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Member Quote of the Week: "It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit."  - attributed to John Wooden, contributed by Dave Sayen, CMS


Steve Case, holding his Leadership in Innovation Award -- bestowed upon him at our 10th Annual
Innovations in HealthcareSM
Awards Event (subsequently voted
#1 Most Powerful Person in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare readers)
 


Welcome and Introduction from Mimi Grant, President of ABL Organization
Click to Watch Video

David Brown
Area President, SF Branch Gallagher Benefit Services

Les Walker
CEO of DocuSource

 
Welcome to ABL
Where Adaptive Health and Technology Leaders Collaborate.
California's Premier
Executive Membership Organization

For over 25 years, California's Technology and Health Executives have relied on ABL's CEO Round Tables, through its peer advisory-board approach, to accelerate their corporate and professional growth and help them build great companies.  In monthly, confidential Advisory Board sessions, Members share and gain feedback on their most pressing concerns.

In each Vertical Industry Round Table, the Members are able to harness the Group's "combined intelligence," to vet strategies, exchange ideas, and leverage each other's real-world experiences, resulting in better decisions for their corporations' growth.

CEO BEST PRACTICES:  Mimi Grant's blog

Going Virtual

Frequently, in the pages of ABL Technology Online, we congratulate our Members on new achievements and awards. Among those mentioned this week is that our Member, Kim Shepherd, CEO of Decision Toolbox, received the Alfred P. Sloan Award for “Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.” While on the surface, the move to “going virtual” sounds like just sending all your employees home and, viola!, instant overhead savings, it’s truly much more complicated than that. In fact, if just saving money on rent were the primary reason for going virtual, that would be the recipe for disaster.

As it turns out, I’m very familiar with Kim’s model, since I’ve worked first-hand with Kim’s virtual organization, and I’m an incredibly satisfied customer. But, going virtual doesn’t come without a price tag. First there’s the technology: every one of Kim’s associates, regardless of where in the world they are based, has access to DT’s highly sophisticated computer-based and telephonic network. As a client, it’s been absolutely inconsequential as to where the associate I’m speaking to is based, because I’ve just dialed their “562” area code number in Long Beach. And for the associates internally, they’re all just an extension apart. They also are linked via video cam, so whenever they’re online, they’re up and ready for work with, as Kim would call it, their “mascara on.”  No pajama parties here.

Also, part of the “flexibility factor” is the flexibility in their client relationships. In the past, when dealing with external recruiters, it’s been strictly a 9-5 operation. Now, when I connect with “our recruiter,” Heidi Webster, I know I can call her at “off-peak” hours, when I have more time, to discuss job specifications, review candidates, and compare notes – usually around 7 pm. And Heidi’s in the Washington, DC area!  Among the many other “tools” in the Decision Toolbox is Kim’s passion for staying inter-connected with her team, through frequent “all hands” phone calls, newsletters, and quarterly team-building get-togethers and brainstorming fetes.

Truly, Kim could – and should! – write the book on Going Virtual, because far more than “prize worthy,” she’s made Decision Toolbox a model for what will undoubtedly be an ever-more virtually connected world.  

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THESE ISSUES   |   Mimi Grant's Blog Post: 7/2/2009

NEWS & ARTICLES: Highlights from our bi-weekly Member Newsletter - ABL Technology OnlineSM 
MEMBER NEWS - HEADLINES
Welcome New Member!
Michael Witz, Mob Science

Decision Toolbox Awarded for Making Work "Work"
Microsemi Intro's New Power Modules, New Transistors
Mitratech Delivers Enterprise Grade e-Billing to Small Legal Departments

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS - HEADLINES
Inc. Pinpoints Lucrative Tech Industries
Green Tech Deals Up in Q2
Execs Go Online for Business Intelligence
Most Entrepreneurs are 55 to 64; TechCo Founders are ~39
California Losing High-Tech, Manufacturing Jobs: Milken

READ MORE   |   News Post: 7/2/2009

Overview of ABL:
ABL, California’s leading Chief Executives’ Organization, provides its Members with executive leadership coaching through its confidential peer CEO Advisory Board Round Tables and executive learning workshops, network of CEO peers and expert resources.  ABL supports the needs of its top-level Member Executives (CEOs of publicly traded, private and not-for-profit companies) by providing them a place to draw on the experience, knowledge and skill sets of their peers in a non-competing vertical industry personal advisory board setting.

The core component of the ABL CEO Membership experience is the group Round Table meeting. Members meet once a month for a half day with a group of peer CEOs, Presidents, COOs and Division General Managers from non-competing companies all from the same industry (healthcare, technology or life sciences) in a trusted and confidential board room like setting, which allows the executive Members to tackle topics and enhance their decision making and business performance. Topics include: developing and honing new business strategies, new lines of business, best business practices, understanding new trends, developing an effective board of directors, leadership training and executive compensation.

Members also gather several times a year at workshops and conferences to exchange ideas and connect with other chief executives beyond their own CEO peer groups. In effect, ABL Members serve as each other’s business coaches within the Round Tables and are encouraged to connect and leverage their co-Member peers’ particular skills and expertise for additional leadership coaching, one-on-one, outside of their monthly group meeting. In addition, each Round Table’s Facilitator also serves as an objective business advisor, offering executive and industry insights and advice.

ABL's Chief Executive Leadership Development Round Table program is currently being offered in California's greater Orange County, Los Angeles and San Francisco County areas.

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