Don't trip on your ego

My last blog entry was about communication skills. A few people took the time to email me with comments which suggested communication skills were not important or were minor factors in contributing to successful teams. These assertions may be correct, to some degree. I have been on a number of very successful teams where some team members had tremendous difficulties communicating. In one situation, a very intelligent and highly successful team member had a severe speech impediment which made it extremely difficult to understand what he was saying. Despite his communication issues, his code was brilliant and everyone accepted him as an equal member of the team. Situations like this are more the exception, than the norm. More often, people who fail to have the ability to communicate are seen as an outcast or are perceived (wrongly) as being less intelligent. Sure, they may be able to contribute to the team; however, their contributions could have been much, much greater, if only they had better communication skills.

The next topic to address regarding being a successful team member has to do with ego.
There is an old saying modesty is the best policy. This old saying rings true in the IT field and is another skill which can be very valuable to someone looking to improve their team-building capabilities. All too often I get the chance to work with some extremely bright but incredibly narcissistic developers. Maybe I am just getting older or perhaps I am just starting to notice; but, it seems more and more of the younger generation have over inflated egos and are not shy to let you know how excellent they are.

Being self confident is one thing, but there is a point where one’s own self confidence can be an anti-team building pattern. Letting your team members know how good you are is the equivalent of telling everyone on the team they are not as good as you. This, almost always, is a sure-fire way to build walls and turn people off. Sure, you might be a genius developer and you can code rings around everyone on the team, but keep your comments of self-greatness to yourself. Let your code do the talking for you; or, better yet, let your customers sing your praises. Rarely is there ever a good time to tell anyone how great you are. Exceptions to this might be interviews and performance reviews.

Along the lines of ego, a related characteristic I have found to be abrasive is the practice of showing off ones code. There is a fine line between being overly helpful and being a bragger. This also includes showing off how your code was so much better than the code which previously existed. I have seen many cases where a member of the team made it a point to tell everyone how poorly written some existing code was and only they were able to make it much more efficient. Sure, they were able to improve the code, but at the same time they alienated members of the team. Who knows, maybe the boss (or your future boss) wrote the code and by pointing out how bad it is might come back to haunt you. Exercise restraint when you get the urge to spout off on how you were able to save the world by coming up with a more clever algorithm in the payroll application.

My advice is to exhibit self confidence but exercise self control when it comes to patting yourself on the back. Self confidence is an excellent leadership trait and is a quality which is highly desired in the consulting field. There should, however, be a balance of self confidence and self praising and it may be better to exercise on the side of caution when you have the desire to let people know how good you are.

Dale Carnegie has a series of books, one being “How To Win Friends and Influence People
.” This should be mandatory reading for anyone looking to move into management or for if you want to become a successful consultant. The lessons taught in the book are very applicable to just about any situation where you have interaction with people.

Soft Skills - Communication is critical

The next few blog entries will focus more on soft skills, rather than with a specific technology topic. Having been in the field for a number of years as both a solution developer and manager, I have had the opportunity to work with a number of different people with just as many different personalities. For the next few installments, I am going to write about being a team player. In many circumstances, being a good team member can be more valuable than being a programming guru.

I am always amazed by the number of technology web sites/blogs which focus on architecture, technology, or a programming language; and, rarely (if ever) mention team dynamics. Sure, they can rattle off an infinite number of articles on TDD or the fad-of-the-week way to design a system; but they would be hard pressed to say anything about team work. Why is this? I suspect people take it for granted the skill of being a good team player. Maybe, the people writing the articles don’t have to interact with people. For whatever the reason might be, more and more of the people in our industry seem like they could use some coaching on how to be a good team player.

Being able to communicate with coworkers
To start out my discussion of being a good team player, I am going to zero-in on an important skill – which is the ability to communicate with other humans. Being able to communicate means more than your ability to talk in the same language as your co-workers. Being able to communicate means you truly can interact with others and fully be understood and understand what is being said. Communication is a two-way dialog and both parties need to understand not only what is being said, but what each person means. This is especially true when one of the persons in the dialog is from another country, or even a different region of the same country.

Once you have a command of the language, knowing the local accent and slang can win you over as an expert communicator. All too often, I have conversations with someone, in English, and I find myself asking them to repeat because their accent was too much for my brain to translate. A good tip might be to slow down. There may even be some cultural groups in your locale which can offer advice on improving communication skills. My best advice is to interact with your coworkers and really observe how they communicate with each other. Pick up on the slang and the way they interact.

I am not advocating that everyone talk the same. I am suggesting it is very advantageous if everyone on the team can understand and comprehend a conversation without too much trouble. If you are a person who is having other issues with teamwork, then poor communication skills will be another point against you.

In the next series of blog entries, I’ll talk more about communication and team dynamics. Let me know if you have any tips or stories which might highlight the importance of good communication skills.

Not the Nexus for the rest of us

My first real blog entry for 2010 will be about Google’s press conference regarding their new phone, the Nexus. For a little more than $500, you can own the newest, and coolest, phone on the market running the coolest mobile operating system on the market. Owners of this new phone will have a 1Ghz processor running the Android operating system and interfacing with some fancy accessories (accelerometers, proximity and light sensors, OLED displays, and others). This, however, is not what my blog entry will focus on. There are many other fanboy sites where people are just gushing about this phone. My blog will take a different look.

For $500, I can buy a very nice laptop AND a decent cell phone. Sure, both of them will not have a huge WOW factor, but the two devices will be able to do almost the same things, if not more, than just the Nexus phone. This, mind you, is if you were to purchase the cell phone, outright. Sure, you could have the cost of the phone deferred over the duration of a service contract, which will make the price of the Nexus more palatable, for some. This, however, will have people locked into a mobile contract where the monthly fees are still, in my opinion, very high.

This brings me to the REAL focus of my blog entry. If you are like me, and have a family who wants to be “Connected,” then all of these technologies and innovations take second stage to the price of being connected. A family of four who wants Internet, cable (or satellite) TV, phone service, and mobile service, can spend more money each month on communication than what a no-money-down new car payment would be. In some cases, a mortgage payment might be less than the sum of the communication bills. The real annoying factor is that all of these services are just different forms of sending bits from one location to another.

Yes, there are ways to save money with bundled services and elimination of some services, like land-line and mobile; however, some people still need a POTS line AND mobile service. Also, would one really save if each computer in the house used mobile data versus a routed DSL connection? The needs of each member of my family is different, which is a considering factor in the services I pay for. Also, don’t get me started on all of the taxes and fees which are tacked on to the monthly bills and are also different for each type of service (cable versus pots versus mobile).

What I was looking for, with the Google announcement of Nexus, was something which might change the playing field of data communication charges. I wanted a revolution to start with it ending in a situation where I pay a single, monthly, communication bill which is reasonable for families where each member can be connected. Sadly, all we got was another fancy phone.

At some point in time, people will come to the realization network connectivity is the only service we really need. I wanted Google to usher in that concept. Sadly, I will still have to wait for the total harmonization of communication services. Who knows, maybe when the Apple tablet, Google Chrome devices, and the next Android phone come around, there will be some entrepreneur who will offer a total communication package which will be reasonable in price for individuals AND for families.

Until then, I will still be paying an arm and a leg.

Starting 2010 on the blog

As will all resolutions we try to make for the new year, many of them last only a few short months. Going to the gym, eating healthy food, and saving money are a few of the more common resolutions; however, one of mine will be to work on my blogs. It is my intention to keep with it and maintain a fairly updated collection of web sites.

I have three blogs and one web site. The blog you are reading, now, will be one of the three. The other two pertain to baseball, specifically, youth baseball. Technology and coaching are two of my passions and will be the subject of my musings for 2010.

On the I.T. side, I will share with you things I find interesting and perhaps a little helpful. There are a number of projects I am working on, as well as new responsibilities which are part of my career. Some of these topics will be career-related and pertinent to working in the field of information technology.

On the baseball side, I will be maintaining a web site and a blog with a focus on helping people new to coaching youth baseball. In the number of years I have been managing a baseball team, I have run across a number of coaches who either had no clue, or no business, coaching youth baseball. My blog and web site will hopefully be of some help to those people who have found themselves drafted into coaching and could use some help.
Here are the links to the baseball sites. Feel free to visit and let me know what you think!

Newbie Baseball, web site
Bill on Baseball, Blog

Is the end near for the RIAA?

I believe the recording industry, as we know it, is dieing. It is dieing because they refuse to change with the times. Like the old horse and buggy whip makers, they are in a line of business which is fading away. I also feel the recording artists are also clinging on to an old and outdated model and must either move-on, or move over.

Why is the RIAA so hot about this? They are hot because they know the end is near. There is no longer a need for the recording industry anymore because of low-cost technology and the Internet. Just about any artist can produce high-quality content. With digital players, there is no need to mass-produce CDs or cassettes. Web sites, like MySpace and YouTube, reduce the need for distribution.

Artists need to realize they will have to work for their money and earn a living off of concerts and selling their brand-name (t-shirts, commercials, sound tracks, video games, etc.).

Now, how many whip makers are there today? In ten years, the recording industry will be the same way. Those who roll with the changes will be successful and make money; those who resist will eventually perish.

For the consumer, this will user in a new era of quality because people will be buying songs they like; not whole albums having one good song and nine crappy tracks of filler.

As a technologist, I have been laughing at the RIAA for years now because they refuse to see the writing on the wall. When I downloaded my first MP3 song in the late-80s, I new the game was changing – and it amazes me to see it has taken the recording industry this long.

What do you think?

Technology Predictions for 2008

As many writers who concentrate on information technology will do at the end of the year; I, too, will prognosticate on what will be hot for 2008. In no particular order, here are ten of my predictions.

1) Bandwidth changes will be coming. It would be easy to leave it at that, but I think the United States is on the verge of some major changes to the bandwidth infrastructure. I believe the largest change will have to do with the price per speed. Either the price will go down, with little change in speed; or, price will remain about the same and we will get more speed for our bucks. This will be driven by wireless broadband and the fiber to the curb.

2) Increasing availability for wireless Internet access. Verizon and AT&T will step up their offerings for WiFi Internet access. This will add significant competition to Cable TV internet access. The result will be more competitive pricing and packages for consumers. This competition will do more for innovation than Net Neutraility.

3) Fiber to the curb will be more of an option for consumers. Our thirst for bandwidth and regulations on copper will be driving factors in the telecommunication companies offering fiber to the pole (or curb) for consumer access.

4) Google will become a telecommunication infrastructure company. Google will bid, and win, the 700MHz spectrum bid and will become a telecommunication company. They will probably team up with an existing wireless company and merge their infrastructures with Google’s “Dark Fiber” network. The gPhone will be a part of this.

5) Microsoft will dominate the mobile application space. This will be a short-win because stiff competition with Google’s Android offering. Apple will have the IPhone, Google will have the GPhone, and Microsoft will have Windows Mobile 6 and the legion of .net developers. People will like the “Eye Candy” from Apple and the “Open’ness” of Android; however, the easy of .netcf and the corporate-adoption of Mobile 6 will prevail – for 2008.

6) Apple will continue on their world domination fight in the consumer electronics space. Look for a few more iPhone announcements and the eventual merging of iPod and iPhone. Apple will also move into the video distribution game, utilizing some “iMediaDevice” and Apple TV.

7) Botnets will move from the “Hacker” world to the “Corporate” world and the legitimate use of this parallel system will take root. The business world will not know how to do this. Perhaps the emergence of a “Corporate IntraBotNet” system will spring up. Hummmmm.

8) Corporate VoIP will be the next killer application. Microsoft will take the lead in providing the merging of Telephone, IM, and Email. We will see more “Headsets” on desks and slow decrease in telephones. 2008 will mark the year the traditional desk phone starts to go extinct.

9) Ajax and Silverlight will weigh heavy on the minds of developers. Maybe 2008 will see a possible solution to the desire to have “Disconnected Web Applications.”

10) Sun will make another stab at re-branding Java. Renewed interest in the Java Applet will be fueled by the legions of Java developers already familiar with programming, but want something better than Ajax and Silverlight. Applets may be a possible answer to “Disconnected Web Applications.”

Those are mine... what do you predict for 2008?

Google expected to bid on 700MHz

Wireless IT World has recently published an article which sheds some more light onto the conundrum of Google’s interest in the 700 MHz spectrum.
Link

This paragraph is of interest to me...

“Google has also supported efforts to push Congress to pass net neutrality requirements, which would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or slowing Web content not approved by them. Google's interest in the spectrum came after AT&T and other large broadband providers expressed interest in recent years in getting Web-based businesses to pay more for their customers' use of the broadband networks.”

This whole net neutrality topic stems from the players in the communication industry who see the potential loss of revenue due to VoIP (Voice over IP) and the increase in bandwidth demand as multimedia (i.e. You Tube) become more prevalent.

It is my belief Google may, in part, use the spectrum as a way to circumvent the traditional telecos by offering their own service to the Internet. This would practically guarantee neutrality on the Internet – providing you went with Google to get access to the net.

In the past, Google has been reported to buy unused fiber optic networks. All that would be missing from the GoogleNet would be access points; which is still something missing from the big picture. Will they team up with some existing provider (i.e. Sprint), or will Google start setting up their own towers? The 700MHz would require fewer towers and cover larger areas than traditional cell phone service.

Add to this, all of the talk about the Google Phone (gPhone) and it makes for some interesting possibilities.

More Google Phone Services

If Goog411 and the talk of a GPhone were not enough, now comes GrandCentral. GrandCentral is a company who’s purpose is to create a single contact point for people to get in touch with you. When you subscribe to GrandCentral, you will be issued a phone number. This phone number becomes your single contact point.

Here’s how it works…
You keep all of the phone numbers you have, like your home, office, and cell. You tell GrandCentral which phone you are at; for example, you are at the office. When people call your GrandCentral-Issued phone number, the call is redirected to your office phone. Before you leave work, you tell GrandCentral calls should go to your cell phone. Now, when people call your GrandCentral number, calls are directed to your cell phone.

But there is more…
You can set up your account to screen callers, or identify certain calls to be redirected to specific phones. You can even switch calls right in the middle of a call (have the call go from your office phone to your cell phone). The list of features is quite impressive and offers individuals the ability to manage how their phones are used. A very nice feature is that all of your voice mail can be accessed from your web browser; which means it is easy to access from anywhere.

Earlier this year, Google acquired GrandCentral; so, now this is yet another telephone service being offered by Google. How this play into the grand scheme is still to be determined. One thing is for sure, Google is very interested in voice communications.

There is currently a waiting list to receive a GrandCentral account. If interested, you may wish to sign up now, so you are on the waiting list.

Links...
Goog411

GrandCentral

Google Phone service coming soon?

The New York Times published an article about the possibilities of Google entering the wireless phone market. The angle they chose to take was about Google’s GPhone and Apple’s IPhone. While there may be enough speculation to warrant several paragraphs of news, I think the NYT completely missed the target.

I believe Google has very little interest in Apple’s IPhone, other than partnering with them to insure Google’s applications run on the device. I think Google’s eyes are on a much bigger picture, affording them another huge source for advertising revenue. My theory is based on several things Google has been taking an interest in. The first one, other than the GPhone itself, is Google’s interest in the 700MHz band being auctioned off by the FCC. With this in mind, I have very little doubt the GPhone will work in this area of the spectrum.

There are some other things Google has been doing help to bring this all home. For example, have you tried Goog411? If not, visit Http://www.google.com/goog411/. Why would Google be so interested in a telephone 411 application? Well, if you have a mobile phone which can receive Google Maps, Google Information, and (of course) Google Advertisements, then you have a potentially profitable revenue stream.

Taking this to the next level, Google has always had a very strong interest in providing free WiFi to metropolitan areas. While this has proven to be less-than practical to implement, I think Google still would like to see some form of wireless communications which is free to access by the masses. Don’t forget, Google is sitting on a very large network of unused fiber optics. If Google wins the 700MHz spectrum, establishes access points linked by their fiber network, and provides mobile communications with the GPhone, Google will be in a position to collect HUGE truck-loads of money from advertisers.

Scenario :
You use GPhone and Goog411 to call a hardware store. Google sends you a map (to your GPhone via Google Maps). On the map, other advertisers have their stores listed along the route AND Google is sending you additional advertisements related to hardware. Over time, the GPhone will have accumulated certain trends, based on the calls you make, and custom advertisements are sent to your phone – maybe even GPhone-Only coupons to be used at participating retailers.

The question becomes…will people use a GPhone if the service is free, yet requires you to be blasted with advertisements?

Links:
Google411

New York Times Story about the GPhone


(BTW: If you are a Skype user, you can dial Goog411 (for free) and be connected to the business via Google. This is a way to get free Skype-Out calls. At the moment, it only works for calling out to businesses.)

Welcome to Yellowville

This morning I moved into my new cubicale, which is in a different building from where I used to sit. The accomodations here are less than desireable and provides me with a reminder of the down-sides of being a consultant. As a consultant, you are affored all the anemeties a full-time-emplyee would not want. In my case, I am in Yellowville because most employeess would rather not have a cubical in such poor conditions.

Yellowville is what I call it because everything here is yellow. From the florecent fixtures, to the carpiting, to the walls and desktops; everything has a yellow hue. I suspect everything here was brand-spanking-new, back in 1965. The bathroom facilities here are yellow, too, and look worse than a highschool locker room. Yellow is the predominate color and places me in a yellow mood.

Of the ironic things which can be found in Yellowville, there are a few which have immediately stuck out. As a tea drinker, the only flavor being stocked is green tea (blue and YELLOW make green).

Yellow Everywhere.

Belleville Illinois Community

I have created an Orkut community pertaining to the city of Belleville, Illinois. If you are interested in participating in this group, then feel free to sign up. If you have a gmail account, then I believe you should already have an Orkut account.

Q:Why use Orkut when there are many other communities/forums on the Internet?
A:Because Orkut is with Google and it is my hope Google will provide better integration and service than some of the other communities. I am also betting an eventual integration into Google Earth.

Additionally…
Orkut requires a valid account, so this should help reduce the number of bots, spammers, and trolls.

Here is the link:
www.orkut.com

A Venomous Tale - New video.

As I have mentioned them in a previous posting, this group has an interesting sound, but an even more interesting approach to music distribution. It seems they are eliminating the middleman, the large record companies.

Here is their latest video, let me know if you like it.

A Venomous Tale - The Bastard Fairies

The Down-Side with the Big Guys

In my previous postings, I have discussed the perks associated with traveling with a top-tier consulting firm. There are other advantages, besides reward points and per deim payments. One of these advantages is the exposure you will get to some of the worlds largest and most influential companies and the people who are running them. Above all, this is probably the largest and most overlooked perk you may receive while working for the big-boys. There are, however, many anti-perks and these should be considered before accepting a position with one of these firms.

Travel can be a huge perk, but it can also be the most significant anti-perk around. This is especially true if you are married; even more so if you also have children. The routine is to fly out to your client on Monday morning (or Sunday evening), work 10-12 hour days, then fly back home on Friday evening. This eliminates Friday as a “Home Day,” which means you only have Saturday and Sunday to spend time with your family.

Did I mention laundry? In the two days that you are home, you will have to prepare fresh clothes for the following week. To help alleviate the stress this may introduce, I would suggest having 10-sets of work-clothes. This includes socks, underwear, shirts, slacks, ties, etc. etc. This will allow you to rotate quickly over the weekend and give your spouse time to take care of your cleaning during the week.

So, what are you going to do during those two days home? Being a road warrior has made you numb to the treat of eating-out or staying in a hotel; but your family at home has still been living the “Home life.” You want a nice home-cooked-meal and your family wants a weekend out for dinner and fun. You want to relax in your living room and watch TV while your family wants to get out of the house. (Do you see what is going on here?)

Now, if you have kids, you can forget about seeing them in the many different assemblies and programs. If they play school sports, you can pretty-much cross them out too. How are you going see your daughter’s piano recital while you are 400-miles away? If your kids are young, the odds are that you are going to miss a significant number of “Firsts,” such as First-Word, First-Step, First-tooth-lost, First-day-without-training-wheels, etc. etc.

Oh, but it gets better. You see, the kids will not complain to you about this; but your spouse can, and will. You will hear it when the toilet backs up, you will hear it when a tire goes flat, you will hear it when a pipe breaks, you will hear it when the cable-tv goes out, and you will hear it when anything goes wrong and she needed you to be there to help make things better. I almost forgot, you will hear it because you are NOT there to cuddle after the kids go to sleep.

Over time, you will become numb to life on the road. Flying on an airplane will be the equivalent to riding in a car. Staying in a hotel, no matter how fancy, will be like staying at your home. On one trip, I was flying from St. Louis to JFK-New York and fell asleep in the plane before it even left the gate. I woke up and saw people gathering their bags and exiting the plane. My first thought was some mechanical problem was forcing us to take a different flight. When I looked out the window, we were in New York. I missed the whole flight – and didn’t care.

Eventually, being a road- warrior, weekend parent, and weekend spouse will take its toll on you and will force the realization of the situation. You can be married to your spouse, or married to your work; but, rarely does it work out so you can be married to both. I knew plenty of coworkers who were either divorced, cheated on their spouse, or was in the processes of getting a divorce. My choice was to divorce my job, which I did, and found the good-life of working for a middle-market consulting firm.

Google virtual world

There have been some rumblings regarding the prospect of Google establishing a virtual world which will integrate Google Earth, Orkut, and some yet-to-be-identified product. Speculation has it that people will create a virtual entity of themselves (an avatar) and use some form of Google Earth to meet other people’s avatars. People will have another reason to sit at home and be dormant.

Google WiFi and Radio

Google seems to be very interested in the 700-MHz radio spectrum auction by the FCC. Should Google bid, and win, they will then have the rights to establish wireless communication.

As a technology consultant,I find this interesting because of a few other things Google is already working on, like the Google Wireless Phone. In case you did not know, Google has been developing a wireless phone, although the exact details of this remain sketchy. Based on what information is available and theories by industry insiders, Google is looking to provide free wireless phone service for consumers; which will be paid for by advertising revenue.

Google has also been buying unused fiber optic networks (dark fiber) for several years. It is my belief that if Google wins the auction for the 700MHz band, they will then light-up this fiber network they have been working on and establish nodes, or wireless access points, and then tie their phone service into the “Google Net.” Google has already tried to establish WiFi networks, which would be free for consumers, in San Francisco. So, we know they see much value in wireless access points in metropolitan locations.

How does this relate to radio broadcasting? Should this Google plan be implemented, wireless Internet access may soon be widely available to the masses; which, could be a huge enabler for Internet-based radio stations. You could have streaming feeds directly to your cell phone, PDA, or even an Internet-Ready car radio. Would this change the way Radio stations function? I don’t think it would spell the end of radio as we know it, but it may force certain changes and revenue models.

Here are some links for your consumption:

Google WiFi in San Fran.

Cities turning off plans for Wi-Fi

Belleville Received Grant for Public WiFi

Google Phone

Google’s interest in the 700MHz band

Google’s desire for fiber networks

Sun Microsystems “Black box” (Portable data center)

Bonus Items

1) Once you have accumulated enough points, fly to an exotic location for a weekend get-away. Many times the firm will pay a portion of your air fare, which would be equivalent to the amount it would cost them to fly you home. Use your rental-car and hotel points for the weekend vacation.

2) See if the hotel offers a kitchenette. Preparing your own food is an excellent way to save your per diem. At the very least, ask the hotel for a microwave and small refrigerators. Most hotels have them, but are available only on request.

3) Get familiar with the airline workers at the gate. If you are going to be on a project lasting more than a few months, it would be good if you start to recognize the people trying to manage the boarding process. Bring them a smoothie or something. This is a great way to get preferential treatment and to get placed on the “Short-List” for first-class upgrades. After several weeks of flying, you will not want to ride coach.

4) Avoid frequent after-work drinking activities. A great way to kiss-up to your boss is to go out drinking with the team. It is also a great way to blow the extra cash you have been hording. Try drinking a club-soda with a lime. It is cheaper than a mixed drink and you will not get drunk.

5) Avoid the nudie bars. A great way to loose a ton of money is to go out with the guys to the strip-joints. Just say no.

6) Pay your debt ASAP. Most credit cards do not charge you interest if you pay them off immediately. Turn in your expense report promptly so you are reimbursed on the next paycheck. Make sure you use the money to pay off your credit card. Do not let a debt linger.

7) Invest in some quality luggage. Being a road-warrior means living out of a suitcase; so, buy some quality luggage and make sure you have one (or two) with some nice wheels. You might even be able to trade in some points for a good set of bags. Cheap bags will break down and cause more headaches – so will ones with cheap wheels. This is one item you have my permission to splurge on.

8) Get to know your location before you arrive. Use Google Earth or Map quest to familiarize yourself with the lay of the land. If you are going to take a taxi, then know the roads might save you some cash (there are taxi drivers who will take the long-way in order to get a larger fare).

More about the perks

While I have explained the points and the perks, I have not yet gone into too much detail about the early retirement plan. In a moment, it will all come together; but, for now I still need to continue with the points.

As I mentioned, you will start accumulating points for all of your travel necessities. In time, the accumulation of points will enable you to have very fancy vacations. For example, I flew my family from St. Louis to Orlando in first class and it did not cost me one cent. For my second honeymoon, I will be staying at a Marriot World resort (any of them) for two weeks with a rental car; and it will not cost me a cent – it is all from reward points.

All right, lets get to the meat of this early retirement thing.

First, you have to live with your parents. You will not really live with them, but you need to have a place or residence and it would be nice for someone who can take care of your mail. Don’t worry about living at home because you will be spending very little time with mom and dad.

Second, let the consulting firm know that you are very willing to travel. Once they understand you WANT to be a road warrior, they will make sure you get the opportunity.

Third, establish your relationship with the reward-point systems each provider offers. If the company is a partner with an airline, do not (DO NOT) take air-points in lieu of reward points. New consultants fall for this one. Believe me; you will start racking up the air point from just flying. You will be very surprised how quickly you will earn free tickets and upgrades.

Forth, find out about weekend options for the project. Many times the company will let you stay over the weekend because it is cheaper than flying you home each week. If this is an option, then find out if they will provide per Diem; if not, no worries. You would be spending money on food anyway. If you plan your week out, you can save enough per diem to cover most of your weekend food needs.

Fifth, use your expense card for everything. The more you use your American Express card, the more points you will earn. Make sure you pay it off each month. Make sure you are registered in the rewards program. Some card charge an annual fee – pay it!

Sixth, do not splurge. This, by far, is the most important aspect of this whole equation. I have seen many young consultants tempted by this amazing lifestyle. What other job could you have where all of your living expenses are paid for by the company? Since their salary is not being used for “Real Life,” they end up buying fancy things, like BMWs, Porsches, and extravagant electronic devices (i.e. home theater systems and industrial margarita machines). I knew one guy who bought is own soft-serve ice cream machine!

Seventh, max out your 401K and make wise investments with your “Unused” salary. While some might say this one is the most important part of the equation, you have to understand that you can not invest if you blow all your money on crap.

By now, you should understand how this plan works. The key is to keep yourself on travel projects so you can live off your per diem and invest your regular salary that is not being used. In time, you will build up a very large nest egg, much like you have been building up reward points! If you are prudent, you should be able to retire early and enjoy many months of leisure travel as you start cashing in all of those points you have been accumulating.

On my next installment, I will be talking about the down-side of working at a top-tier firm.

Working for a top-tier consulting firm.

In my previous blog entry, I suggested the global firms might not be a good as the middle-market firms. In terms of quality people, this I believe to be true. There are, however, some advantages to using a global, or top-tier, firm. The most significant advantage is the support structure behind each consultant. The big-boys go to great lengths to make sure each consultant receives continued training and is connected to their massive internal support networks. When you get one consultant from one of these firms, you also get a collective knowledge from the entire firm. In a way, they are much like the Borg.

I did mention perks in my previous posting and I will go into some details about them. If you played your cards right, working for one of these larger firms could help one retire by the age of 45, give or take 5 years. Even if you did not play all of the cards correctly, there are many other advantages – but there are also some costs. Let me explain.

Working for one of these consulting firms will require a fair degree of travel. If you have any reservations about travel, then you should not even consider joining their ranks. If, on the other hand, you can travel, then a whole world of opportunities is handed to you on a plastic plate (your expense card). I'll present the formula for early retirement and let you take away the good and the bad. Ready? (I should be paid to let you read this formula).

Prerequisite #1: You are not married.
Prerequisite #2: You do not have any children.
Prerequisite #3: You do not own a home.
Prerequisite #4: You have, at least, a 4-year degree from a reputable university.
Prerequisite #5: You have self-control.

These firms want you to travel because they can get a larger billing rate from the client, so travel is the primary catalyst for early retirement. When traveling for these firms, they pay for everything. This includes the air fare, hotel, meals, and any other associated expenses related to your work. Many times, this will include a rental car (you have to be able to drive back and forth between your hotel and the client’s work site).

When you travel, you will earn reward points. It is a good idea to pick one provider for each aspect of your travel. For example, always stay at a Marriot. Always fly American Airlines. Always rent a car from Avis. You get the point; or, should I say, you’ll earn the points. Here is a run-down of point rewards.

Credit Card (American Express): Earn points for every dollar charged on the card.
Air Fare: Earn frequent flyer miles.
Hotel: Earn points towards free stays.
Rental Car: Earn points towards free rentals.

As you start to accumulate points, the providers will start to reward you with bonus points. For instance, your air fare points will start to double and provide nice perks, like free upgrades to first-class. Your rental car points will allow you free upgrades (go from a Ford Taurus to a convertible Mustang). If you are using American Express, your reward points will start to accumulate to allow larger “Gifts” from the catalog (I knew someone who was real close to having enough points for a Harley Davidson).

How does all of this enable one to retire early? As a traveling consultant, you will be gone for weeks at a time. It would be a very typical week for me to leave home on Monday morning and then return late Friday evening. During the week, my out-of-pocket expenses were zero; remember the firm pays for your hotel, meals, etc. etc. Since you do not have the typical day-to-day expenses one would normally have with a “Regular” job, you now have more money to save. Not too shabby, but it gets better.

For most projects, you are given a per diem, which accounts for three meals and incidentals. They do this to help reduce the number of receipts needed for reconciliation. Quite often, you can get by for less than the per diem; which means you pocket the extra. Over time, this becomes a nice tax-free source of revenue (consult your tax advisor on this). So, if the firm gives you $40.00 to spend on dinner, but you spend $5.00 on Mac-And-Cheese, you just pocketed $35.00.

On my next installment, I will put this all together to explain how to enable early retirement.

Stay Tuned.

Working for a consulting firm

Yesterday I had a conversation with someone regarding billing rates. Having worked for two middle-market consulting firms (Daugherty Business Solutions and G.A. Sullivan) and three top-tier firms(KPMG Peat Marwick, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Avanade) I am here to say the rate charged by the big guys may not necessarily mean you are receiving any-better quality from their consultants.

So, what is the difference between the $175/hour and the $75/hour consultant? The difference is likely consultant’s support network because most of the time, the quality of the consultant is exactly the same. Let me explain by drawing an example from a previous project.

When Compaq came to one of the BIG-5 firms to help them with their e-commerce initiative, the firm brought in plane-loads of people from all over the US. Many of these people were junior-level and had only been out of college for 1-2 years. Sure, they were mixed in with some seasoned consultants, but even the seasoned ones were still cutting their teeth in the business world. The point I am getting at is Compaq was paying a pretty billing rate for people with little, or no, experience. Compaq was paying the firm to use this project as a “Training” site to indoctrinate fresh meat. Compaq would have received the same quality from a middle-market firm (although maybe not the same quantity).

The big firm has the ability to summon large numbers of people to a project and offer a support-network to help insure these people do not fail. They do this well because it is done this way time after time, project after project, client after client. As I mentioned above, working for three of these firms, they are all the same. Here are some other tricks to help justify their hefty billing rate:

1)They fly people in from all over the US. This helps to give the illusion of a shortage of local talent. When you go to the airport on a Monday morning (or Friday evening), you can play spot-the-consultant by the logos on their laptop bags. Bring a friend and see who has more people in the air, Accenture, IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers, or BearingPoint.

2)Look for the management pyramid. A dozen juniors, several mid-range, two-three managers, and one partner. The people doing the bulk of the work are the bottom two layers and the people doing the schmoozing are on the top. When you get the bill for a partner’s work of $300-$500/hour, see if you can identity what exactly that work entailed (other than signing the contract).

3)Laptops, Laptop, and more Laptops. Each consultant brings with them a mini data processing center with all of the hardware and software to run a business. Never mind their computers are probably not permitted to be connected to the corporate network; rest assured they are using them to surf porn back at the hotel.

4)Turn over. Working as a consultant for a top-tier firm does have many advantages, if you are single, don’t have kids, or can live the nomadic lifestyle. Since many people have aspirations of having a family, a home, or other “Traditional” lives, there is some degree of turn over within the ranks. These firms count on this to keep the staff rotating with junior-level people (young and don’t have to pay as much).

On my next blog, I will go into the perks of working for a top-tier firm (yes! There are P-L-E-N-T-Y) of perks.

Back in the game

After a long absence, I think I am going to try and get back into the game of writing to my blog. Since my last posting there has been much going on, both professionally and personally. On the personal side, little league baseball is over for the season and the Fink’s are ramping up for the fall season. On the professional side, I am still helping farmers all over the world grow better crops by using technology to track the progress of their corn (or whatever).

The baseball team I coach took first place in their division, again (three years in a row), with an undefeated season (second one). Many congratulations go to these kids who have demonstrated huge amounts of skill and have proven that practice can make perfect. In three years, we have only lost one game! Sadly, this will be my last year participating with the Belleville Parks and Recreation because I (and most of the parents) are sick and tired of the league and all of the bullshit we have been forced to put up with. We will likely be playing in O’Fallon next season.

As for growing crops… The solution I helped (Insert Ag. Company name here) develop enabled us to track several thousands of acres of corn production and was deemed a huge success. We will be looking to take this application to Brazil and Argentina for their next growing season. For those who might be interested, this is a 100% Microsoft solution from top to bottom. We use several varieties of mobile computing platforms (Symbol, Dell, and HP) and track the crop progress from pre-planting to post-harvest. I still enjoy the work and the company keeps things challenging.