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Any sport would suggest ‘game time’ is when the talking stops and it’s time to walk the walk. Time to put those words into action. ‘Game time’ is what it’s all about; it’s what we play for. Business runs the same parallels with sport. There’s potential, there’s talk, there’s practice and then there’s game time. My Saltire experience with IBM is approaching ‘game time’.

In just over a week’s time, I will be presenting to IBM senior executives and around 30 IBMers globally. If ever there was a chance hit the back of the net, it would be now. But as the great Philosopher Steven Stiffler once said, “You don’t score until you score!” The culmination of ‘my season’ is approaching and although it has been great thus far, it is not yet complete.  A lot still has to be accomplished in both projects before I can present. In my Cultural Diversity project of the IBM CSP team around the globe, results from surveyed IBMers and clients need to be analyzed in order to fulfill a business orientated result.  We live in a result orientated world, where words and actions count for nothing unless you can provide a concrete result. That is what it comes down to, you can either sink or swim…or think….. ‘Bob the Builder’….you get the picture.  My results will hopefully provide a reference point for many of the CSP team members in recognizing the different cultural characteristics between them. The way they relate, regulate and reason with each other and also their clients. The vision is for the team to know their clients as well as they know themselves, the tool I’m using should assist in both.

Result : Cultural Differences + Analysis = Better understanding of team /clients = Increased team performance

A lot of work to be done, but I am confident I will ‘score’!

My other project deadline in which I am working with Aidan is also approaching judgment day. Our information and calculations on the energy efficient products from IBM suppliers will be key in presenting a business case to invest in certain products rather than others. The project is in fact part of a larger company initiative on efficiency whereby whether or not we as Saltire interns we were here, they would still be running the initiative; basically our project has not been tailored in any way just because we are interns. It is a live project with significant cost meaning which we will be presenting alongside our senior manager to his director. More pressure…….love it.

Last night I didn’t get out of the office until after 7pm…………..Gatorade 946ml bottles…….wow.

So it’s definitely ‘game time’, play hard or don’t play at all, this is what I wanted and this is definitely what I have received. I remember speaking in my first interview at Scottish Enterprise explaining the comfort box I feel that people can fall into which then limits their growth hoping this programme would provide an opportunity outside that box. I feel I have been taken completely out any comfort box I may have had and as a result I have grown as an individual. It’s not finished yet, the final whistle is yet to blow, but when it does, I am confident that it will have been successful.

Have a great day ;)

Graham