Got Influence?
Before I get started, I feel I have to acknowledge that 55 years ago today (November 5th), Doctor Emmett Brown fell off of his toilet, bumped his head, and invented time travel. (Sorry, I’m a huge Back to the Future fan) In the spirit of this anniversary, my post today will reference some time travel.
First, we’ll back up the clock to the Spring of 2010. SAP and SUGEN, made up of a global consortium of SAP User groups, including ASUG, put together a survey to SAP BusinessObjects Customers to assess their major areas of concern.
We’ll leap forward a bit now to September 2010. Hearing a need to address the needs of it’s BusinessObjects-only members, ASUG CEO Bridgette Chambers sent out a call for Influencers. She asked that the community nominate those people from the community that they go to to get their questions answered and to get things done. A nomination survey was sent out, and a group began to form.
With another flash of my Flux Capacitor, we’re now at October 4th, 2010, in Orlando, Florida. Exactly one day before the ASUG SAP BusinessObjects User Conference. A group of community nominated Influencers converged on a small conference room to discuss some ideas with Bridgette. The key idea from this lively debate was the formation of the first-ever ASUG Strategic Special Interest Group. Bridgette proposed that from this group of influencers, that 6 people be chosen to lead this Strategic SIG to take on a new and unique challenge. The purpose of this group would be to tackle, head-on, the top issues identified by the community with SAP Points of Contact, and under Executive Sponsorship.
Jump again a just a few weeks. The nomination process has occurred. The names of those nominated were sent out to the Influencer group and voted upon. The votes were cast, tallied, and ASUG HQ confirmed with the six people who were chosen. Now the date is November 4th, 2010. The team gets together on a kickoff call, and assignments are given. Let me introduce you to your ASUG SAP BusinessObjects Strategic SIG Leadership team:
Co-chair Leadership
Greg Myers
Simon To
Product Support & Maintenance
Jennifer Cofer
SAP Integration
Gabe Orthous
Education
Tammy Datri
Product Direction and Roadmap
Kevin McManus
Which brings me now to the present. Today, November 5th, 2010, and a very exciting opportunity for you, the Community. This is Influence. This is ASUG. The BOBJ Strategic SIG is looking to place one Subject Matter Expert (SME) onto each of the four work groups being formed. We need volunteers who are willing to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, and work directly with SAP to address community concerns in these areas (Education, Product Support, SAP Integration, Product Roadmap). This is your chance to have a direct channel into SAP, and have the effort sponsored by both Executive management from SAP and ASUG. The call is open, ASUG member or not.
If you are interested in participating in this SIG as a Subject Matter Expert, please let me (or anyone on the leadership team) know. We’ll be more than happy to pass your name along to the group. This team is forming quickly, so if you want to participate, now is your chance.
In short order, the team will be completed, and there will be a call for membership to the SIG. Be looking for that announcement sometime in December.
I’m very honored to have been chosen to be a part of this team, and also very excited. This is a very unique opportunity. ASUG is behind this effort 100%, and SAP is listening and keenly interested in what we have to say.
And on my parting note, partially in the words of the great Doctor Emmett Brown. I say, “Great Scott! Got Influence?”
