Loraine Antrim

What if "The Cloud" visited a psychiatrist? Does Cloud and Cloud Computing need therapy? Are they suffering from split personality disorder? With so many people giving different definitions of what Cloud Computing is, no wonder The Cloud has an identity crisis. Be a fly on the wall and listen in to the Cloud's therapy session. Scene: Office of Dr. Virgil I. Zation, a noted Silicon Valley Psychiatrist. Dr. Zation is having a therapy session with a new patient named Cloud. Doctor: How can I help you, Mr. Cloud? Cloud: You can drop the "Mr." and just call me "The Cloud." Doctor: Ok, Cloud. What brings you to my office? Cloud: Doctor, I think I'm in an identity crisis. I just don't seem to know who I am anymore. On the one hand, I'm "The Cloud." I've got a handle on that identity, but now people are talking about "Cloud Computing," and it's really confusing me, and worst of ... (more)

100 Ways to Kill Your PPT Presentation

A CEO once asked me, "As an executive coach, what are the top mistakes you've seen when business leaders give a presentation"? He was expecting just a few insights, I'm sure. But once I got thinking about all the mess-ups I'd seen, I just could not stop writing them down. What started as a Letterman "Top Ten List" took on a life of its own. So, for all you executives getting ready to present, here are 100 of the top mistakes I've seen over the years. 100 Ways to Bore Your Audience Don't have a story Show lots and lots of slides Don't have clear messages Have plenty of bullets and... (more)

Leaders Should Just Lead

One has to wonder what business leaders are thinking sometimes when they utter things that they have to know are going to send waves throughout the universe. The iconic Warren Buffett opened up his mouth in May 2009 and turned the financial world on its head. In an interview, Mr. Buffett chose to express his views of the current economic times by saying, “this is an economic Pearl Harbor” and equated the current financial situation in the United States to “falling off a cliff.” These comments may seem innocent enough. But coming from a financial executive who has changed a whol... (more)

Walter Cronkite's IT Career Advice

The late Walter Cronkite as a role model for IT managers? At first glance, we might not see the connection between "the most trusted man in America" and high tech management. But if we pull back the layers of how Cronkite approached his job, there are solid day-to-day career lessons for those working in IT. Seven Best Practices Straight From the Desk of Uncle Walter 1. Explain things in a simple way so everyone can understand. CBS' Bob Schieffer said people "understood Cronkite was guiding you through events." He translated the complex or hard to understand in a way that made you n... (more)

Leadership Lessons from the Newsdesk

The death of Walter Cronkite got me thinking about his leadership qualities and how business leaders can take a few cues from "the most trusted man in America." I posted on Ulitzer about what IT professionals can learn from the legendary newsanchor, and even if you are not in IT, "Walter Cronkite's IT Career Advice" might be an interesting read. But from a purely leadership perspective, Cronkite is a fabulous role model with lots to offer anyone in any management position. Leaders Set the Tone Cronkite as a leader of news, created an atmosphere of trust and honesty. His long-time... (more)