Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Reason #2 to Attend SEPG Europe 2012: Promote Your Passion!


The #2 Reason to Attend SEPG Europe 2012: To Promote Your Passion

Jeff Dalton, CMMI, SEPG Europe 2012, CMMI Appraisal, CMMI Training, CMMI Consulting
Buenos días Amigos!!  The matadors are brooding in their cafes.  The crowds are lining the streets and it is almost time for the bulls to start running towards SEPG Europe 2012 on June 5-7.  Yes, the world-renowned CMMI feria is almost here, and that must mean it’s time once again for my Top 5 Reasons to be there.
Come close to the railing.  You won’t want to miss a moment of the action as we get on with our list of Top 5 Reasons to attend SEPG Europe 2012.  And away we go with Reason #2!
Drum roll please …
Reason #2: SEPG Europe is where you can promote what you are passionate about.
What?  Self-promotion?  I can hear the click-click-click as people madly try to x-out of this blog post.  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” they say aloud.
But wait.  I know few things have the power to make an engineer more uncomfortable than self-promotion.  I realize that many of you would rather submit yourself to 100 process mandates, or 50 days without Jolt Cola, than utter a single boastful word.
The good news about SEPG Europe is, you’re among friends here.  We don’t think it’s boastful to share success stories.  Indeed, we are here to find out from each other what’s working.  So if you are doing something with the CMMI that is really helping put your company on the path to greatness, your peers would love to hear about it.
Remember, folks at SEPG Europe are coming from a variety of backgrounds.  Some are Certified Lead Appraisers seeking to get better at guiding their customers.  Some are CMMI program sponsors who are looking for innovative and creative solutions for delivering on-time, high-quality software to their customers back home.  Others are just learning how to spell “CMMI” for the first time.
What we all share is a common interest in process, performance, and organizational improvement.
And here’s a shocker.  Some of the conference attendees are actively looking for a potential SEI Partner.
If you are an SEI Partner, it would probably be a good idea to be at least a little bit visible, would you agree?
One great option is to take advantage of the sponsorship or exhibiting opportunities SEPG Europe offers.
Another option is simply to take the bull by the horns and talk with folks about what you do.  One time at an SEPG conference, when I gave a presentation called “The Agile SCAMPI: Taming the Savage Beast.”  There was a decent crowd (drawn, perhaps, by the free hats and books I was giving away) and I hope they received some good information about making Appraisals simpler and more Agile.
One company in the audience was in the process of tackling a large-scale, multi-site process improvement program.  They needed help with planning, training, and conducting a multi-site SCAMPI Appraisal.  They had already zeroed in on a small set of Partners to choose from but after my presentation they added me to the list.  Just like that!  I ultimately started working with them and it was a win for everyone involved.
You know what I’ve been saying ever since?  Come to SEPG conferences for the technical sessions, but stay for the networking.  You never know when you’re talking with your next big client – or your next Partner.
SEPG Europe 2012 is a great place to promote your passion.  And that’s no bull. Olé!
Need one more reason to go?  Check back soon for Reason #1!
Jeff Dalton is President of Broadsword Solutions Corporation and Chairman of the SEI’s Partner Advisory Board.  He is a SCAMPI Lead Appraiser whose blog can be read at www.asktheCMMIAppraiser.com.  He can be reached at appraiser@broadswordsolutions.com.www.broadswordsolutions.com

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