Presentation Summary from my talk at the Software Development Association Poland (SoDA) Conference

I recently spoke at a fantastic conference run by the Software Development Association of Poland. I thought it would be useful to summarize the key points of my presentation for the wider audience. I hope it's useful!

My presentation was divided into two parts:

US Market Overview

The first part was focussed on the current state of the US market. I talked about the implications of a historically strong US dollar, an aggressive Federal Reserve moving to address inflation through significant interest rate hikes and plunging company valuations (DOW, S&P and NASDAQ all suffering double digit declines).

While the strong dollar could be considered an advantage (increasing purchasing power abroad), the headwinds in the economy are real; and are already impacting liquidity, business confidence and budgets. This is further compounded by the political divide and atmosphere in the US, which is unlikely to improve as we face the mid-term elections this year.

Practical Insights for doing business with US Clients

The second part of my presentation was designed to provide some practical insights into how US companies do business, and how Polish companies should take steps to equip themselves and adapt to doing business with US companies. I went out on a limb and was blunt about what I see as some Polish traits that could be challenges. (I lived and worked in Poland for a number of years, so I have first hand experience)

I focussed on 4 key areas for Polish IT companies to consider:

Commerical Maturity. Polish IT companies have incredible technical talent. My advice to the audience was to focus on also improving their commercial maturity - with an emphasis on becoming more proficient in how they structure commercial deals with clients.

A number of attendees commented on how they had learned some tough, painful lessons from failing to adequately understand how to manage commercial risks, agree the most appropriate commercial model (e.g. fixed price, run-rate, T&M etc), manage cash flow or agree suitable (and fair) terms of business. Good financial hygiene and discipline are critical to any successful business, but working with US-based businesses - especially at the enterprise level - require a significant level of commercial maturity.

TLDR (Too Long, Didn't Read). Well structured communication is of course critical and obvious. However, I have found a tendency for Polish people to want to communicate ALL the information, in detail, within a single email or on a call. The client is left to decipher a long email to try to understand what is really relevant, and what isn't relevant - at least at that time. My advice was to be very concise and conscious about the message they were trying to communicate, and not to muddle up multiple different threads or topics in a single email.

I also reflected on my personal experiences over the years with how Polish people are eager to discuss topics - sometimes too eager! The need for active listening skills is critical, and to avoid the temptation of talking over and/or interrupting their clients (or each other). My point was proven many times after my talk, as several attendees approached me to discuss my talk - and they exhibited exactly this behavior with me and their colleagues!

Ambiguity is life - learn to live with it. We all know the world is changing quickly. Many US clients who are looking for help in developing a new product, or who are implementing new technology into their business don't really know exactly what they need or want. This level of ambiguity can be a challenge for Polish IT companies, because they tend to want to have answers to everything before they feel comfortable starting a project or something new. In today's world, you have to learn to cope with unknowns, and to work with your clients to co-create the future. Of course, the commercial model must match the level of ambiguity and unknowns, but to expect a US client to have all the answers upfront is unrealistic and will be a blocker to win new business.

Parent-Child Relationships are Unhealthy and Unproductive. There is a concept about relationships and how those relationships function effectively and it is centered around Parent-Child vs Parent-Parent relationships. In my experience, Polish IT companies tend to put themselves into a Parent (Client) - Child (Vendor) relationship, where they are required to ask permission, seek approval and apologize for things that go wrong (even when it's the clients fault!). My guidance to the audience was to establish appropriate Parent - Parent relationships early on, recognizing that any collaboration requires both parties to be respectful of the other, and for each to fulfill their obligations. A client has obligations and responsibilities too - and they have to be accountable for their contribution to any endeavor as much as the Polish IT vendor/supplier.

It was an amazing group of companies and members that attended this SoDA conference, and it was my pleasure to meet and speak to hundreds of amazing and talented IT professionals. Hopefully some of the insight above are helpful - let me know.