I had a conversation with a colleague this morning about the tension between two sales approaches:

1. Focusing on business value derived from implementation certain technology
2. Focusing on technical capabilities (AKA speeds and feeds) of certain technology

Our unified position was that the the second position only really made sense if aligned with the first.  Technology by itself is certainly interesting, but in real world markets, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify purchase of any technology unless it is very clear how that technology can deliver business value.

Therefore I spend most of my time focused on the business value of various Identity and Security technologies, rather than the technical details of how they are implemented.  Unless we can really make a positive impact on the business whom buy our products and services, our market is not sustainable.

I was pleased to see the following video introducing the BYU Management Society, sponsored by my alma mater, Brigham Young University.

“The Management Society was founded in 1977 by Dean Merrill J. Bateman as an organization of alumni and friends of the BYU College of Business—now Marriott School of Management. Membership includes not only BYU and Marriott School alumni, but many other business professionals with the same desire for professional advancement, high ethical standards, career development, and continuing education. Twenty-Five years after its founding, the management society is an influential organization with about 6,000 members in 40 U.S. cities and 10 countries.”

The major objective of the BYU Management Society are:

“To extend the values and influence of moral and ethical leadership, the Marriott School, and BYU through a premier organization for the development of management and business leaders.”

I graduated from the BYU engineering college, not the management school, and didn’t actively participate in the Society until about 10 years ago, but I have certainly enjoyed my relationship with an outstanding group of people from varied backgrounds during the years I have been involved.