Is there any greater sight in the world of sport than the British and Irish Lions striding onto the field to face off against the Southern Hemisphere’s rugby giants?  Men who would normally find themselves competing against each other suddenly become dear comrades on this all-star team, representing the ultimate triumph of collaboration over competition. For the majority of their careers, these athletes are sworn adversaries who would rather die than share their tactical secrets with their opposition. But for two incredible months, they all pull in the same direction and develop a strategy that will allow them to overcome their opponents. In business, we often set different departments their own targets and expect them to pursue these goals independently. But a modern company is surely better served by working together in pursuit of one overarching goal, with each employee and department focusing on how best they can contribute to the team effort. We should encourage resource sharing and place the use of internal social networks such as Podio at the heart of our wider business strategy. We can achieve a great deal working alone or in small networks, but we can achieve so much more if we are all working as part of one harmonious team. Most importantly, by encouraging an open culture within our company, we can see what other aspects of the business are doing and where we can help out. It also allows us to better identify where specialist skills are when we need them. It’s far better to know that John in HR is also a great amateur photographer when I need shots of a new event than to spend time and money on an external photographer who won’t be as familiar with the company’s approach to business. This ethos can and should extend to the way we deal with our suppliers, freelancers and contractors. Rather than giving them the bare minimum, we should look to share as much information as possible and see what opportunities this opens up. Collaboration and openness are the future of business, and the sooner we recognise this, the larger our headstart on rivals will be. So here’s this week’s challenge to you: the next time you have to tackle a big, new project, take an hour at the outset to figure out what skills or resources other departments within your business may have to offer. Use Podio to establish a discussion around your objectives and how they benefit the wider company, and I’m sure you’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish. Photo Credit: Catching Magic via Compfight cc

Dallas is hot (in more ways than one). The GoToTraining team is here at the ASTD 2013 International Conference and Expo in Dallas amid 90-degree temperatures to rub elbows with about 9,000 fellow learning professionals. If you care about learning but have never been to ASTD, you really should try to make it someday. This year’s speakers include Sir Ken Robinson (his TED talks are extraordinary!) and John Seely Brown of Xerox PARC fame. The exhibit hall is packed with more vendors than I’ve seen at a conference in a long while. We’re camped out in our Citrix booth complete with all of our products, a specialty tea bar and even a lady who reads tea leaves. I’ve yet to get a reading from her, but I’m pretty sure that sore feet are somewhere in my future.  The crowd here is fantastic. I live and work in Silicon Valley, and it is pretty easy for me to get caught in the "tech vendor bubble," so spending time talking to the people who actually use our solutions to do their jobs is always educational. Learning folks are a fun group (really!), and I always have interesting and sometimes challenging conversations at events like this. For example, here at ASTD, we’re spending a lot of time talking about social, collaborative learning. It is an incredibly hot topic in learning circles, and we’re just starting to explore how our customers can leverage Podio, our collaborative work/learning platform, to improve the effectiveness of learning in their organization. I’m a big believer that the most innovative, successful organizations understand that learning is essential to their growth and even their survival. In today’s world, everybody teaches and everybody learns. (I need to trademark that!) We’re going to find out a lot about social, collaborative learning in the real world just from the conversations we are having here at ASTD, and we’re going to share what we discover in a webinar on social learning that we have planned for June 12.  So aside from an aching back (my Fitbit wristband tells me that I’ve walked a little over 5 miles) and some pretty hot weather, ASTD has been a gas. Tomorrow, I’ll share some of the questions and trends we are hearing from conversations on the show floor, but right now, I’m going to go soak my feet.

The top analyst firm IDC recently released their 2012 remote access market report, and once again GoToMyPC is the market leader. GoToMyPC started back in 2001 right at the height of the dot-com implosion, and way before software as a service (SaaS) was cool. In fact, the acronym didn’t even exist until February 2001, when it first appeared in publication. And we’ve been delivering secure, reliable remote access ever since. As GoToMyPC continues to grow and enter new markets, we thought it would be fun to look back on the history of GoToMyPC and the technological and workstyle trends that have helped propel it into a great SaaS success story. Mouse over the infographic below to reveal links to key events in the history of GoToMyPC. Our team is always working hard to build the best remote access service featuring the latest technology, because we understand our customers’ needs are evolving. Some big changes are in development, and soon GoToMyPC will make it even easier for today’s busy professional to work from anywhere.

Festina lente ("make haste slowly") - a simple adage, but one which epitomises the philosophy that was at the heart of the Roman Empire’s success. Planning was the key, with every decision carefully considered in advance and a particular emphasis given to long-term outcomes. The most famous example of this was the Romans’ commitment to town planning, and in particular their insistence on straight roads whenever it was practical. They understood that if they got the basics right, success was sure to follow. This approach, although now an accepted part of history, was not without its challenges. Straight lines are the easiest way from point A to B, but they were far from the norm prior to the Romans. Traditionally, roads and routes followed existing patterns or thousand-year-old hunting tracks, with people preferring tradition over radical change. But an essential part of the planning process, and one that we frequently neglect, is preparing for the long term and acknowledging the initial challenges that may result. In the short term, the Romans recognized that straight roads may make life more difficult for their engineers, who would have to design a whole series of new routes and encourage people to use them. But the Romans reasoned that the long-term gains generated for both their army and trade would be far greater than any short-term discomfort that may be incurred. It’s human nature to avoid short-term pain whenever possible, and this carries over into business, too. No one wants to propose an immediate dip in profits with the promise of future benefits that could be years away. But the sensible business accepts that such projects are not only useful but an occasionally necessary part of growth. The introduction of a new technological structure is often expensive and something we may be reluctant to do, because it offers little immediate benefit and often incurs displeasure from employees who are familiar with existing systems. But avoiding such changes will only cost us more in the long run and leave us flagging behind rivals, who were willing to accept the short-term pain. Change is never easy, but with the right planning, we can make the process as smooth as possible. So take some time this week to figure out where your business wants to be in two, five or even ten years and begin to map out the changes you’ll need to achieve your goals. By planning ahead we can minimise the pain and identify which areas are most in need of renewal. Photo Credit: Rufus Gefangenen via Compfight cc

Today we have a guest post from Bill Cates. Bill is the author of Get More Referrals Now! and Beyond Referrals. Bill helps salespeople and small business owners get more referrals and turn those referrals into new clients. He helps sales organizations boost production through referrals and other sales-generating strategies. You can contact Bill directly at BillCates@ReferralCoach.com. What’s the number one killer of houseplants? Under watering. What’s the number two killer of house plants? Over watering! It’s a balance. And so it is when following up with prospects as you move them through your sales pipeline. How many contacts does it take to convert a prospect into a client? How do we remain professionally persistent without crossing the line and become a pest? It depends. Every sales scenario is different for different industries, products and services. There is both an art and a science to prospecting and selling. The science means having a system to follow so you’re not winging it every time. The art means having the awareness and good judgment to know the right timing of what to do and what to say. Here are three things that I always do when I follow up with my prospects: I work with my prospects beforehand to agree on time frames for my follow-up. Immediately after a phone call or an online meeting ends, I take notes of ideas for what I might say and do next - while the meeting is still fresh in my mind. When I follow up, I always try to lead with value. I send a tips sheet, link to a video or otherwise bring value to my prospect in a way that’s related to what I sell, their business or sometimes a personal interest of theirs. For more tips on making sure you don’t cross the line and become a pest, check out my free report "How to Be Persistent without Being a Pest."   Photo Credit: M.Angel Herrero via Compfight cc

In today’s economy, more and more families are relying on dual incomes, working longer hours and juggling schedules to ensure child care. While fathers may have traditionally held the role of sole breadwinner, modern-day families tend to share responsibilities. As Stephanie Coontz, co-chair of the Council on Contemporary Families, recently told NPR, there’s an increasing number of fathers who both work and are their children’s primary caregivers. "Men today are now reporting higher levels of work-family conflict than women are," Coontz said. They feel "not just pressure, but the desire to be more involved in family life and child care and housework and cooking." So with soccer games to cheer on, dinner to serve and work deadlines to meet, success at work and at home begins with finding the right tools that help create harmony. For Chip Pyfer, a financial planner from the Bay Area, his go-to tool is GoToMyPC. "I use it virtually every day and often multiple times a day," he said. "It’s kind of crucial for my work-life balance." Rather than battling traffic first thing, Chip says he often uses GoToMyPC to access his work files at home, completing odds and ends while also spending mornings with his wife and three children. "It gives me a lot of flexibility to be dialed in working," he said. "I’m absent physically from the office, but people know I’m doing activity because of the software programs I have." Web-based email clients and home word processors can only go so far; for professionals who need to reference sensitive data and secure servers, remote access tools like GoToMyPC enable productivity no matter where they are. So whether it’s getting home in time for dinner or leaving in the middle of the day to attend a school function, GoToMyPC enables Chip to be with his kids at crucial times while still accessing essential programs and files if he needs to work remotely. "If I need to make up time or get work done, I could easily get home, have dinner with the family, throw the baseball around and then dive back into work when the kids go to bed," he said. Attorney Tim Brouillette agrees. Using GoToMyPC has allowed him to maximize time with his family, particularly during the moments he’s set aside specifically for them. Rather than spend vacations distracted with work issues, Tim uses GoToMyPC to check messages and leave instructions for his staff early in the morning, allowing him to confidently disconnect for the remainder of the day. "My time with my family has improved significantly," he writes. "I have used it in Spain, Mexico, Ireland, England and France while on vacation to ‘check in’ to the office before starting my day with my family." For Chip and Tim, Father’s Day may begin with an early morning check-in for work, but it’ll end as a wonderful day with their families. Cheers to you, dads (and moms), for finding ways to achieve workplace success and family harmony. Photo Credit: linsight via Compfight cc

The sun is shining, festival season is upon us and there’s more great sport going on than you can shake a stick at. But with all these distractions, it’s easy to let our productivity levels drop. To help you avoid that summer slump, we’re hosting a networking meet-up on July 17 in Clerkenwell, London. We’ve lined up a great set of speakers, who we know will inspire you to make the most of your summer. Our format of choice is Ignite - a series of fast-paced talks (just 5 minutes per speaker) with 20 slides set to auto-advance.We’ll be joined by a selection of amazing speakers, who combine passion with real-world experience of how the world of work is changing and how we can maximise our personal productivity levels. Our confirmed speakers include: Tom Ball, NearDesk Bernie Mitchell, Engaging People David Clare, One More Life Hack Alex Butler, KindredHQ As well as the inspiring talks, we’ll also be providing a selection of drinks and nibbles to make sure your body is fed as well as your brain. Tickets are free and you can sign up here. I look forward to meeting you all on July 17. Sign up for Productivity Ignite today!

For many of us, our daily commute has become such a normal part of working life that we barely notice it. It is camouflaged by routine. Even so, the average UK worker spends more than five weeks every year solely commuting to and from work. That’s a lot of time. But have you ever wondered how much time (and money) you could save by skipping the daily commute just once or twice - or even more - each week? We did, so we developed a new web app, the GoToMeeting Calculator, to do just that. Simply enter a few details about your work routine, along with how many days you’d like to work flexibly, and it will do the rest. Once you’ve calculated your savings, you’ll be equipped to make the case for flexible working. Why not try it now? Take 60 Working flexibly for just two days a week would give back to the average UK worker a hefty 60 hours per year. Here’s what you could do with the time: Read 52 bedtime stories (15 minutes per story) Go for 10 5km runs (1 hour per run) Prepare 10 healthy home-cooked meals (1 hour per meal) Get 5 massages (1 hour each) Master 5 songs on the ukulele (2 hours per song) Give something back and volunteer for 12 hours What would you do?   

Today we have a guest post from Charlie Gilkey. Charlie helps people take meaningful action on the stuff that matters. His website, ProductiveFlourishing.com, is one of the top websites for planning and productivity for professional creatives, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. He’s a sought-after speaker and advisor on small business growth and business strategy. His work is grounded in theory at the same time that’s practical and actionable. Charlie recently published an Amazon.com best-selling book The Small Business Lifecycle: Taking the Right Steps at the Right Time to Grow Your Small Business. When many organizations consider the adoption and implementation of a technology, they start by looking at the different features and capabilities rather than at what they want the technology to do. This is never more apparent than when we’re considering a new communication and collaboration technology, like web and video conferencing or social workspaces. The result is that users are confused and slow to adopt the new tool. Instead of starting with the technology function, visualize the physical spaces, processes or objects the technology is meant to mimic. For example, is the technology meant to represent a water-cooler area, a formal meeting room or a collaborative workroom? That’s the first step in figuring out how to properly use the tool. Deciding on the right type of physical area to imitate is critical because it bridges the gap between common, tangible environments and foreign virtual spaces. It allows us to use analogy and metaphor in addition to explicit instruction, so users are more likely "get it" faster within the context of something familiar. Take, for example, the practice of broadcasting information - the dreaded "cc everyone" practice that runs amok in many organizations. It’s highly unlikely that someone would stand up and yell a message over the cubicles to everyone in the room unless it was extremely urgent and important. Instead, he or she would just walk over and tell the relevant people or, perhaps, suggest a quick meeting to discuss the information. The problem here is that most of us haven’t defined an analogous space, process or object that email is meant to correlate to. Therein lies the challenge and opportunity for the modern leader who’s looking to leverage technology to enhance communication. If you can adequately define what space, process or object the technology is supposed to be like, you can also quickly bootstrap the adoption and effective use of the technology. What kind of conversations is email used for at your company? Which of your communication technologies equates to the collaborative workroom? What tool should teammates use if they need to have a real-time meeting from different places? To get started, pick either the area of activity that is in most need of improvement or the one that would provide the biggest impact. Fortunately, they’re usually one and the same. Then, ask yourself the following questions: What physical space or object best represents this area of activity? For instance, an online workspace might best represent a physical workroom dedicated to that project. Who needs to be invited to this space, be a part of the process or have access to the tool? Using our example above, only people who work on the project or need to support the project might be invited to the space. If the person wouldn’t be in the room, they’re not in the virtual space. If needed, translate the capabilities of the software to what people would do with physical things. The best tools are straightforward in their use, but sometimes we need to bridge concepts. Assuming that people have a general idea of what different types of tasks they do, the rest will fall into place. The collaborators will know what needs to be done, with whom and with which tools, because they’ll have an inferential grasp of the new process based on the way we naturally understand physical spaces and objects. To learn more about improving team communication and ensuring smooth adoption of collaboration technologies, you can download my new white paper on communication management. Photo Credit: x-ray delta one via Compfight cc

Anthony Montagner can’t wait to see his wife and daughter. A sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, he finishes his 8-year contract in September - and he’s eager to get  a civilian job to support his family. With help from our customer National Training and multiple Citrix solutions, Anthony can soon be home every night with his family. National Training is a Florida-based company that relies on Citrix collaboration and IT support tools to drive success in vocational education. The company provides programs for students - including veterans like Anthony - looking to find work as professional tractor-trailer drivers and heavy equipment operators. Watch the National Training customer video below or click here to watch it directly. With staff, instructors and students spread across the country, National Training needed a cost-effective way to connect everybody. Initially, they implemented WebEx to conduct educational webinars but found the tool expensive and complex. After evaluating other options, National Training switched from WebEx to GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar, citing ease of use and wider industry acceptance. Since then, they’ve expanded their portfolio to include GoToAssist Remote Support, GoToTraining, GoToMyPC and Podio. Embracing these Citrix solutions has helped National Training stand out in the vocational training industry. "I’ve checked out our competitors and I believe we’re the only organization offering this type of tech innovation. I’m sold on Citrix," said Sales Manager Andy McLoughlin. Read the full case study (PDF) or learn more.