Hey Folks,
Obviously, I haven’t written as much this time through. Partly, because I have to accomplish a great deal more in a much shorter period of time. And, partly because last time through I began writing, and as individuals began to communicate to me that they looked more and more forward to them, I began to feel a certain sense of responsibility for giving you something great to read.
So, this weekend, I decided to put a short collection of experiences and anecdotes together, and while I cannot promise a great read, I do hope you enjoy the read:
So, I had to activate my Oyster card last Thursday. If you recall, the oyster card is the swipe card that us locals use to enter and exit the tube each morning. So, I get my first oyster card a week or so ago, and I get right up to the window, and there is a clerk sitting there behind the plated glass and he has his pinky so way far up his nose that he had to be hitting the back of his eye, or the bottom of his brain. If you take a second to look at your pinky, the digit itself bends in two places…imagine that it was beyond the second bend. And, it wasn’t like when we made eye contact, he pulled it out of his nose in embarrassment. He was so committed to what he was doing, or just so flippant about his obligation to serve me in any proper manner, that he just left it up there while we were talking. I was waiting for him to laugh, or for me to laugh and then him to laugh, but he didn’t, I didn’t, but he did do every bit of work with his free hand(left). Eventually, unraveling the finger from what might as well have been a bowling ball sitting on top of his shoulders.
So, Friday, I get up there again, and different guy, but he is eating an Orange with his hand. And, as sticky as Orange is, if I had to choose between the two alternatives, that would be the sticky I would choose. Right? So, I order my pass and it comes back to me, just soaked in Orange. I had a suit on, and nowhere to wipe it, so I get down to the platform, and I am looking for something to wipe this on, on or around one of the seating areas…and I found a £5 note. So, go figure.
I went to Compass that morning. I rather enjoyed it, except for the fact that Kenexa acquired Prove It! in 2000, rather than 2001. I think it is an ingenious idea, and I have worked for some big organizations, and had never been through anything of the sort. And, particularly for a new employee, this is invaluable. I happened to attend in the new London office. And, I was pleased to find that as you approach it, it looks a great deal like the Wolf Building. It is a loft building, with the same amount of floors, narrow hallways, winding stairs, lots of nooks and crannies, a really trendy receptionist with think glasses and a beehive hairdo. The only difference is that it is super, super modern. It has the ambience of a center city lounge, with great breakout areas, internet docking areas, hypnotic lighting. My suggestion would be that the 340 North 12th St Associates fly Flo Dallas out here for two weeks to take pictures and notes, and I am telling you, The Wolf Building with the same modifications would be the most coveted place to work in Philadelphia. And, you see it in the architecture, the design, the clothes…all it really takes is spending some time here to determine what works, and it would translate nicely in Philadelphia, as eventually it always does.
So, I leaved the London office and get on the train toward Piccadilly. And, I am immediately targeted by an older man in shabby clothes. Not shabby to the point where it looks like he lives on the streets, but shabby to the point where he probably wasn’t on his way to a sales call, or date. And, he is pointing at me, and he is walking up to me, and he is loudly asking who is the best boxer in the world. So, I am cool, because I can handle myself…and if any of you doubt that, just ask Jason Jones, what it is like to tangle with the beast. I respond “Ricky Hatton”, and he screams “Nooooooooooo, Lennox Lewis.”, and he puts his hands out to pump fists with me, a fist which reads “H-A-T-E” with one letter on each knuckle. So, I give him a solid shot, a respectable shot, and then he gets up out of his seat hand puts his fists up. Meanwhile, I have to toll you that I have done just nothing to provoke this. So, for that split second I am thinking, do I get up and engage him, and then this mid-50’s English woman, who has probably seen this two dozen times in her day, just starts shaking her head and mumbling something, kind of like a growl and starts hitting him with her newspaper. And, he scurries away like stray cat. Now, when I tell that story to the guys around the gym at home, it will have a very different ending, but I trust you guys, and in that vein, hope that we can keep this between just us.
Saturday morning, I woke up to what was arguably the best sports viewing day of my life. I shouldn’t even call it morning, it was like 1:30. But, the days are very long out here and I use the weekend to recharge. And, somehow, this time through, I screwed up my sleeping pattern, and haven’t slept much at all during the week. I am pretty sure that a couple of nights I didn’t sleep at all. This has never ever happened to me, but I can see why it becomes a problem for people…you go one night without sleeping, and have some slight difficulty falling asleep the second night, and then you overthink why you cannot fall asleep, and then you find yourself trying to fall asleep, you are looking at the clock to see how late it is getting, and then the next thing you know you are looking at that same clock, but it is not quite as hard to see because the sunrise is helping shed some light on it. The third night I worked out for about an hour at 10:30 PM, and chased it with a glass of whine in a plastic cup, and still no luck…and then, luckily, without by about the 5th or 6th day my body just caught up, and thankfully things have leveled off. Let’s hope that never happens again.
So, Saturday morning, golf match-play championships for £1,000,000 first prize, 36 holes per day, followed by England v. Estonia in the football(soccer) World Cup Qualifying tournament, and England v. France in the semi-final World Cup Rugby match, in France. Aside from about a 30 minute run, I spent almost the entire day in front of the tele. And, it was time well spent, there was a competitor from the United States in the golf finals, whom I had never heard of, named Hunter Mahan. England beat Estonia 3-nil, and Wayne Rooney scored his first goal in International play since 2004. They will advance to play Russia, in Moscow on Wednesday. And, in the best game of all, England upset France in the Rugby semifinal. This is a very big deal, they will play in the World Cup Championship this upcoming weekend, against France, in Brazil. Among other things, this makes it a very special time to be in the United Kingdom. Imagine the week leading up to the Phillies or the Eagles in the World Series or Superbowl, and multiple that excitement X the excitement of an entire country. Even the Crickett team won their series v. the West Indies. And, I learned an interesting thing about Crickett, which is that in a “best of” series, even if the series is decided early, they play the series out.
And, for you non-sports fans, yesterday, I went to Harrod’s. It’s obviously a must-see if you are a shopper…and a multi-millionaire. It is an experience, I believe it is 5 floors, complete with 18 or so restaurants/bars, a spa, an arcade…and so forth. And, it is smaller than other departments stores that I have been to in the U.K., but is just happens to have the types of brands and clothing lines within those brands that you just aren’t going to find anywhere else. There is a French bistro across the street called Rouge, which is set up like Rouge in center city, almost to the chair(this is no doubt where Rouge on Rittenhouse had its inspiration)…so, I sat outside and had lunch while watching Rolls Royce after Mercedes after Bentley arrive and drop off passengers of all types. It was one of the most interesting people watching experiences that I have ever had, and one of the most inspirational moments I have had as well…for no good reason other than it would be a nice treat in life to be able to walk through that men’s store and outfit yourself with everything that you happened to see and like…because I happened to see and like just about everything.
This week, I have a handful of appointments with large staffing organizations, and hope to hire on Lead Generator. I also have time with Phil Stewart and Troy, who both happen to be over here. And, I am in conversations regarding Dubai and Brazil, while, in the meantime, we are attempting to staff up Australia. If time and experiences permit, I will send another update.
I miss you all, and look forward to my first day back. Pulling my car into a parking lot full of falling rocks, and walking through a thick cloud of dust first thing in the morning never sounded so good. My expectation is that I will extend my stay, but be home mid-to-late next week. In the meantime, sell hard!
JV
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
Day 35
So, it's Saturday, 3:30, as I begin this. It seems like just yesterday that I went to work on a Tuesday, in Philadelphia, with my Manchester United warmup on. It was like 90degrees that day, and I worked until 4:30 or so, before scrambling home to pack before a 9:00 PM flight to London. I was so hot with that thing on, but if you remember Memorial Day weekend was like three sunny and 85 degree days in a row, so I needed a little extra motivation to get on an airplane and fly 3,500 miles away. And, now, here I am, on a rainy, 65 degree day, sitting on the couch in my flat, just wishing that I could slow time down before my flight home this upcoming Tuesday.
Why would I want to slow time down? I guess that I don't want to leave. And, I am having an interesting time exploring this. Let's face it, I will land in Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon, hopefully see my team, wake up on Wednesday morning in Margate, walk out onto the deck, the sun will be shining, the waves will be making whatever sound they choose to that day-and whatever they choose it is always the greatest sound, the cyclists, the runners, and the powerwalkers will be out in force on Atlantic Avenue, and the beach will be full of tan, fit, bodies. Doesn't sound too bad.
But, I have actually thought about this all week. I have always felt so priveleged. For whatever reason, the Big Guy(not Troy), the other Big Guy, decided that I would be blessed with the natural disposition to work hard. And, the ability persuade, and to lead. I didn't ask for it, I just found myself in that position, and know no other way to live than to run it, every day, to its fullest. In the end, it has created a fair amount of opportunity, respect for sucess, wealth, and options in life. The fact that I am in a wonderful flat in the heart of London today, is simple evidence. For a guy who never set foot on an airplane until he was 21, this is big stuff.
But, none of those are the biggest reward. And, I think I can begin to tie all of this together by circling back to the day I left for London. Maybe what I remember most about that day was when I left my office and me and the guy in the office next to me shared a hug and a tear together. A tear, sounds crazy doesn't it? I would never say this for the sake of sounding masculine, anyone who knows me knows that I am metro-sexual at best, but I probably haven't shed a tear in 20 years. And, to be fair, it didn't run down either of our eyes, but our eyes filled up. And, we had a good moment, and a good laugh about it. But it has been on my mind since it happened.
And, it is because we are family. It was like leaving my brother. We have been on a journey together for seven years. A journey that began with blind faith, an investment in blood, sweat, and tears, and happened to pay dividends of growth, wealth, and options for those with the fortitude to commit their entire self to that journey. Let's face it, we spend 10-12 hours of our day with a handful of people whom are solely brought together by the necessity to work, so we have a choice, we come in and do a job, or we take a journey together. Well, if you have ever been on a "journey", you know what I mean. And, you probably know that the greatest spoils of that journey aren't the professional growth, or the financial reward...they just become incidental to going on the journey. It is the sense of brotherhood, or family that you develop with your team. It truly becomes your second family. And, second family is a bit ironic, since the reality is that you spend more time with this family than your birth family.
Well, I have only been here for 5 weeks. And, in those 5 weeks we have had to make more decisions, and put more blind faith in one another than most do in a full year. We have pushed, and pushed back on one another...but slowly, slowly, I am seeing a sense of team, a sense of family, a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood develop. I see individuals beginning to defend the program, and defend one another. And, I feel a sense of family for me. A third family of sorts. That makes me pretty lucky. Not so much at Christmas, but for the rest of the year, it makes me pretty lucky.
I don't know if we will shed tears on Tuesday, but I think we will share hugs. And, I already, I feel like I am leaving family, in Harrow. I can only imagine how it will feel after my visits one year, two years, three years from now.
JV
Why would I want to slow time down? I guess that I don't want to leave. And, I am having an interesting time exploring this. Let's face it, I will land in Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon, hopefully see my team, wake up on Wednesday morning in Margate, walk out onto the deck, the sun will be shining, the waves will be making whatever sound they choose to that day-and whatever they choose it is always the greatest sound, the cyclists, the runners, and the powerwalkers will be out in force on Atlantic Avenue, and the beach will be full of tan, fit, bodies. Doesn't sound too bad.
But, I have actually thought about this all week. I have always felt so priveleged. For whatever reason, the Big Guy(not Troy), the other Big Guy, decided that I would be blessed with the natural disposition to work hard. And, the ability persuade, and to lead. I didn't ask for it, I just found myself in that position, and know no other way to live than to run it, every day, to its fullest. In the end, it has created a fair amount of opportunity, respect for sucess, wealth, and options in life. The fact that I am in a wonderful flat in the heart of London today, is simple evidence. For a guy who never set foot on an airplane until he was 21, this is big stuff.
But, none of those are the biggest reward. And, I think I can begin to tie all of this together by circling back to the day I left for London. Maybe what I remember most about that day was when I left my office and me and the guy in the office next to me shared a hug and a tear together. A tear, sounds crazy doesn't it? I would never say this for the sake of sounding masculine, anyone who knows me knows that I am metro-sexual at best, but I probably haven't shed a tear in 20 years. And, to be fair, it didn't run down either of our eyes, but our eyes filled up. And, we had a good moment, and a good laugh about it. But it has been on my mind since it happened.
And, it is because we are family. It was like leaving my brother. We have been on a journey together for seven years. A journey that began with blind faith, an investment in blood, sweat, and tears, and happened to pay dividends of growth, wealth, and options for those with the fortitude to commit their entire self to that journey. Let's face it, we spend 10-12 hours of our day with a handful of people whom are solely brought together by the necessity to work, so we have a choice, we come in and do a job, or we take a journey together. Well, if you have ever been on a "journey", you know what I mean. And, you probably know that the greatest spoils of that journey aren't the professional growth, or the financial reward...they just become incidental to going on the journey. It is the sense of brotherhood, or family that you develop with your team. It truly becomes your second family. And, second family is a bit ironic, since the reality is that you spend more time with this family than your birth family.
Well, I have only been here for 5 weeks. And, in those 5 weeks we have had to make more decisions, and put more blind faith in one another than most do in a full year. We have pushed, and pushed back on one another...but slowly, slowly, I am seeing a sense of team, a sense of family, a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood develop. I see individuals beginning to defend the program, and defend one another. And, I feel a sense of family for me. A third family of sorts. That makes me pretty lucky. Not so much at Christmas, but for the rest of the year, it makes me pretty lucky.
I don't know if we will shed tears on Tuesday, but I think we will share hugs. And, I already, I feel like I am leaving family, in Harrow. I can only imagine how it will feel after my visits one year, two years, three years from now.
JV
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Day 30
Had a meeting at Eton College today, www.etoncollege.com. Although I am much younger than most people would expect, I would have to venture that I have 1,000 or so meetings under my belt, and this has to make the top 10.
This is the boarding school that has been given some more recent exposure in the United States, as it is the school Prince Henry and Prince William attended. Now, “college”, as it is used in the United Kingdom, would be the equivalent of “high school” in the United States. And, “university”, or “uni”, is synonymous with what we refer to as “college”.
As you come upon the campus, you can just feel the history, feel the pride…the commitment to excellence doesn’t have to be advertised---this place exudes a commitment to excellence. And, the place is just tactfully sprinkled with fluffiest-haired kids they could find, in very proper dress attire, to re-enforce it. We had a great meeting, whereby we were exposed to a personality assessment that is given to 10 year old boys who have intentions of entering the college. This personality assessment is part of a comprehensive review, including 5 interviews and much more. And, I am not doing it justice, these young men(“boys” as they refer to them, in proper) are really put to the test and have to respond under what must be incredible pressure at a very young age. That, in itself, must make men out of boys.
Now, this was interesting…they are looking to replace the assessment administrator for their personality assessment, and as they were demonstrating it to us…the demo failed on them, time after time after time. If you have ever wondered what it feels like to be on the other side of the table, when a demo is failing…I have to tell you it feels pretty good. Actually, this was a good thing for all parties, as we are hoping to replace their testing administrator. We should be able to help them, and it would be a marriage of two great brands.
Afterwards, we were treated to our own tour, by our wonderful host for the meeting. I wish I had a camera with me. I hated school, probably well more than the next person…but for this day, and this day only, I loved it. We walked through a courtyard out of a movie, a chapel that compares to very little I have ever seen, a hallway with the students names carved into the woodwork, and the very first classroom at Eton, which is one room, immaculately preserved, with no dividers, split into 2 equal parts, where we learned that the first class of 70 students were split into 2 and classes were taught at either end. You literally couldn’t help but visualize being in the room for one of those first classes. All of those students names are carved for into this incredible woodwork that adorns just about every room in the school. And, and let’s keep this between us…now, there might just be a little “Prove It!” in that room for eternity. And, it wasn’t easy…you see the coins in the United Kingdom do not have the rigid edge as they do in the United States, they are rounded off(no doubt, to prohibit carving anywhere in the United Kingdom). So, I had to make an executive decision, and let’s just say that I had a nice Montblanc, and now I have a pen that looks like a banana, when it is peeled about halfway perfectly. OK, that part might have been inserted for embellishment, but imagine if ;)
So, it was a wonderful meeting, a literally breathtaking tour of some of the best workmanship and history I have ever had the privilege to be exposed to. It really was a privilege, and it would be our privilege to work with them. Interestingly enough, there is a top boarding school in Harrow as well, and to sum it up…Kelly happened to mention that Winston Churchill attended Harrow, and our host was quick to reply…”yes, but Churchill did not excel there academically.”
Sell hard today
JV
This is the boarding school that has been given some more recent exposure in the United States, as it is the school Prince Henry and Prince William attended. Now, “college”, as it is used in the United Kingdom, would be the equivalent of “high school” in the United States. And, “university”, or “uni”, is synonymous with what we refer to as “college”.
As you come upon the campus, you can just feel the history, feel the pride…the commitment to excellence doesn’t have to be advertised---this place exudes a commitment to excellence. And, the place is just tactfully sprinkled with fluffiest-haired kids they could find, in very proper dress attire, to re-enforce it. We had a great meeting, whereby we were exposed to a personality assessment that is given to 10 year old boys who have intentions of entering the college. This personality assessment is part of a comprehensive review, including 5 interviews and much more. And, I am not doing it justice, these young men(“boys” as they refer to them, in proper) are really put to the test and have to respond under what must be incredible pressure at a very young age. That, in itself, must make men out of boys.
Now, this was interesting…they are looking to replace the assessment administrator for their personality assessment, and as they were demonstrating it to us…the demo failed on them, time after time after time. If you have ever wondered what it feels like to be on the other side of the table, when a demo is failing…I have to tell you it feels pretty good. Actually, this was a good thing for all parties, as we are hoping to replace their testing administrator. We should be able to help them, and it would be a marriage of two great brands.
Afterwards, we were treated to our own tour, by our wonderful host for the meeting. I wish I had a camera with me. I hated school, probably well more than the next person…but for this day, and this day only, I loved it. We walked through a courtyard out of a movie, a chapel that compares to very little I have ever seen, a hallway with the students names carved into the woodwork, and the very first classroom at Eton, which is one room, immaculately preserved, with no dividers, split into 2 equal parts, where we learned that the first class of 70 students were split into 2 and classes were taught at either end. You literally couldn’t help but visualize being in the room for one of those first classes. All of those students names are carved for into this incredible woodwork that adorns just about every room in the school. And, and let’s keep this between us…now, there might just be a little “Prove It!” in that room for eternity. And, it wasn’t easy…you see the coins in the United Kingdom do not have the rigid edge as they do in the United States, they are rounded off(no doubt, to prohibit carving anywhere in the United Kingdom). So, I had to make an executive decision, and let’s just say that I had a nice Montblanc, and now I have a pen that looks like a banana, when it is peeled about halfway perfectly. OK, that part might have been inserted for embellishment, but imagine if ;)
So, it was a wonderful meeting, a literally breathtaking tour of some of the best workmanship and history I have ever had the privilege to be exposed to. It really was a privilege, and it would be our privilege to work with them. Interestingly enough, there is a top boarding school in Harrow as well, and to sum it up…Kelly happened to mention that Winston Churchill attended Harrow, and our host was quick to reply…”yes, but Churchill did not excel there academically.”
Sell hard today
JV
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Day 23
Hey Folks,
So, tonight I get off the train at my stop and it is just downpouring, and it is at that time of night where it is kind of twilight. I am talking a straight downpour, but it is kind of bright, and I am walking home across a busy London street, perhaps the equivalent of a Broad and Walnut. It is one of the best walks that I have ever had in my life...it is the way a walk home after a long day of work in London is meant to be. A teaming rain, lots of cabs, black, oldschool cabs(the kind of car that Sonny was driving when he was shot up in the Godfather) with their windshield wipers spraying the windshield everywhere, rain bouncing high off of the red phone booth, buses kicking a huge spray up onto the sidewalk. I have been hearing about this, and waiting for this, and tonight I got it. I was absolutely drenched. And, I really didn't care. Partly because my hair stayed pretty much intact, but mostly because it was a visual and an experience that I will never forget. I should take a moment to note here that traditional American umbrellas just will not cut it here. Umbrellas in London, much like cars and homes in the Unites States, are a status symbol(you should see some of these things…goldplated, handcarved, etc). I guess that is because it rains so often, but suffice to say that if umbrellas were the sole indicator of status, I would be at the bottom of the food chain.
I am not much of a tourist, so it has been the moments like this that have really moved me. I will miss this, when I go. I will miss walking to the tube on the wet pavement past the street cleaner that is there the same time every morning, crossing the street so that he doesn't get me with the powerspray, walking into the tube, barely squeezing onto the first train for one stop, and then getting onto the second train, grabbing a Metro and reading about Beckham, Tom-Katie-and-Suri, and the unrest in the Middle East every day, marvelling at Wembley Statium as I pass it every single day, getting off at "Harrow on the Hill" while the engineer warns us to "Mind the Gap". In the evenings, it is a stop at the pub for a pint and a sandwich while watching the Rugby, Football, or Crickett game of the week, and a great view of the city as I respond to emails. I will miss breakfast, streetside on Saturday mornings, and a glass of wine, streetside on a Sunday night. It is living as a Londoner that I will value so much more than any tour could ever provide.
On to business…we had our big kickoff meeting on Friday. It was heated, and it was direct, and it was a real war room...we walked in as individuals, and we walked out as a team. So, Monday was really the first day of the rest of their careers with Kenexa. And, I couldn't have asked for a better response, as this team immediately began working on their area of accountability, some pounding the H.R. market, others assigned to the agency market hammering for conversions and appointments with new prospects, and the relationship management team immediately going to work on strategies for conversions and upsells. This team has showed great pride and great heart, and most importantly, ownership for their role in this journey...and whether they realize it or not, it is now their office. I am so proud of every one of them, every one of them.
As a testament, I would like to include an excerpt from one of the team members that I received on Monday evening, after this particular teammate had a short, but gruelling, outpatient procedure…
“Back from hospital and raring to go. Don't underestimate this team's resolve to be successful: I refused a sedative so I wouldn't be sleepy tomorrow and it hurt!! I have made lists for the rest of this week so should catch up by Friday. "See you tomorrow.”
Moments like this formed the platform for growth and success in Philadelphia...and this statement really embodies our character. I love it.
I am going to sign off until next time. And, I am going to leave you with my newly earned sign off, the sign off that Londoners use, which I think I have earned the right to use. I used it for the first time this morning, as someone held the door for me. It is a simple “Cheers”. Today, for some reason, just today, I felt right using it. Kind of because I now realize when to use, it and kind of because I think I know how to say it properly. The key is that you can’t pronounce it as it is spelled…because you just can’t pronounce the “r” too sharply. If I had to spell it as I hear it, it would be more of a CHEers... a little bit louder at the outset, and a little bit less pronounced toward the end.
I miss you all, and sell hard today,
CHEers
JV
So, tonight I get off the train at my stop and it is just downpouring, and it is at that time of night where it is kind of twilight. I am talking a straight downpour, but it is kind of bright, and I am walking home across a busy London street, perhaps the equivalent of a Broad and Walnut. It is one of the best walks that I have ever had in my life...it is the way a walk home after a long day of work in London is meant to be. A teaming rain, lots of cabs, black, oldschool cabs(the kind of car that Sonny was driving when he was shot up in the Godfather) with their windshield wipers spraying the windshield everywhere, rain bouncing high off of the red phone booth, buses kicking a huge spray up onto the sidewalk. I have been hearing about this, and waiting for this, and tonight I got it. I was absolutely drenched. And, I really didn't care. Partly because my hair stayed pretty much intact, but mostly because it was a visual and an experience that I will never forget. I should take a moment to note here that traditional American umbrellas just will not cut it here. Umbrellas in London, much like cars and homes in the Unites States, are a status symbol(you should see some of these things…goldplated, handcarved, etc). I guess that is because it rains so often, but suffice to say that if umbrellas were the sole indicator of status, I would be at the bottom of the food chain.
I am not much of a tourist, so it has been the moments like this that have really moved me. I will miss this, when I go. I will miss walking to the tube on the wet pavement past the street cleaner that is there the same time every morning, crossing the street so that he doesn't get me with the powerspray, walking into the tube, barely squeezing onto the first train for one stop, and then getting onto the second train, grabbing a Metro and reading about Beckham, Tom-Katie-and-Suri, and the unrest in the Middle East every day, marvelling at Wembley Statium as I pass it every single day, getting off at "Harrow on the Hill" while the engineer warns us to "Mind the Gap". In the evenings, it is a stop at the pub for a pint and a sandwich while watching the Rugby, Football, or Crickett game of the week, and a great view of the city as I respond to emails. I will miss breakfast, streetside on Saturday mornings, and a glass of wine, streetside on a Sunday night. It is living as a Londoner that I will value so much more than any tour could ever provide.
On to business…we had our big kickoff meeting on Friday. It was heated, and it was direct, and it was a real war room...we walked in as individuals, and we walked out as a team. So, Monday was really the first day of the rest of their careers with Kenexa. And, I couldn't have asked for a better response, as this team immediately began working on their area of accountability, some pounding the H.R. market, others assigned to the agency market hammering for conversions and appointments with new prospects, and the relationship management team immediately going to work on strategies for conversions and upsells. This team has showed great pride and great heart, and most importantly, ownership for their role in this journey...and whether they realize it or not, it is now their office. I am so proud of every one of them, every one of them.
As a testament, I would like to include an excerpt from one of the team members that I received on Monday evening, after this particular teammate had a short, but gruelling, outpatient procedure…
“Back from hospital and raring to go. Don't underestimate this team's resolve to be successful: I refused a sedative so I wouldn't be sleepy tomorrow and it hurt!! I have made lists for the rest of this week so should catch up by Friday. "See you tomorrow.”
Moments like this formed the platform for growth and success in Philadelphia...and this statement really embodies our character. I love it.
I am going to sign off until next time. And, I am going to leave you with my newly earned sign off, the sign off that Londoners use, which I think I have earned the right to use. I used it for the first time this morning, as someone held the door for me. It is a simple “Cheers”. Today, for some reason, just today, I felt right using it. Kind of because I now realize when to use, it and kind of because I think I know how to say it properly. The key is that you can’t pronounce it as it is spelled…because you just can’t pronounce the “r” too sharply. If I had to spell it as I hear it, it would be more of a CHEers... a little bit louder at the outset, and a little bit less pronounced toward the end.
I miss you all, and sell hard today,
CHEers
JV
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Day 13
Good Morning Folks,
Well, two weeks down, three to go. Really 14 business days, as if my schedule holds true, I will return on Friday June 29th. We will see.
I write this from my flat on a sunny and warm Sunday evening. It is 8:45 and the sun is full force, I couldn't have asked for better weather. In fact, today I got my first real good suntan. I worked out in a business park where they 4 sets of 50 steps about 10 feet apart. I spent the whole day there. There are some fit people here, but perhaps no one more tan. The gym that I found wanted a 3 month comittment, so I am resigned to lifting everything in my apartment. Barstool curls, tricep pushes on the armchair, and counter top shoulder presses were the order of the day. I do have 25lb barbells in the office, but the offices are glass, so you can imagine the eyesore it creates for the rest of the office.
Crickett is on the tele, and I cannot figure this out for the life of me. It is such a grand sport, and I wish I understood, but I am also trying to figure out soccer and rugby. It is just so different from baseball in every way, so much going on, and so much scoring.
I called my Dad earlier, to wish him a Happy Father's Day...he got a kick out of that one, evidently, Father's Day is next week. He was in Margate, said it was windy and overcast, and you can imagine how much I hated to hear that ;)
I did pick up a new cocktail. I had read about it in the United States two weeks before I came to the UK. It is called "Cava" and it is a real fruity champagne-and I believe it is from Spain, but not sure. Kind of a Pinot Grigio with bubbles. Not the most masculine sounding drink...understood, but after I drank about a bottle of it, I immediately went and lifted weights for an hour, and that kind of evened everything out. I was at an outside table last evening in this great part of town where there about 4-5 lounges in a very nice "alley", and no less than 8 bachelorette parties came pouring in, and to see a U.K. bachelorette party is very different. These parties are like all out events that apparently start very early, posess outlandish themes, are attended by everyone including what appear to be grandmom's, and are raucous to say the least. If you are planning on marrying an English girl, beware...what happens in this very nice "alley" appears to stay in this very nice "alley." I am no saying don't marry her, I am just saying beware.
My sales call on Friday was an interesting one. There were like 6 PHD's in the room. And, it became obvious to me very quickly that they were looking for the predictive results of the skills assessments, norms to compare them to, etc. They are just so predisposed to presonality assessments. It was an interesting tug of war, but in the end I believe we will win this one. I need to go on many more of these, as we penetrate this H.R. space, as it is a different meeting, and actually provides us a great opportunity to educate on another type of assessment and just how it contributes to the selection process. They are far less familiar with skills assessments than you might imagine. It is a land ready to be conquered.
Tomorrow is a very exciting day, as I meet with H.R. in Piccadilly. We are putting together the new job descriptions. On Wednesday, the full team will be back, and we should begin shaking and baking under the new plan in the U.K. This is a BIG week.
As far as Philly goes, the results are in for May, and we put up $840K. So, we need $910 in June. Handsome Phil hit is 70K, and Jonesy has 100k on the hook this week. If he can convert and everyone can exceed goal, we will do this. So, put forth all of the effort you can, as it is crunch time.
I miss you all, very much. Have a great day tomorrow.
JV
Well, two weeks down, three to go. Really 14 business days, as if my schedule holds true, I will return on Friday June 29th. We will see.
I write this from my flat on a sunny and warm Sunday evening. It is 8:45 and the sun is full force, I couldn't have asked for better weather. In fact, today I got my first real good suntan. I worked out in a business park where they 4 sets of 50 steps about 10 feet apart. I spent the whole day there. There are some fit people here, but perhaps no one more tan. The gym that I found wanted a 3 month comittment, so I am resigned to lifting everything in my apartment. Barstool curls, tricep pushes on the armchair, and counter top shoulder presses were the order of the day. I do have 25lb barbells in the office, but the offices are glass, so you can imagine the eyesore it creates for the rest of the office.
Crickett is on the tele, and I cannot figure this out for the life of me. It is such a grand sport, and I wish I understood, but I am also trying to figure out soccer and rugby. It is just so different from baseball in every way, so much going on, and so much scoring.
I called my Dad earlier, to wish him a Happy Father's Day...he got a kick out of that one, evidently, Father's Day is next week. He was in Margate, said it was windy and overcast, and you can imagine how much I hated to hear that ;)
I did pick up a new cocktail. I had read about it in the United States two weeks before I came to the UK. It is called "Cava" and it is a real fruity champagne-and I believe it is from Spain, but not sure. Kind of a Pinot Grigio with bubbles. Not the most masculine sounding drink...understood, but after I drank about a bottle of it, I immediately went and lifted weights for an hour, and that kind of evened everything out. I was at an outside table last evening in this great part of town where there about 4-5 lounges in a very nice "alley", and no less than 8 bachelorette parties came pouring in, and to see a U.K. bachelorette party is very different. These parties are like all out events that apparently start very early, posess outlandish themes, are attended by everyone including what appear to be grandmom's, and are raucous to say the least. If you are planning on marrying an English girl, beware...what happens in this very nice "alley" appears to stay in this very nice "alley." I am no saying don't marry her, I am just saying beware.
My sales call on Friday was an interesting one. There were like 6 PHD's in the room. And, it became obvious to me very quickly that they were looking for the predictive results of the skills assessments, norms to compare them to, etc. They are just so predisposed to presonality assessments. It was an interesting tug of war, but in the end I believe we will win this one. I need to go on many more of these, as we penetrate this H.R. space, as it is a different meeting, and actually provides us a great opportunity to educate on another type of assessment and just how it contributes to the selection process. They are far less familiar with skills assessments than you might imagine. It is a land ready to be conquered.
Tomorrow is a very exciting day, as I meet with H.R. in Piccadilly. We are putting together the new job descriptions. On Wednesday, the full team will be back, and we should begin shaking and baking under the new plan in the U.K. This is a BIG week.
As far as Philly goes, the results are in for May, and we put up $840K. So, we need $910 in June. Handsome Phil hit is 70K, and Jonesy has 100k on the hook this week. If he can convert and everyone can exceed goal, we will do this. So, put forth all of the effort you can, as it is crunch time.
I miss you all, very much. Have a great day tomorrow.
JV
Day 9
Well we beat Estonia 3-0 last night on a couple of assists from Beckham. It’s good to have him back, he has had assists on 3 of the last 4 goals. We should have never released him to the U.S.
Yesterday was like a day back in the United States. Russ Becker was here, Jay Butler was here, Jonathan Stec was here, and I believe that Rudy was in Piccadilly. If ever there was a good day to get into a fight, yesterday was a good day…I had a posse here. Everyone says “allo”.
It has been overcast for the last couple of days, but very little rain. The temperature is 75 degrees, but the prospects for the weekend are sunny and 80. There are two beaches that are 1 ½ hour ride on the tube, not exactly the same as driving the BMW that you worked hard you whole life to drive, with the sunroof open, Frappicino in hand, to the shore on the weekend…but it will do.
I renewed my Oyster card this morning, and that felt pretty good. The Oyster card is like a pass for the tube system. Last time here, I would go up to the windows and buy day passes and then ask what train I would take, but now I have the Oyster card…like a real Londoner. You just kind of walk through the turnstile, put the pass on the magnetic pad, and walk through at a brisk pace(nose turned up at the day passers). I am, consistently getting on the right trains, and today a well-dressed Frenchman asked me if he was on the right train. He then asked me if I had dinner plans, so I am not sure if he really needed directions, but I felt like a native for a brief moment nevertheless.
My belt is fine. I have black shoes on today, so I, of course, have the black side showing.
Tomorrow I have a 4:00 with TMP Worldwide which I am pretty excited about. This could be a great opportunity for us, and the rep I am going with is a real up-and-comer, and it should be a great meeting. The team is responding very well to the changes, and seem to be very engaged. Next Tuesday is the big meeting where the entire plan is rolled out. Those of you who were here when I did this presentation a couple of years ago, will remember the type of presentation. Very, very exciting. I truly couldn’t have asked for better response and acceptance to suggestions, as well as engagement, candor, and involvement in the meetings. Time here has been well spent. This is a very talented team!
I should also say that I have had some great phone meetings with many of you, and if we convert the large prospects out there, we should break a record…and as we know, one is in(Handsome Phil’s).
After Tuesday, I will be asking a handful of you to become involved in meetings, so stay tuned. I hope everyone is well. I miss you all, and look forward to seeing you soon.
JV
Yesterday was like a day back in the United States. Russ Becker was here, Jay Butler was here, Jonathan Stec was here, and I believe that Rudy was in Piccadilly. If ever there was a good day to get into a fight, yesterday was a good day…I had a posse here. Everyone says “allo”.
It has been overcast for the last couple of days, but very little rain. The temperature is 75 degrees, but the prospects for the weekend are sunny and 80. There are two beaches that are 1 ½ hour ride on the tube, not exactly the same as driving the BMW that you worked hard you whole life to drive, with the sunroof open, Frappicino in hand, to the shore on the weekend…but it will do.
I renewed my Oyster card this morning, and that felt pretty good. The Oyster card is like a pass for the tube system. Last time here, I would go up to the windows and buy day passes and then ask what train I would take, but now I have the Oyster card…like a real Londoner. You just kind of walk through the turnstile, put the pass on the magnetic pad, and walk through at a brisk pace(nose turned up at the day passers). I am, consistently getting on the right trains, and today a well-dressed Frenchman asked me if he was on the right train. He then asked me if I had dinner plans, so I am not sure if he really needed directions, but I felt like a native for a brief moment nevertheless.
My belt is fine. I have black shoes on today, so I, of course, have the black side showing.
Tomorrow I have a 4:00 with TMP Worldwide which I am pretty excited about. This could be a great opportunity for us, and the rep I am going with is a real up-and-comer, and it should be a great meeting. The team is responding very well to the changes, and seem to be very engaged. Next Tuesday is the big meeting where the entire plan is rolled out. Those of you who were here when I did this presentation a couple of years ago, will remember the type of presentation. Very, very exciting. I truly couldn’t have asked for better response and acceptance to suggestions, as well as engagement, candor, and involvement in the meetings. Time here has been well spent. This is a very talented team!
I should also say that I have had some great phone meetings with many of you, and if we convert the large prospects out there, we should break a record…and as we know, one is in(Handsome Phil’s).
After Tuesday, I will be asking a handful of you to become involved in meetings, so stay tuned. I hope everyone is well. I miss you all, and look forward to seeing you soon.
JV
Day 6
Hey Folks,
It is Sunday at 7:00, and it is another beautiful night in London. I was told that in the six days leading up to my visit, there was nothing but rain...but it has been nothing but beautiful since I arrived. I am not saying that I had anything to do with it, but...
I have to tell you, it is a funny thing waking up in a foreign country, on a Saturday, with absolutely nothing to do. I slept until 3:00 PM on Saturday, found a gym, found some great steps to run, and found a great Tapas restaurant. Today, I worked out early, then went to Bond Street to do some shopping. The clothes here are out of this world, the funny thing, though, is that you see very few people wearing them. The common Londoner would describe prices as way too high, but I have to admit that the group within Kenexa dresses very well, and makes a nice presentation.
Friday night, I watched England play a friendly versus Brazil, in a pub across the Street from my flat. I even drank beer on tap...in a dirty glass. My accomodations are excellent, and it certainly makes being here much easier. Everyone, at some point in their life, should watch England play, in England, in a pub. It is one of the top 10 highlights of my life. We have a big game coming up on Wednesday, and I can't wait.
Rugby is on the tele, right now, and Big Brother is the talk of the day. They have two channels that televise Big Brother 24/7. Aside from Big Brother, lots of reality TV, and lots of U.S. shows. Grey's Anatomy is huge here, as is any documentary on Britney, be it her high times or low times.
My flat views a river on one side, and the city on another, so it is really a wonderful place to sit and work. It is light until 9:30 or so, so you really feel like you have more day here. The tough part is that it is light out between 4:00 and 4:30 AM, so it is more difficult to sleep.
As far as the sales infrastructure...I keep saying that if the next few weeks go as well as the first few days, this will be a piece of cake. This week will be another week of listening, introducing structural changes, and assigning appropriate personnel with the appropriate accountabilities. The following week, will be the go-live week. So, we need five more productive days this week, and we will roll into week 3.
We put up an unofficial 830K in May, so it is an 850K on April, 830K in May, and now we need 920 in June. We can get there, and we are also going to hire a new salesperson tomorrow, but he will likely not start until the week before my return.
We need a big month in June, and we have enough in the funnel to get there.
I miss you guys, and look forward to talking to you this week.
JV
It is Sunday at 7:00, and it is another beautiful night in London. I was told that in the six days leading up to my visit, there was nothing but rain...but it has been nothing but beautiful since I arrived. I am not saying that I had anything to do with it, but...
I have to tell you, it is a funny thing waking up in a foreign country, on a Saturday, with absolutely nothing to do. I slept until 3:00 PM on Saturday, found a gym, found some great steps to run, and found a great Tapas restaurant. Today, I worked out early, then went to Bond Street to do some shopping. The clothes here are out of this world, the funny thing, though, is that you see very few people wearing them. The common Londoner would describe prices as way too high, but I have to admit that the group within Kenexa dresses very well, and makes a nice presentation.
Friday night, I watched England play a friendly versus Brazil, in a pub across the Street from my flat. I even drank beer on tap...in a dirty glass. My accomodations are excellent, and it certainly makes being here much easier. Everyone, at some point in their life, should watch England play, in England, in a pub. It is one of the top 10 highlights of my life. We have a big game coming up on Wednesday, and I can't wait.
Rugby is on the tele, right now, and Big Brother is the talk of the day. They have two channels that televise Big Brother 24/7. Aside from Big Brother, lots of reality TV, and lots of U.S. shows. Grey's Anatomy is huge here, as is any documentary on Britney, be it her high times or low times.
My flat views a river on one side, and the city on another, so it is really a wonderful place to sit and work. It is light until 9:30 or so, so you really feel like you have more day here. The tough part is that it is light out between 4:00 and 4:30 AM, so it is more difficult to sleep.
As far as the sales infrastructure...I keep saying that if the next few weeks go as well as the first few days, this will be a piece of cake. This week will be another week of listening, introducing structural changes, and assigning appropriate personnel with the appropriate accountabilities. The following week, will be the go-live week. So, we need five more productive days this week, and we will roll into week 3.
We put up an unofficial 830K in May, so it is an 850K on April, 830K in May, and now we need 920 in June. We can get there, and we are also going to hire a new salesperson tomorrow, but he will likely not start until the week before my return.
We need a big month in June, and we have enough in the funnel to get there.
I miss you guys, and look forward to talking to you this week.
JV
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