The document summarizes key insights from a meeting of the Innovation Executive Forum, a group of senior IT executives in Seattle. Some of the insights discussed include: moving non-core functions to the cloud to free up resources for innovation; understanding real cost savings of cloud solutions; leveraging early adopters to boost new technology adoption; measuring initiatives before and after launch; utilizing managed services for global service excellence; focusing on employee engagement; embracing telecommuting and tools to attract talent; developing future leaders through early hiring programs; and addressing cultural issues early.

1. Seamless in Seattle
10 Transformative Insights from IT Leaders
in Seattle
Softchoice Innovation Executive Forum, Seattle 2015

2. About the IEF
An invite-only community, the Innovation Executive Forum gives
senior IT executives a platform to share experiences and engage
in discussions about trends affecting their business and their role
as a leader.

3. Introduction
On May 6, 2015, Seattle welcomed some of the top organizations and
leaders in the area at the Canlis in Seattle, Washington. Members
from the Innovation Executive Forum – an invite only community of IT
leaders – gathered for a one-night only event.
What follows are 10 key takeaways discussed, highlighting the trends
technologists are facing on regional and global levels.

4. IEF Finding 1: What’s core and what’s cloud
Office 365 is driving massive cultural and productivity changes.
Moving anything that is not core to the cloud, to free up IT’s
innovation focus, is becoming second nature.

5. IEF Finding 2: What are the real cost savings of cloud?
For global organizations, the cloud allows IT to get close to their
customers while saving money.
But the cost savings are not always a reality for everyone.
Understand what the potential benefits are before embarking.

6. IEF Finding 3: Early ambassadors drive adoption
Usage and adoption of any new technology is a perennial
challenge. Identifying ambassadors and evangelists from the
outset is a common tactic used to help boost adoption early on.

7. IEF Finding 4: Measure twice, cut once, measure again
Knowing how to measure success of initiatives is fundamental.
Impact can only be ascertained with clear, objective quantities,
before and after launch.

8. IEF Finding 5: Leverage managed services for global service excellence
With global IT organizations, what are the best models and how do
you centralize in a way that still allows for local support? The
answer often drives the discussion on what you should be
managing vs. outsourcing from a managed services perspective.

9. IEF Finding 6: People matter. Show them why
Defining the impacts each individual has on the overall
organizational goals is critical to creating an engaged workforce.
Ask: "What is the 1 thing, which if we don't do it, will cause harm to
our business?" to stimulate new thinking.

10. IEF Finding 7: Telecommuting a response to talent wars
To get an edge on the talent wars, local leaders are opening the
door to telecommuting, embracing tools such as Lync and Jabber.
With rising housing costs and traffic woes, alternative work
arrangements are a powerful workplace differentiator.

11. IEF Finding 8: The people pipeline
Build the workforce of tomorrow with actions today. IT leaders
are leveraging early stage hire programs to develop the
leadership staff of tomorrow.
On the flip side, always focusing on what you need today has
led some members to miss out on some truly great hires.

12. IEF Finding 9: Spot cultural issues early
To resolve people issues earlier, one IT leader suggested asking
simple questions like “Do you have a best friend at work?" or
"What is the #1 reason you enjoy working here?"

13. IEF Finding 10: The changing nature of talent
People early on in their careers work long hours and set aside work-
life balance — demanding the compensation to match the effort.
But once they settle down, everything changes. The money, while still
important, takes a back seat to enjoying a quality family life. How can
you leverage this in your hiring strategy?

14. Want more from your peers?
Take part in the Softchoice Innovation Executive Forum and
discover free resources like our IEF whitepapers at
blogs.softchoice.com/ief

15. Softchoice Innovation Executive Forum – Seattle participants
The Softchoice Innovation Executive Forum Membership represented senior executives from a cross section of
industries from various sectors and sizes of organizations each bringing unique perspectives together as thought
leaders within their own business. The membership included:
• Vice President of Technology at a large Internet Services Company
• Chief Information Officer at an Insurance Company
• Vice President of IT Services at a global Digital Agency
• Director of IT Operations at an independent Medical Research Organization
• Chief Information Officer at a Financial Services Company
• Chief Information Officer at an Electrical Contracting Company
• Chief Information Officer at a leading international Marketer and Distributor of Agricultural Products
Softchoice participants
• David MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer
• Erika Van Noort, Senior Director, Strategic Customer Enablement
• Tim Livas, District Sales Manager
Guest IEF participant
• Michael Clark, Vice President, West Region Corporate Accounts at Microsoft

16. IEF Sponsorship
A Special Thank You to our Innovation Executive Forum Platinum Sponsors
“As key Softchoice partners, Cisco, Dell, VMware and Microsoft share the same belief of connecting a community of
IT Leaders, I’m honored and thankful that Cisco, Dell, VMware and Microsoft have accepted our invitation to act as
the Softchoice Innovation Executive Forum - Platinum Sponsors to support this peer-to-peer experience focused on
driving innovation back into our businesses collectively.”
– David MacDonald, President & CEO
About Vmware
VMware is a leader in cloud
infrastructure and business mobility.
Built on VMware’s industry-leading
virtualization technology, our
solutions deliver a brave new model
of IT that is fluid, instant and more
secure. Customers can innovate
faster by rapidly developing,
automatically delivering and more
safely consuming any application.
With 2014 revenues of $6 billion,
VMware has more than 500,000
customers and 75,000 partners. The
company is headquartered in Silicon
Valley with offices throughout the
world and can be found online at
www.vmware.com
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the
worldwide leader in IT that helps
companies seize the opportunities of
tomorrow by proving that amazing
things can happen when you connect
the previously unconnected. For
ongoing news, please go to
http://thenetwork.cisco.com
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft
(NASDAQ: MSFT) is the worldwide
leader in software, services, devices
and solutions that help people and
businesses realize their full potential.
For more information, news and
perspectives from Microsoft, please
visit the Microsoft News Center at
http://www.microsoft.com/news
About Dell
Dell Inc. listens to customers and
delivers innovative technology and
services that give them the power
to do more. Dell Services
develops and delivers a
comprehensive suite of services
and solutions in applications,
business process, consulting,
infrastructure and cloud services
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