Marsh Sutherland’s Post

🧐Reflecting on my first quarter of unemployment after 15 years at Dell, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences, filled with growth, challenges, and silver linings. Here's a glimpse into this transformative chapter: 🔍 Job Hunt: Applied to 70+ roles, 7 great interviews, but ultimately the stars didn’t align, 23 emails letting me know I wouldn't be moving forward in the process, alongside plenty of ghosting 📚 Learning Mode: PMP Certification Bootcamp? Check. Coursera scholarship from Techlahoma Foundation? Check. Still studying? Absolutely—I want that first-time pass! 🌐 Tech Community: Immersed myself in networking events and trainings, connecting with amazing individuals. OKC and Microsoft's tech scenes are 🔥—we nerd out about SharePoint, Teams, and the future of work. 👨👩👧👧 Family Time: Day dates with my husband, quality moments with my children—movies, field trips, baseball tournaments, and tennis matches. Cherishing it all. 🤝 Bigger Dreams: Launched an LLC, gearing up to offer consulting services. Speaking engagements coming up, with sessions on Coffey & Code Podcast and OKC WebDevs Tool Talks scheduled for mid-June! 📊 Content Creation: Social accounts galore! Follow me @MissTeams365. Let’s chat about modernizing internal communication and collaboration using SharePoint and Teams. 🙏 Gratitude: Former colleagues, friends, and family—your generosity is felt and so appreciated. 🌟 Belief in Myself: Confident in my talent and vision. It's not just about modernizing communication—it's about showcasing tech's potential for human-centric innovation. Check out my latest blog for more insights. 🌈 Next Chapter: Eagerly anticipating what lies ahead and here's how you can help: 👉 Follow @MissTeams365 on social media for updates and valuable content. (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X) 📝 Subscribe to my blog for the latest insights: https://lnkd.in/g9khv6ft 🎤 Invite me to speak at your next event: https://lnkd.in/g3cXwWZQ 📬 If you come across a role or opportunity, consider referring or connecting me. Job titles are usually something like: Digital Transformation Project Manager, Marketing Technology Operations Manager, Microsoft Adoption and Change Management, Future of Work Consultant Thank you to my incredible network for your unwavering support and generosity. I'm thrilled about the future and confident that the right opportunity is just around the corner. Let's continue this journey together! #FutureOfWork #TechCommunity #CareerTransition

I’ve noticed that too much content without enough structure leads you to overwhelm in community. You need far less content than you think you do. What you need is a way to focus attention. A way to make the community sticky - why do people stay? Yes, getting people to join is a worthwhile pursuit but it’s more important to design for retention. If you join and leave quickly, you aren’t developing the community. That’s not the goal. Community hopping is a thing. I recently suggested adding a regular check in to the host of another community. He offers a personal consult to new members but hadn’t extended that offer for existing members who had been in the community for a while. It’s a valuable service he normally charges for and he made it available only to annual subscribers. This is something worthwhile sticking around for so it converts monthly subscriptions to annual, provides incentive for annual menbers to renew and reduces the impact of community hoping. It builds loyalty and deepens trust. My goal is to be a category of one. There won’t be community hopping because I’m building something unique. I’m developing a roadmap that will strategically direct attention throughout the year. The screenshot show the live text chat that I’m running until next week to support onboarding. The community will have a combination of synchronous and asynchronous resources as this is a key feature of distributed work. You’ve heard of « more cowbell »? In this community, the CTA is « more asynch! » Once the live chat is done, it lives in the platform as an async resource. You can still engage and tag other members to contre conversations. It’s evergreen but won’t be flagged as « live ». Here’s a sneak peak: A self-directed curriculum that you follow through the year that can’t be powered through in one day, one week or one month. Transformation happens over time, as does skill building. For example, you need clarity and a strategy before you take action on negotiating your workplace flexibility requests. I also offer a 1:1 session that you need to attend, plus future scenario simulations , signal hunts, responding to polls, attending office hours etc. I reserve the right to tweak and adjust according to member feedback to maximize value. If you complete the coursework and attend the live experiences, you’ll earn a certification. And likely a badge…just starting to explore that functionality in Mighty. This community is an excellent place to work on developing the 7 out of the top 10 skills identified by the World Economic Forum as rising in importance in the future of work. 1. Creative thinking 2. Analytical thinking 3. Curiosity & lifelong learning 4. Resilience, flexibility & agility 6. Systems thinking 7. Motivation and self-awareness

How to Unlock the Power of Abundance in Your Community >>>>> In today's interconnected world, collaboration and shared success are key to thriving communities. But how can you cultivate an abundance mindset within your community, fostering a space where everyone feels empowered to contribute and experience growth? Membscribe empowers communities to connect, collaborate, and achieve. Here are 5 key steps to unlock abundance within your community using our platform: 1. Cultivate a Culture of Sharing: - Leverage discussion forums and knowledge-sharing features: Encourage members to share their expertise, experiences, and resources. - Host Q&A sessions and expert interviews: Provide platforms for members to learn from each other and industry leaders. - Facilitate peer-to-peer mentoring: Connect experienced members with those seeking guidance, fostering mutual growth. Membscribe's features like discussion forums, event hosting functionalities, and member directories make it easy to implement these strategies. 2. Prioritize Collaboration: - Form member-led working groups: Empower members to collaborate on projects and initiatives relevant to the community's goals. - Utilize project management tools: Membscribe integrates with popular project management tools, enabling streamlined collaboration and task management. - Organize brainstorming sessions and workshops: Foster an environment where members can generate ideas and work together to find solutions. Membscribe allows for the creation of dedicated groups and project spaces, fostering a collaborative spirit. 3. Celebrate Achievements and Milestones: - Recognize member contributions: Acknowledge and celebrate individual and collective achievements within the community. - Showcase success stories: Highlight how members have benefited from the community and their contributions. - Offer badges and recognition systems: Motivate members and create a sense of accomplishment. Membscribe allows you to create custom badges and recognition features, fostering a sense of accomplishment within the community. 4. Foster Open Communication and Feedback: - Conduct polls and surveys: Gather member feedback to understand their needs and preferences. - Organize feedback sessions and discussions: Create a safe space for members to share their ideas and concerns. - Implement suggestion boxes or dedicated feedback channels: Encourage open communication and continuous improvement. Membscribe's built-in polling, survey, and discussion tools enable effective two-way communication within the community. By implementing these strategies within your Membscribe community, you can cultivate an abundance mindset where everyone feels valued, empowered, and motivated to contribute. Sign up for Membscribe today and start building a thriving space for connection, collaboration, and shared success!

Building a Dream Team: My Approach to Community Team Management As a seasoned community manager, I've learned that leading a high-performing team is crucial to building a vibrant and engaged online community. Over the years, I've developed a management style that emphasizes clear communication, empathy, and empowerment. Here's how I build and manage my dream team: -Clear Roles and Responsibilities I believe in defining clear roles and responsibilities to avoid confusion and overlapping work. I take the time to understand each team member's strengths and weaknesses, and assign tasks that play to their skills. -Open Communication Channels Regular team meetings, updates, and feedback are essential to keeping everyone informed and aligned. I use collaboration tools like Slack and Trello to streamline communication and task management. -Ongoing Training and Development I invest in my team's growth and development, providing training and resources to enhance their skills and knowledge. This includes workshops, webinars, and online courses on community management, moderation, and conflict resolution. -Community Engagement I encourage my team to actively participate in the community, engaging with users, responding to queries, and sharing their expertise. This helps build trust and fosters a sense of ownership and investment in the community's success. -Conflict Resolution and Support I've established a clear process for addressing conflicts, complaints, or issues within the team or community. I ensure that team members feel supported and empowered to handle challenging situations effectively. -Performance Management and Feedback I regularly evaluate team members' performance, providing constructive feedback and recognition for outstanding contributions. This helps identify areas for improvement and motivates team members to excel. -Community Guidelines and Policies I develop and enforce clear community guidelines and policies, ensuring that team members understand their roles in maintaining a positive and inclusive community environment. -Team Building and Morale I organize team-building activities, social events, or recognition programs to boost morale and foster a sense of unitt. This helps build a unified team that works collaboratively towards common goals. -Adaptability and Flexibility I encourage my team to be adaptable and flexible, responding to changing community needs, platform updates, or unexpected issues. I lead by example, demonstrating a proactive and creative approach to addressing challenges. -Lead by Example As a community manager, I lead by example, demonstrating the behaviors and values I expect from my team. I show enthusiasm, empathy, and a commitment to the community's success, inspiring my team to do the same. By following these principles, I've built a high-performing team that's passionate about community management and dedicated to creating a positive and inclusive online environment. #Communication

Enhancing Communication and Collaboration through No-Code Software: Empowering Nonprofits with Journyz. Effective communication and collaboration are vital for the success of nonprofit organizations. Whether it's coordinating efforts among team members, engaging with volunteers, or reaching out to stakeholders, streamlined communication and collaboration processes can significantly impact the overall efficiency and impact of nonprofits. With the emergence of no-code software solutions, such as Journyz, nonprofits now have powerful tools at their disposal to enhance communication and collaboration without the need for complex coding or technical expertise. No-code software like Journyz allows nonprofits to streamline their communication channels. Through intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, organizations can easily create custom communication portals, intranets, or virtual bulletin boards, tailored to their specific needs. These platforms serve as centralized hubs where team members can access important updates, share information, and collaborate in real-time, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. No-code platforms offer collaborative document management features that empower nonprofits to create, edit, and share documents seamlessly. Multiple team members can work on the same document simultaneously, eliminating the need for back-and-forth email exchanges and version control issues. With Journyz, nonprofits can centralize their files, set access permissions, and ensure everyone has the most up-to-date information at their fingertips. Efficient task and project management are crucial for nonprofits to stay organized and meet their objectives. No-code software simplifies this process by providing intuitive project management tools. With Journyz, nonprofits can create customized workflows, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress—all without the need for coding skills. This streamlines collaboration, ensures accountability, and improves overall project efficiency. Nonprofits heavily rely on volunteers to carry out their missions. No-code solutions like Journyz offer features specifically designed to enhance volunteer engagement and communication. Nonprofits can create volunteer portals where volunteers can sign up for opportunities, access training materials, and communicate with coordinators and fellow volunteers. These platforms facilitate smooth volunteer management, reducing administrative overhead and improving overall volunteer satisfaction. No-code software provides nonprofits with real-time collaboration and feedback capabilities. Journyz allows teams to engage in instant messaging,and file sharing, enabling seamless communication regardless of geographical location. This feature proves especially valuable for remote or distributed teams, as it fosters a sense of unity and strengthens teamwork, even in virtual settings.

Fostering Global Change Network Collaboration: The Backbone of Successful S/4HANA Rollouts The migration to S/4HANA is a pivotal moment for organisational transformation. This transition is a transformative journey towards digital agility and efficiency. Amidst the excitement of adopting innovative solutions, there's a crucial aspect that often gets overlooked – the significance of sustaining a robust global change champion network. The rollout of S/4HANA is a global endeavour that impacts business functions across regions and cultures. When different regions operate in isolation, it can lead to redundant efforts, misalignment of goals, and hinder the success of the rollout. This is where the role of a global change network becomes indispensable. A global change network needs to be sustained to prevent working in silos as it binds teams and regions together, ensuring that everyone moves forward in unison. Here's why nurturing and sustaining such a network is paramount: 🏭 Breaking Down Silos: Silos breed inefficiency and hinder collaboration. By sustaining a global change network, organisations can dismantle these barriers and create a culture of openness and collaboration. The network acts as a bridge, facilitating seamless communication and knowledge sharing across regions and central functions. 🧠 Leveraging Collective Intelligence: Each regional network brings its unique insights, challenges, and best practices to the table. By tapping into collective intelligence, we can uncover innovative solutions, anticipate roadblocks, and adapt strategies accordingly. It's not just about sharing knowledge; it's about leveraging the collective wisdom of the network. 📈 Accelerating The Learning Curve: In a global rollout, every success and failure becomes a learning opportunity. By sustaining a global change network, organisations fast-track the learning curve. When one region discovers a workaround for a particular issue or achieves a significant milestone, that knowledge can be shared rapidly across the global network, enabling others to benefit from it and avoid reinventing the wheel. 👩🌾 Cultivating a Sense of Ownership: When individuals from different regions actively participate as part of a global change network, they develop a sense of ownership and accountability for success. A sense of ownership fosters commitment and dedication, driving everyone to overcome challenges and deliver desired outcomes. Sustaining a global change network is about nurturing a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. By breaking down silos, leveraging collective intelligence, accelerating the learning curve, ensuring consistency, and cultivating ownership, organisations can maximise the likelihood of a successful S/4HANA implementation that delivers tangible business value across the globe.

Very excited to share our latest research in MIT Sloan Management Review. In “Are Enterprise Social Platforms All Talk?” we outline how #companies should encourage #users of community platforms to engage with content from others, not just build their personal #brand. To harness the advantage of #enterprise #collaboration #platforms, organizations could more actively #manage them to support #knowledge #sharing. That means looking beyond simple #engagement #metrics at what people are posting. Employees may post a lot, creating the illusion of a vibrant knowledge community without providing any real #benefits for the #organization. The article highlights #strategies for community #managers to build a thriving #community where users engage as much with the knowledge created by others as they contribute novel information to the system themselves. HEC Montréal For anyone interested in improving #knowledge sharing and building #engagement in the #hybrid #workplace, you can access the article on: https://lnkd.in/gXrv-T2m —> In collaboration with Burcu Bulgurcu and Gerald Kane —> Supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER program and the National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada (Canada Research Chair on Enterprise Social Media & Digital Collaboration) program #knowledgesharing #collaboration #digitalworkplace #hybridwork #enterprisesocialmedia #communitymanagement #strategy #research #informationtechnology #informationsystems

I love the research Wietske Van Osch, Ph.D. and her team are sharing! 🔥 This is a great report that breaks down the different types of users of digital collaboration platforms, and challenges community teams to think more about the type of content and interactions that contribute to an engaging community. (Hint: lots of posts doesn't necessarily equate to great engagement.) How do you help promote the types of behaviors your team wants to see? The report offers some suggestions, including having community managers "take on the more important role of ensuring that sharing knowledge — as opposed to self-promoting or reputation building — gets the attention it deserves." How are you measuring the engagement and vibrancy of your community? #Community #DigitalWorkplace #Collaboration

Here's a great new post from Managing Partner Corey Jackson about getting comfortable with new technology in your #nonprofit--especially if you want to boost your culture of philanthropy! #AI #techstack #nonprofit #effectiveness #cultureofphilanthropy #philanthropy #donors #fundraising #consultants

What are some ways companies can ensure that information is disseminated in a transparent manner in a flat organization? Ensuring transparent information dissemination in a flat organization is key to fostering trust and collaboration. Here are some effective strategies companies can implement: Centralized Information Platforms: Use centralized digital platforms (like intranets, Slack, or project management tools) where employees can access important updates, documents, and resources in real-time. Regular Updates: Schedule regular company-wide meetings or newsletters to share updates on company performance, changes, and upcoming projects. This keeps everyone informed and aligned. Open Meeting Policies: Encourage open meetings where employees can join discussions, ask questions, and provide input. This promotes transparency and gives everyone a voice. Transparent Decision-Making Processes: Clearly communicate how decisions are made, including the criteria used and the rationale behind them. Involve employees in discussions when appropriate. Feedback Mechanisms: Implement channels for employees to provide feedback on company initiatives and decisions. Use surveys, suggestion boxes, or open forums to gather input. Visibility of Leadership Actions: Ensure that leadership decisions and actions are visible to all employees. Leaders can share their thought processes and outcomes, reinforcing a culture of transparency. Document Sharing: Encourage the sharing of meeting notes, reports, and project updates in accessible formats. This ensures everyone has access to the same information. Cross-Department Collaboration: Promote collaboration between teams to share insights and information across the organization. Joint projects or cross-functional teams can enhance transparency. Training and Resources: Provide training on communication tools and best practices for transparency. Ensure employees know how to access and utilize available resources effectively. Recognition of Transparency: Acknowledge and reward behaviors that promote transparency within teams. This encourages a culture where open communication is valued. Anonymous Q&A Sessions: Hold anonymous question-and-answer sessions where employees can ask leadership about company policies, strategies, or any concerns they may have. Encourage Storytelling: Promote sharing of success stories, challenges, and lessons learned among employees. This not only disseminates information but also builds a sense of community. By implementing these strategies, companies can create a culture of transparency that empowers employees, enhances collaboration, and fosters trust within a flat organizational structure.