No, I’m not talking about Icahn’s tilt at Yahoo’s board. I’m talking about the famed activist shareholder’s weblog, announced with much fanfare in January, of which nothing has since been heard. We were expecting fireworks, and so far we’ve had not even a fizzle. Why make an announcement about something people will be eager to read, build a site, and then not post a single article? Better not to have even raised the subject.

I just realised that it’s been a year since we started En Avant. Although the initial entries are dated March, we actually went live on 14th April 2007. So, belatedly, I want to say thank you to all those readers, commentators and linkers who have joined me on my journey of exploration into this communication medium.

Someone suggested that I do a review of that first year. Gee, blogging about blogging - YAWN! But my friend insisted that people would be interested. Hmm. OK, but don’t blame me if this bores you rigid.

Anyway, what was I thinking of, when I started? Clearly there were some business reasons:

• Profile and positioning for the businesses I was involved with;
• Sending messages about what I hold to be important to current and potential staff, customers and business partners, in a more subtle medium than the usual preaching from the front style.

I think that worked. There was also the idea of building Brand Jim Donovan (and I’m not talking about ego-building here):

I’m trying to reach a general business leadership audience, as well as techbiz people, business commentators and other influencers. Why would you be interested? I flatter myself that I have some good ideas to share and that I can offer some useful insights, and that you’ll find some interesting dialogue. Why am I doing this? It’s called networking. It may lead to more business for the companies I am involved with, it may increase my influence, it may get me involved in some interesting new projects. Who knows? But at heart, I just love talking about this stuff. At the very least, I might do some good, learn something, and do little harm.

Did I succeed? Well, the networking certainly has happened. Through En Avant and related web activities, I’ve met some fascinating and smart people, electronically and in the flesh. I’ve enjoyed an occasional meal, cup of coffee and bottle of wine as a result. I’ve had some influence, I’m told, both on individuals and businesses, and thankfully I’ve only been slapped down once or twice. I’ve got involved in some interesting projects from new (and renewed) contacts made as a result of blogging. I’m also hoping that some more good things will emerge from ongoing discussions that started directly or in part from En Avant. So yes, I think I have succeeded.

I’m surprised that I don’t get more comments on the blog itself, but I do get lots of emails, phone calls, and face-to-face feedback. Perhaps that’s not so surprising when one considers how few people do anything much beyond simple web-browsing; less than 6% of Internet users, I understand, have news feeds and reader service. Honestly folks, it’s very simple and free.

Unsurprisingly, my biggest readership is in New Zealand (after all, it’s where I’m most known). Surprisingly to me, the USA is my next biggest “market”, but unsurprisingly again, other English-speaking countries follow, especially Britain and Australia. I also find a reasonable audience in Europe, India and China. So the advice to not be too NZ-centric seems to work.

The question I get asked most often after why is when - when do I find the time? If I’m working full-time in the real world, I’m usually disciplined - reading my feeds either first thing in the morning before heading out for the day or after dinner in the evening, which is when I usually write. I may have 2 or 3 things “in development” but usually I write on the spur of the moment, in response to something or someone I’ve read, seen, heard or met that day. I’m lucky that I can string a few sentences together quickly and coherently, so I don’t usually agonise a lot over word-crafting. I know; it shows!

O K, that’s enough. In conclusion, let me say that it’s been a lot easier, more enjoyable and more stimulating than I expected, and yes, I am going to keep doing it. Once again, I thank you for your support.

This is just to let you know that I’ve turned off trackbacks and pingbacks on this blog. My spam catcher (Akismet) hasn’t been stopping spam coming through that route, and frankly, it was very nasty (update: seriously, you don’t want to know). Also, since Akismet is now handling several hundred spam comments a day, I’ve stopped checking them for legitimate posts. Email me if you have a problem.

Update: Just to be clear, legitimate comments should simply go into a moderation queue, which I will still check regularly. It’s just that the odd one might get lost if Akismet thinks it’s spam.

Update 2: I’ve turned trackbacks and pingbacks on again.  Moderation seems to do the trick.

Sorry - couldn’t help myself with that headline. I’ve enjoyed a stimulating lunch today with fellow business bloggers Jack Yan and Mark Di Somma. We only recently realised we all live in the same city, and this was my first meeting in person with them (at Vista on Oriental Parade, on a beautiful sunny day in Wellington; I recommend the smoked fishcakes and the coffee is superb).

There was no agenda for our meeting other than getting to know each other. Both Jack and Mark have lively bubbly personas and the conversation somehow covered how we got into blogging, the emotions we felt when visiting major battlefields, funny stories about airport incidents, and much mutual shaking of heads over timid strategy making.

We all feature branding strategy in what we do, albeit from different angles. Jack is publisher of fashion magazine Lucire, co-author of “Beyond Branding” and a consultant. Mark is a also a branding consultant, especially in business sectors facing seismic change. I focus on “the market offer” and how that is carried through into every aspect of strategy and execution.

Will anything come out of this? Who knows, but we’ll definitely meet again soon.

Most people I know plan to finish work tomorrow (Friday), many at lunchtime, which means this year’s Christmas break will start unusually early in those countries where it’s a mainstream holiday. I’m aiming to beat the rush by heading away even sooner, so here’s wishing everyone a safe and happy Christmas, and I’ll be back online in the New Year.

(To any confused northern hemisphere readers, it’s also summer time in the other half of the planet, which makes celebrations of a Christianised mid-winter festival somewhat different).

Je suis en vacance. I haven’t read a paper or watched TV since a rugby disaster in Cardiff last week. However, I’m not crying in my beer. The current lack of articles is due  to being out of contact for the past week, cruising the Seine through Normandy. If you haven’t been to Normandy, I thoroughly recommend it.

Anyway, I haven’t a clue what’s happening in the world, but now I’m in Paris, I might write something soon, or not.

I arrived in New York today (Monday) to visit our Americas branch on 3rd Avenue (pictured - our office is on the 2nd floor) and to meet some people. Unfortunately they may not have got me at my best. After a full day of sightseeing yesterday in San Francisco (including an unexpected wonderful choral service at Grace Cathedral, which was a visual and aural treat, even for this unbeliever) I caught the overnight flight to JFK but only managed 1 hour’s sleep. I went straight into our offices on 3rd Avenue at 9am. Let’s just say I’ve been finding it hard to string two sentences together in any logical sequence. Add to that, falling asleep in the middle of conversations and then waking myself up again with a loud snore, and it’s a wonder people stayed in the room with me. Oh, the joys of international travel.

Still, despite those difficulties, I’m finding that NYC has got a real buzz to it. Also, I finally met in person someone I first encountered through our mutual business blogging. You never know if someone is as good in person as they are in a structured communication, but I had nothing to worry about. And, if things pan out right, we could do some business together. There’s method in this madness, folks.

Right, next stop, Harry’s Bar and then a genuine New York Grill. Who needs sleep!

Don Christie has rightly chastised me for my remarks regarding yesterday’s Open XML meeting. I was only in the room for 10 minutes, had taken no part in the discussions beforehand, and had no basis for my comments on the conduct of the meeting, other than hearsay. I apologise unreservedly to the participants.

‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. ‘
- Alexander Pope

I’ve tracked my readership statistics for En Avant since it started in April. After an initial modest start, and subject to the vagaries of Google Analytics, a pattern has emerged.

My top 10 readership city conurbations:

1. Auckland
2. Wellington
3. London
4. San Francisco/Silicon Valley
5. Los Angeles
6. Sydney
7. New York
8. Perth
9. Melbourne
10. Toronto/Montreal (ok, they’re 540km apart, but they’re close on the Google map)

My top 10 readership countries:

1. New Zealand
2. USA
3. Britain
4. Australia
5. Canada (after this, it starts thinning very rapidly)
6. Germany
7. India
8. France
9. Croatia (Hi, Mihaela)
10. Singapore

I learnt today that I’m a clogger (corporate blogger). Just a touch of cynicism and/or inverted snobbery in that epithet, I sense.

In a follow-up to a post where I expressed surprise that I got most feedback by email or phone rather than in blog comments, Peter Crow from Quarry Group sent me this (by email), which he’s kindly agreed that I can share with you:

Per the comment you posted yesterday about feedback, I’m not surprised that most people provided blog feedback by phone or email. This behaviour matches my experience with mid- and senior-level business people as well. Over the past six months I’ve been conducting an informal poll to try to work out why “collaboration” and some of these newer Internet technologies are not taking off as I expected they would. Lots of talk but very little action outside tech-minded people. The feedback I’ve received suggests that despite all the talk about “collaboration” on the Internet, most people still find talking and listening (as in an interactive voice exchange) as the best channel to share ideas (emphasis on interaction rather than one-way communications). The absence of tone and immediacy, compromises the effectiveness of many newer attempts.

My very basic summary from what I’ve learnt to date:

• Blog is great for outbound information sharing.
• Email is great for simple (maybe one exchange each way) communications.
• Phone, video-link or face-to-face remains best for interactive work.

On 8th June, I asked for reader feedback on this blog. Surprisingly, most people chose to do that via email or phone, rather than post their comments on the blog. I’m not sure why - more private, I suppose. Anyway, the overall feedback (including the emails and phone calls) was very positive. In essence, you said ‘Keep doing what you’re doing’. Thank you - I’m thrilled you like it, even when you don’t always agree with what I write.

Some specific feedback is already in effect:

• Increasing the international focus, but without losing ‘home-market’ interest. It seems to have lifted readership at home and internationally.
• Posting about issues, people and topics that I encounter because ‘you move in circles we don’t’. You’ll understand that, as such a player, I need to maintain confidentiality and avoid espousing strong views on issues where I’m expected to be objective. But you knew that already.

Another piece of feedback was that I should blog a little more about Fronde - not as advertorial, but because you’re interested in what we’re doing as a company, and why. That’s going to need some care - this isn’t meant to be a Fronde blog - but I’m happy to explain some of the stuff we’re doing, in context and where I think it has more general interest. Besides, we have a cunning plan for increasing Fronde’s profile with our target audiences.

Many young businesses have blogs on their websites, but official blogging by established, larger companies is still rare. Here’s one example: Beehive from insurance company Scottish Life. Named last week in the Times Top 50 Business Blogs, it’s written in an informal style by Steve Bee, head of pensions. From its content, I assume his target audience is insurance industry participants (staff, agents, analysts, regulators and commentators) rather than customers. It looks like a smart way to keep that audience up to date with industry developments, positions Bee and Scottish Life in leadership roles, and has provided an effective channel for Scottish Life to get its views out on the issues of the day.

I won’t be subscribing - it’s outside my zone of interest. But still, well worth a look.

I’ve been Googling hard to find good UK and Australian business blogs, and I have to say it’s been very disappointing so far. They’re either journalist blogs focusing on FTSE/ASX gossip, or blatant consultant and author self-promotion blogs. Any suggestions?

The US on the other hand is inundated with business blogs. I just came across Wil Schroter’s blog, and my first impression was positive. Here are a few of his recent posts to whet your appetite:

• Start a company when you’re young
• What your start-up boss really wants from you
• What Silicon Valley could learn from Columbus, Ohio

There are several more - all good reads. To the undoubted chagrin of those who bemoan the BBB syndrome (bach/boat/beamer) he makes a positive case for the not-so-modest ambition of only making $1 million a year.

Update:

1. For the uninitiated, a bach is a beachhouse, lake lodge, or holiday cottage - although these days, some would pass muster in the most expensive suburbs).
2. I’ve seen the Times Top 50 list, and found a couple that I like - but American, not British, again.
   

It’s been a couple of months since I started blogging and, in the best traditions of piloting a new tool, it’s time to get some feedback on its effectiveness.

Firstly, let me remind you what I’m up to with my blog. To quote from my About page:

So who’s really writing this blog and, as a CEO of a reasonably significant business, why am I doing this?

Let’s be clear - it’s me, Jim Donovan. This blog is separate from my activities at Fronde, TEC, etc, but obviously they are significant parts of who/what I am, and they may feature in what I say, given this is a business-oriented blog. Yes, I did get help to set the blog up, but although I get PR and marketing advice in my capacity as CEO of Fronde, including whether or not this blog was a good idea, there is no army of PR and ad guys looking over my shoulder here. I compose and enter all my own stuff here, and manage the blog myself. (Unlike the Dilbert cartoon strip on the subject).

I’m trying to reach a general business leadership audience, as well as techbiz people, business commentators and other influencers. Why would you be interested? I flatter myself that I have some good ideas to share and that I can offer some useful insights, and that you’ll find some interesting dialogue. Why am I doing this? It’s called networking. It may lead to more business for the companies I am involved with, it may increase my influence, it may get me involved in some interesting new projects. Who knows? But at heart, I just love talking about this stuff. At the very least, I might do some good, learn something, and do little harm.

I’ve tried to combine thoughts on business thinking, tech business and other matters that relate to who I think my audience is. Does that mix work? What else would you like to see, what not?

What about the posts themselves? Are they too long, too wordy, too low-brow, too high-brow, need more pictures or just pizzazz?

Yes, I do track the traffic via Google Analytics. Let’s just say the numbers are encouraging but still in the nascent stage! I’m ranked about #230,000 by Technorati, out of a million blogs they track worldwide. What could I add to increase its reach and effectiveness?

Someone suggested I make it less obviously a New Zealand centric blog, since we have international ambitions. Would that reduce or improve its effectiveness?

With my CEO role in Fronde, do you want to know more (or less) about what Fronde is up to. I’ve tried to avoid this being a blatant advertising channel, but am I playing it too low key?

As a business blogger, I’m usually discreet and non-aggressive in my posts. I don’t want to offend clients, key influencers, shareholders, partners, or colleagues. Besides, it’s not my style to be deliberately offensive. However, a good blog needs to have a little edginess or it’s boring. What do you think?

Any other thoughts? I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you to the many kind friends and readers who sent me the latest Dilbert cartoon strip on corporate bloggers.  I can no doubt expect more in the same vein.

I’ve been asked (offline) who’s really writing this blog and, as a CEO of a reasonably significant business, why I’m doing this.

Let’s be clear - it’s me. This blog is separate from my activities at Fronde, TEC, etc, but obviously they are significant parts of who/what I am, and they may feature in what I say, given this is a business-oriented blog. Yes, I did get help to set the blog up, but although I get PR and marketing advice in my capacity as CEO of Fronde, including whether or not this blog was a good idea, there is no army of PR and ad guys looking over my shoulder here. I compose and enter all my own stuff here, and manage the blog myself. 

I’m trying to reach a general business leadership audience, as well as techbiz people, business commentators and other influencers.  Why would you be interested?  I flatter myself that I have some good ideas to share and that I can offer some useful insights, and that you’ll find some interesting dialogue.  Why am I doing this?  It’s called networking. It may lead to more business for the companies I am involved with, it may increase my influence, it may get me involved in some interesting new projects. Who knows? But at heart, I just love talking about this stuff. At the very least, I might do some good, learn something, and do little harm.

Disclosure: Fronde paid the modest cost of getting this blog up and running. 

Unlimited’s March 2007 issue included an  interview with me by Fiona Rotherham at the time of the Fronde name change.  (Also the source of Matt Grace’s photo of me, which appears on my blog banner).  Regarding the name change, I’ve been interviewed and blogged several times and I think I’ve explained it enough now, but in case you missed it:

• We changed our name because we needed something that worked internationally.  Synergy did not - there are hundreds of them out there.
• We did it carefully knowing what we were giving up with the old name.
• One of our staff suggested Fronde (rhymes with blonde), one of several hundred names we considered.  We liked the historical and modern meanings, we liked the possible allusion to the fern frond, we got the .com and the trademark, and it doesn’t sound like a cure for haemorrhoids.
• Yes, we know - the revolutionary connotation of fronde is from the 17th century, not the 18th. 

So discussion on our name change is now officially over.  If you don’t like it, that’s your problem a shame, but it’s time to move on. (ED: Modified after an hour’s reflection)

What isn’t in the web version of the interview is a side bar in the printed version on ‘Strategic Thinking’- a highly encapsulated summary of a talk/workshop I am often asked to give.  See my next post for more on that. 

Everyone needs a hero - not because your hero is perfect, but because he or she has some admirable qualities or achievements which can inspire you to greater things. My hero is Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Brunel was a 19th century engineer who built the Great Western Railway, the best railway of the times. He built the Great Western, the Great Britain and the Great Eastern - the largest steamships of their age. He built great bridges and tunnels. He made things happen, and his works still stand today as examples of innovation, design, entrepreneurship and execution. In an extensive national poll accompanied by in-depth BBC TV documentaries, Brunel was voted the second greatest Britain of all time.

Brunel seems to have always been around in my early years. My parents’ families lived near the GWR at Hayes and Hounslow (the local pub was called the Great Western). I studied Computer Science at Brunel University in London. My early career in the UK was at both ends of the GWR - near Paddington Station and Bristol - and Brunel’s constructions were nearby.

Brunel’s life story is as fascinating as his work. As I learnt more about the man, the more I identified with his sense of ethics, his egalitarian elitism (the subject of another post one day), his setting of grand goals (not just his works themselves, but why they were built) and his ability to achieve them.

This blogsite is titled after his personal motto ‘En Avant’ - which means “Get Going’. Anyone who knows my leadership style knows that I want to get things going, get started, start delivering value. It is no coincidence that I was a very willing sponsor when Fronde decided to really take on Agile Project Management and Agile Development (which I say is just En Avant brought up to date).

It will come as no surprise that my private companies are named after him. I have a small but growing collection of Brunel books, pictures, DVDs and souvenirs. My car number plate is ISAMBD (which has most personalised-plate translators completely stumped). I even have a life-size banner photograph of the great little man hanging on my study wall - the only place allowed by my family! Top hat, 3-piece suit, cigar, and muddy boots - what an icon!

Blame Rod Drury and Tapio Sorsa for this. I started reading blogs to see how our name change at Fronde had gone, and I found myself joining in all sorts of discussions. Rod was too polite to call me a blog-hog to my face, but I know what he was saying when I wasn’t there. Tapio thought it was great profile. Anyway, the consensus was that I should start a blog of my own, so blame them.

I intend this to be a business-oriented site, touching on topics like:

• General business thinking (strategy, marketing, leadership, operations, etc);
• Industry, trade and the economy;
• Technology business (rather than technology itself);
• Comments on my companies (that are relevant in a personal blog);
• People, places and practices I think worth noting (for better or worse);
• Articles, speeches, etc. that I want to share.
• Reviews and events in which I think you might be interested;
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel (you’ll have to read my posts for that one);
• Education (a particular interest of mine);
• Thoughts and ravings on concepts and issues that catch my fancy;
• Other stuff that might be relevant to a business blog.

This blogsite is titled after Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s personal motto ‘En Avant’ - which means “Get Going’. Anyone who knows my leadership style knows that I want to get things going, get started, start delivering value.

Thanks to Tapio, Mike and Andrew for getting this built for me. I don’t have a clue how it all works - but I don’t need to. Hey, I’m a ‘big picture’ guy! Isn’t technology great? Also, thanks to Unlimited magazine and Matt Grace for the flattering photo.

Again, welcome, and I hope you find it worth visiting and joining in the conversation.

Some background information on me

I’m the CEO of Fronde Systems Group Ltd, a leading NZ-based IT services business. We design, build and operate industrial-strength business transaction and payment systems which connect the world to your business and your business to the world. With around 200 professionals in Wellington, Auckland, London and Singapore, we plan to expand into Australia and North America.

Other current activities include:

• Owner and director of Isambard Ltd and Isambard Investments Ltd, my private companies. Venture investments include Surveylab and Compudigm.
• Non-executive member of the NZ Tertiary Education Commission, which is the principal funding agency for post-school education, training and related research.
• Talking on business strategy and related matters - which led me to starting this blog.

Previous activities include:

• CEO and co-owner of telecommunications equipment maker Deltec Communications Group (HiTech Company of the Year 2000, sold to Andrew Corporation in 2001).
• CEO of mid-size electricity company Electra.
• Strategy consulting partner at Ernst & Young.
• Several boards associated with the above companies plus economic development agencies and government taskforces.

Later on, I’ll post my CV and other background information.