How to build a team. - Part 1 -

In my recent adventures, many people have asked me how I would build a team. Due to the current marketplace trend in moving fast in trying to create a Data Center practice this has become more and more common.

Some of the questions that I would ask if I was going to build a team are below:

So how would you properly build a team that was geared to thrive instead of just survive?

How do you plan to keep talent?

How can IT leaders avoid boring talent?

To that end the below points can assist anyone trying to build any team. Especially the human aspects of making that team be cohesive, well respected, intelligent and bonded together like concrete.

Goals and Mind-share -

For this team Goals and Mind-share must be aligned. Team members must understand the import of the team direction and goals. Team members might not always agree with the route taken to achieve the goals but, when the team understands the goals and direction a team member can usually forgive a perceived error in the chosen route.

Allowing team members to gain mind-share is important. As a leader of that team you must be ready to listen and hear them at the same time. More times than not your team will surprise you with the levelheadedness and intelligence they can bring to bear on a specific matter. Make sure that everyone knows who everyone else is, in a team like this there isn't really a spot for EGO. Make that known and deflate the need for EGO and some amazing things will happen. As a team builder/IT leader you need to keep that going.

One key need in being able to build a team that you can do this with is finding the "SPARK", or the X-factor, or passion. Whatever you call it that is the key to keep this team burning hot with talent.

Group Mentality -

Make sure that the team and you as a leader foster the attitude that the group is more important than the one. Once that is complete make sure that you and the team show the following chain: Client is more important than the group, Group is more important than one person, and as a team member I can help make that impact on the group and client positive. I as a team member can indeed contribute.

--That is it for now more tomorrow--

West Michigan VMUG, and recap! Great Stuff!

It's about time.

So originally the West Michigan vmware User's Group started with John Peck (from Herman Miller) and Joe Harnish (I think Joe is with Metro now). For reasons I am not privy to the VMUG had died off in the last 14 months or so. Finally it has been revived. Russ Shearer (Meijer), Gary Coburn (Vmware SE), and some other good guys that I have not yet had the chance to meet have got it back up and going. Thursday was the first official meeting.

The agenda was the normal User Group Flow. (Sponsor, Vendor, Customer)

Sponsor presentation on the "cloud". **

**(Just so that everyone knows, I want to be perfectly clear. Virtualization is NOT the cloud. Virtualization is a cloud enabling technology. The presenter mis-stated that Virtualization IS the cloud. That is not correct. According to the NIST definition the cloud is a model for delivering resources that have specific service models and rapid "low-touch" provisioning. So, while Virtualization is a big help to the could, it is not in itself the cloud. I think that the presenter knew that and just mis-spoke.)

vmware VDI stuff.

A really good customer presentation on VDI 101 basics. (Less slides brosef. Less slides.) ;)

Spectrum did a great job on both the documentation and presentation of the journey from current to future state. vBlock insights and configuration models that lend themselves to the workload that spectrum runs was neat to see. Knowing where Spectrum sees the benefits and issues with the vblock approach is cool. I really thought that it was great that Mark West knew that vBlock is not a panacea but a solution pathway. Mark really illustrated well why certain standards would be taken care of in First, Second, and Third steps. Understanding the financial, business process, along with the workflow issues that this solution will solve really cemented again what we must do as IT professionals. By using business acumen and understanding the requirements involved not only can IT become less of a "vacuum", but IT can be a better contributor to the success of the business.

All things considered it was a good start.

Things that need to happen. More interaction, bigger attendance, and topics people will get excited about.

VMware if you are reading this ... invite some of the bloggers in the industry! Chad, Vaughn, Duncan, Mike, Frank .... any of these guys.

Final bit of Advice? ... If you are in the West Michigan Area . . . BE AT THE NEXT VMUG!!!!

See you all there next time.