Blog it Forward – Jeanne Carboni

It’s been over a year since Moshe Naveh Blogged it Forward to me, and, with the persistent nudge from Gali Kling Schneider, I’ve finally sat down and put pen to paper on the topic. And given that today was the special virtual anniversary party for Blog it Forward, it seemed like the timing was right.

In line with the other Blog it Forward stories, I’ll share a brief history of what led me to my current position at SAP.

I was working at an SAP customer in 1991, where we implemented SAP R/2 (yes, I’m dating myself) to replace a number of legacy systems. It was challenging because there were very few people in the USA who had experience with the system, and the documentation was limited – mostly available only in German. As companies rushed to get their employees trained on SAP, consulting firms began hiring these same employees to be SAP consultants. I joined one such consulting firm in 1994, where I led a number of SAP implementations for clients. It was a good move because it catapulted me into more responsibilities, which resulted in a lot of growth for me professionally and personally. In 1997, in conjunction with the arrival of my second of three daughters, I stepped away from the role of traveling consultant to the role of Methodology and Tools lead for the consulting firm. My team and I gathered and deployed a wealth of processes, intellectual property and tools to the consultants in the field. It was a great opportunity for me to pay it forward to other consultants by sharing knowledge that would help them grow their expertise. In 2004, I was contacted by SAP regarding an exciting opportunity to bring Knowledge Management and Communities of Practice to the company. I’ve had a number of positions at SAP since then, but my favorite has been working with SAP Community Network and the members who go the extra mile to help nurture it. After just over 3 years with the community, I have to say this continues to be the best assignment I’ve ever had.

The questions I’ve been asked are listed below, with the answers provided. At the end of this blog, I’ll share who I am blogging it forward to, with the questions they should answer in their blogs.

What was your dream job as a kid?

I always wanted to be a rock star. I loved the rock and roll of the 70s, ”80s and ’90s, and I still love newer rock and roll today. However, I suffered from severe stage fright when I was younger, and even after 11 years of piano, I couldn’t play in front of others. Although I no longer have stage fright, I’ve devoted my time and talents to strategy, leadership and continuously improving the things I work on. I also do the best I can to live the mantra about “paying it forward”, whether it be personal or professional. Random acts of kindness are extremely important, and I want to do more as time goes on.

What is your favorite place in the world?

This is going to sound really “corny”, but it’s anywhere that my family is with me. I love traveling and have a great time with my family members, exploring, learning and enjoying each others’ company. Obviously vacation spots are great fun, but coming home and being in our home together is the best. For those interested in places to visit, I do LOVE South Africa, the Caribbean, and the East Coast beaches of the USA, but family has to be included to make it special for me.

What was the most fun project you ever participated in and why?

I’ve been a part of many projects in my life, both professional and personal, but the one that stands out as being the “most fun” was a 1991 mission trip to Guatemala with a number of colleagues and one of my daughters. In retrospect it was not that it was fun, as much as it was meaningful. We spent our time with the indigenous population of Guatemala, who had recently been through a terrible hurricane that caused many landslides. This resulted in major loss of life in their mountainous community. They showed us where the villages had tumbled to the ground and entire families had been lost. Our project was to help them reforest the mountain to help prevent such catastrophes in the future. We spent our time together at the top of the mountains planting trees, eating meals and sharing hopes and dreams with the people who lived there. Although the activity was simple, the impact was profound. It was a life altering experience that I will never forget.

Blogging it forward to…

I’ve been warning a number of you that this was coming your way, so no surprises, other than I finally got around to it. Here you go:

– Sarah Goodall

– Claudia Brack

– Chip Rodgers

– Michael Mankowski

– Maggie Fox

– Matthew Riches

The questions I ask of you are:

– What was the most exciting thing that ever happened to you?

– What do you think is your most unique strength, and how do you use it?

– Who do you admire most and why?

To participate in this challenge, please compose your own blog. Title it “Blog it Forward – Your Name”. Provide a link to this blog as the origination of your participation, and enter the link to your blog in the Blog It Forward Chain once you post it.

Thanks in advance for sharing about you in this interesting challenge!  By the way, did I mention a badge is now being awarded to participants?