanding the incredible complex inner working that happens after the analysts and consultants leave and it is time to implement. i feel i am 100x better at my craft now than before, thanks to the patience of the people here. forever grateful, and at the same apologetic to those who met the impatient me.

cannot even begin to put a list of people together, and i won't. if we worked together last 40 months - you are in it. grateful for your help and contributions.

will spend the next few weeks wrapping all this in a tidy package and then will gallop off into the sunset on my trusted steer.

first, a very well deserved sabbatical and reflection time.

very well deserved does not come close to inspire the right imagery -- the 10+ years building ThinkJar, followed by the SAP stint put out the candle lit by my past sabbatical; a new one beacons in search of a new light, a new path to follow.

then?

who knows... i am going to spend my time the only way i know how - talking to all of y'all who want to chat, getting ideas as to what's needed, seeing if my talents are in demand, imagining what's next, etc. sitting in a beach also comes at the top of the list.

definitely improving my poker skills.

traveling, spending time doing nothing, reading and writing, and -- did i mention traveling? that's the next few weeks/months/years

please feel free to reach out anytime - glad to talk.