Important announcement (and IBM Q2 earnings)

July 17 2008

So, over the last few weeks, a number of my colleagues who work on Lotus products for IBM have decided to move on to new opportunities.  Some have been publicly visible, because of blogging, tweeting, or whatever.  Some have been quiet and behind the scenes.  Either way, I've been asked a lot about a) what I think and b) what about me.  Today, after seeing IBM's Q2 earnings come out with another record quarter for Lotus Notes -- made even more impressive as it was up against MS's fiscal Q4 and tighter economic conditions -- it's worth spending a minute on this topic.

First, I believe, and I myself have learned of late, that a person's career and direction is entirely up to the individual.  If someone spends some time working for IBM and has helped make it a better place, then good for them for taking that experience to their next destination -- inside IBM or outside.  Some of the people who have left the Lotus division lately were long-time IBMers -- 5, 7, 10, 13 years -- in an era where more than a few years working on a single product or for a single company can sometimes be viewed as much as a liability as an asset.  I'm proud to see Alan, Gia, Kathleen, Lauren, Bob, Rocky, Chip, and many others move up to much more senior or principal roles, demonstrating that they were successful while at IBM.  I've always said that IBM is incredible on-the-job training -- for me personally, better than ever going back for an MBA.

The confluence of timing may make it seem like there is some greater force at work right now.  Being friends with some of people who have recently departed IBM, I've been thinking a lot about what that might be.  For some, it's just burnout after working on a particular product or technology area for a lengthy period of time.  Some need a catalyst for new challenges -- I myself have been through seven different job functions in 14 years here.  A few have looked to move to smaller companies, either on the Enterprise 2.0 track or just from the perspective of being in a small organization.  There are also people who leave IBM -- or any organization -- because the organization, or their job, changes.  

Put all that together around a product line that has been in market for 18 years, and naturally there will be evolution of that product team.  Companies, departments, teams can't stay static.  One challenge that exists for those of us who work on Lotus products is that we are in a very unique part of IBM -- the only software that is focused on end-users.  Thus, we see people leave the Lotus team for other companies because they want to continue to work with end-users.   For a while, there was an exodus to Microsoft.  In the last two years, though, that's been limited primarily to people in field sales types of jobs.  Instead, product-focused people have been moving to other product-type companies, or to new product lines within IBM (a number of people on Lotus Connections used to work on Lotus Notes/Domino, for example).  Those are great new growth opportunities available inside the organization, though admittedly a challenge with IBM is that you don't always know when there's going to be something new and interesting opening up.  Recently, the internal job posting system was upgraded so that opportunities are visible worldwide -- no longer just limited to your particular geography.  That can help, but internal networking is as important as external networking... again, one of my recent lessons.

Now, here's an attempt at answering a question I've fielded a lot lately.  What about me?  I've been working at IBM on Lotus Notes/Domino for fourteen years.  I've been the sales executive for Lotus Notes/Domino for four years now, longer than I've held any other single position.  Why?  From today's earnings prepared remarks:

[C]ustomers continued to invest to improve the personal productivity of their workforce, [and] this was clearly demonstrated by the growth in our Lotus family.  

Lotus had a terrific quarter, with 21 percent growth, marked by a series of competitive wins in both growth and established markets.  For example, a major bank in Asia licensed over 300,000 Lotus seats. The bank recognized the rich out-of-the-box capabilities of Lotus Notes as well as the long term product strategy.
The time will come for me to do something else.  I have some great mentors and advisers, both inside and outside IBM.  Right now, after a kick-ass quarter where Microsoft is laughingly claiming that they are converting millions of Notes users, I feel fantastic!!!  Bringing in my new team last quarter is a big help.  My Director and Vice-President have been huge supporters, and are to be congratulated on a great quarter.  

For now, I've been leading calls all week where we are planning sales activities for  Notes/Domino/iNotes/Symphony/Protector/"Atlantic" during the second half of 2008.  There's a lot of great new stuff coming for all of these products.  So,  I'm excited to be where I am, but I'm excited for friends and colleagues who have found their next career step.  I don't know when that time comes for me -- sooner or later, it will.  And I promise, you'll know. :-)

Ed Brill | Highland Park, IL USA Category:  IBM  Add/View Comments [26]

Post a Comment

  1. 1  Duffbert http://www.duffbert.com | 7/17/2008 5:53:07 PM

    Very well stated, Ed...

  1. 2  Paul Bastide  | 7/17/2008 5:59:47 PM

    this is why this blog is where I personally turn for news

  1. 3  Debbie Farley  | 7/17/2008 6:07:14 PM

    I agree with Duffbert, I appreciate your candor and am glad to know your time to move on has not arrived yet. But you are right that time comes for everyone. I left my last job just short of 15 years. When it's time to move on, it's time.

    (But I hope that time for you is far off in the future.)

  1. 4  Joe Baxter  | 7/17/2008 6:15:26 PM

    Ed - well said. Having been here at Lotus Software in one capacity or another for a dozen years, and with Lotus BPs for three years before that, I completely concur with your observations. I'm truly happy for my colleagues that have left (although I will miss them); AND I'm excited to still be working in an organization that at it's core is all about helping people be more effective in their jobs; day in a day out.

    Plus - what great news on our quarterly results! It's a banner day in what is shaping up to be a banner year.

    See you around the virtual water cooler ;-)

    JWB

  1. 5  Ian White http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/IT-collaboration-technology-blog/ | 7/17/2008 6:36:11 PM

    Great post - very honest and unspun - I do hope nobody spins the last sentence.

  1. 6  Palmi  | 7/17/2008 6:37:35 PM

    Well Said Ed, congrats on the earnings. There is much to look forward to in next year or so.

  1. 7  Pierre Lalonde http://www.kiwi.ca | 7/17/2008 6:55:12 PM

    I own a small company in Québec city. As an owner I can tell you that it's tough to see colleague leaving your enterprise to continue their career somewhere else.

    Sometime they're leaving to get new challenge, sometime to get a bigger paid check and sometime you just don't know. But one thing is sure, like in your personal life, it's always more difficult for the ones left behind.

    Gentleman (Ed), this is a nice post.

  1. 8  Nathan T. Freeman http://nathan.lotus911.com | 7/17/2008 7:21:28 PM

    Well, I said my piece about recent departures already, so forgive me for focusing on this line...

    "For example, a major bank in Asia licensed over 300,000 Lotus seats."

    <keanu>whoa</keanu>

  1. 9  Keith Brooks http://www.vanessabrooks.com | 7/17/2008 7:26:51 PM

    Well said. And those are huge numbers too!

    Must be a great team you put together.

  1. 10  Rainier Varilla http://tokenblog.wordpress.com | 7/17/2008 7:27:02 PM

    Ed, great blog. Many of those you mentioned I've worked with and have become good friends with. I was sad to see them leave, but happy they found other opportunities that would challenge them and hopefully make them happy. It's hard to leave a company that has posted great returns especially in these economic times. I can say that all though at times I question my own existence at IBM. You are definitely right in that your connections internally and how you leverage them can make or break your career.

  1. 11  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 7/17/2008 7:44:57 PM

    @8 whoa is right. Credit for that one goes to an incredible team... personally had little direct involvement, but sometimes that is the best, it means that we've got great people working directly with the customer.

  1. 12  Graham Dodge  | 7/17/2008 8:06:20 PM

    "For now, I've been leading calls all week where we are planning sales activities for Notes/Domino/iNotes/Symphony/Protector/"Atlantic" during the second half of 2008."

    Ed, since you have included Symphony and Protector in your product list then your brief is wider than Notes/Domino. Seriously now, where are the sales activities for Foundations? Are you involved with that product at all? Just looking for clarification...

  1. 13  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 7/17/2008 9:18:44 PM

    @12 Yes, Graham, my portfolio is a bit larger this year. However, Foundations is a separate business within the Notes/Domino products team, precisely so that expertise on the SMB market and solutions area is laser-focused upon it. The team responsible for selling Lotus Foundations is under Scott Galin, Director, Channel sales for Lotus.

  1. 14  Erik Brooks  | 7/17/2008 9:50:51 PM

    Fantastic post Ed! And congratulations on the fantastic results!

    There's been some FUD floating around the blog community lately, painting a picture of people jumping ship from IBM as a result of some behind-the-scenes turmoil. In my mind you just crushed that in your usual style -- with a straightforward, honest post.

    I think you guys (Lotus sales) are just getting started, too. You've had record sales for the past few years yet your product portfolio has never been stronger, and you've got great products in the pipeline that aren't even out yet. That's got to be exciting.

    Go have a beer or twelve!

  1. 15  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 7/17/2008 9:56:51 PM

    @14 Erik, Thanks. By no means are things perfect in Lotus-land. I don't want to mis-represent that.

    But no company is perfect. I have been here a long time and I know what it feels like when things are totally FUBAR. That is not how things are right now, and the operational results, product shipments, and customer adoption show that things are certainly more on the good side.

  1. 16  Axel  | 7/18/2008 12:49:15 AM

    There is an interesting tendency of bloggers who archieved certain brand with highly subjective opinions which do somehow hit the nerve of certain group, though not necesarily reality:

    They often somehow seem to own an inner tendency to radicalize their statements.

    In the traditional media we have checks through editorial journalists. Blogging often does not. This accounts for a lot of the fun of blogging for readers and is really instructive about human nature.

    Often its really hard to see the constraints of the personal capabilities of judgement. Its like Antonionis Blowup movie from 1966.

  1. 17  Julian Woodward http://blog.woowar.com | 7/18/2008 4:06:05 AM

    Excellent post, with excellent news. Thanks Ed.

  1. 18  Darren Duke http://blog.darrenduke.net | 7/18/2008 7:20:20 AM

    A few things:

    1) Very good results

    2) I think the Vowe wiki went some way to focusing attention on the FUD and publicly showing Domino is doing particularly well. Added to that a 300k seat win and a stellar quarter during the MS Q4 is very good news. We will be quoting this as a BP for the foreseeable future.

    3) Everyone eventually leaves. The fact they left it in a better state than when they arrived speaks volumes. My only point on this is that the IBM blog roll list on the left is getting smaller and smaller. I hope that other Lotus IBMers pick up where the others left off.

  1. 19  Kerr  | 7/18/2008 8:00:00 AM

    Ed, re the 300k win, can you say if that customer is in the domino or exchange wiki pages and if it is marked correctly?

  1. 20  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 7/18/2008 8:04:21 AM

    @19 it is on the list (F500) but it has not been marked. I don't think technically that I can do this, since the bank's name has not been disclosed publicly, yet.

  1. 21  Henry Ferlauto http://www.geniusinside.com | 7/18/2008 9:09:50 AM

    Very well said indeed.

    Glad you're sticking around and your time has not yet come.

    Congratulations on the big numbers.

  1. 22  Ben Poole http://benpoole.com | 7/18/2008 9:26:48 AM

    @18 has it, this is the key.

    IBM / Lotus have some amazing contributors in the wider space (yes, I mean you Ed ;o), and it would be a shame to lose that impetus. Alan, Kathleen, Gia and co. leave big shoes to fill. Here's to more IBM blogs (preferably not in the Rhodin mould ;o)

  1. 23  Kevin Mort http://www.theglobalmind.com | 7/18/2008 10:20:18 AM

    Msft got hit yesterday on their earnings call information (increased revenue but couldn't get it to the bottom line), and IBM did very well. This was pretty clear from everyone reporting the events.

    The real inforamtion for IBM comes in the prepared statement because I found at least in terms of STG that the summary announcement website was lacking in explaination of a couple points, specifically System i.

    I am very pleased to see Lotus up 21% that's excellent news.

  1. 24  Mario  | 7/18/2008 10:47:51 AM

    We all also have to think about who is coming IN. This is very important ... bringing in new thoughts, new ideas is very important to any company and/or product line.

    What about potential interaction and partnership with the companies the IBMers went to?

    And those companies are inviting the Lotus team just because of their success, so it's another way to view how good the results have been.

    I really believe this is a good trend, not a bad one. :)

  1. 25  Dvir Reznik http://dvirreznik.blogspot.com | 7/18/2008 12:33:39 PM

    Ed,

    Excellent post! and excellent results of course.

    Totally agree with @2. Your blog might as well be called 'yellownews.com' - THE source for Lotus stuff.

    Dvir.

  1. 26  Graham Dodge  | 7/18/2008 4:10:13 PM

    So for those who have been following the FS500 wiki... how many of those companies are:

    1. major banks

    2. in Asia

    3. not already a Notes shop?