January 7th, 2020
As we roll into the New Year at Lodestar Solutions we like to look back at the year in review and share the highlights and what we learned. As the President of Lodestar Solutions, I can honestly say after 15 years of business I enjoyed 2019 the most! Yes, 2019 was Epic!
2019 had fabulous technical highlights coming out of our partners IBM and Motio. For the first time IBM allowed Lodestar Solutions in 2019 to engage with clients to help them resolve their IBM audit issues, which we had been requesting to do. (See Blog on Audits)
During 2019 I was fortunate to speak all over the country at amazing events like the FEI Technology Summit in Minneapolis, IBM Think 2019, Renaissance Weekend and we put on our own Lodestar Solutions’ workshops where we heard your struggles. I joined a CEO mastermind that gave me and our organization clarity, so we crushed our goals. I wrote a best-selling book on Amazon, Solving the CIO Identity Crisis to help improve communications between technologists and the business. (A passion project). And during the year I was privileged to travel all over the world with my boyfriend where I met amazing, inspiring people and retained my airline status. All this would not have been possible without the support and dedication of our extraordinary Lodestar team. You guys rock!
For me, 2019 was a year of learning. I can’t wait to share with everyone what I have discovered in 2020!
Technical Highlights for 2019 in IBM Analytics:
IBM Cognos Analytics v11 ROCKS!
IBM Cognos Analytics development team keeps rolling out amazing new functionality and has made the IBM Analytics Solutions a true force in the marketplace! If you haven’t closely looked at the latest release, it’s time! If you haven’t upgraded from Cognos BI 10.2 to Cognos Analytics, then I have to ask why not? Not upgrading is like driving around in an old 1991 sedan when you could be driving a 2020 vehicle with all the new safety and convenience features like Bluetooth and lane assist. If you are paying support, you have access to the Cognos Analytics (BI) upgrade! For more information on why we love Cognos Analytics see this previous blog, and email us for a complimentary upgrade consultation at Services@lodestarsolutions.com.
Cognos Planning Analytics v 11 is Game Changing!
Why do I love the new Cognos Planning Analytics over the old TM1 10? Have you played with Workspace? See blog on Workspace for more details, or watch our detail video.
It makes modeling so much easier, and it’s pretty. Great visualizations in TM1! But for many of you, what you didn’t realize is that a few years back IBM added Hierarchies to TM1 and for an old school modeler like me, it made me almost fall off my chair. Hierarchies are game changing. Allowing TM1 users so much flexibility and analytic capabilities without having to add more cubes. I get that in the hustle of your life you might not have realized the power, but I promise it’s worth your time to talk to one of our team members about how hierarchies will revolutionize your TM1 models. Maybe it’s time for a 2020 TM1 model overhaul. Email us for a complimentary upgrade consultation at Services@lodestarsolutions.com.
Motio’s New Inventory Blew My Socks Off!
My boyfriend and I were on vacation with my friend Lynn Moore, of Motio in June, when he says, “Heather, I want to show you something.” What I didn’t realize is Lynn was about to show me his new module Inventory that tells you what the heck is in your IBM Cognos Content Store. It’s like a secret decoder ring for clients that are planning their Cognos BI upgrades to Cognos Analytics because it gives you data, basically an inventory of what reports exist, how complex they are, and even if they have been run recently. This is worth checking out because it could save you a ton of time on your Cognos Analytics upgrade. Yes, it blew my socks off, well it would of if I wasn’t wearing flip flops at the time.
Lodestar Solutions 2019- Top Three Things I Learned
1. Time to Get Strategic! - Lodestar Solutions 2019
2019 had so many learning experiences for me personally. I attended 15 major conferences on everything from thought leadership, marketing, law, data analytics, finance, real estate and personal development. During these events I met people that play at a much higher level, and they truly inspired me! After traveling all over the world to experience new ideas, my biggest take-away was to get strategic! Whether you need to get strategic leading your business or team. Or maybe just get strategic about your own career path. I discovered the more time I spent planning and working on my business and planning my personal future instead of spending all my time in the business and moving through the daily motion of life, the easier success came. It’s time to get more STRATEGIC people! Yes, it sounds like common sense but as my coach and mentor Brendon Burchard says, “Common sense is not always common practice.” How much planning have you done? Is it time to get a little more strategic?
2. Benefits of Coach and Mastermind - Lodestar Solutions 2019
Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, “Wow I thought I would be further in life by now!” In late 2018 I had that epiphany and decided I needed to take massive action! So, in 2019 I made a significant investment in coaches and masterminds. For decades I was the type of person that thought, “why pay a coach when I can read a book or take an online class and figure it out myself.” What I didn’t know was I was experiencing success very slowly. Yes, I could learn and do everything by myself and get where I wanted to go in 10 years. But what I learned is when I got a coach and joined a mastermind what could have took me years to accomplish, happened in months! When I joined a mastermind and hired the right coaches, they kept me focused, connected me with people I needed to meet, and held me accountable. IT WAS LIFE CHANGING! Maybe you should consider a coach or mastermind in 2020.
3. Active Communication = Happiness - Lodestar Solutions 2019
The last thing I learned in 2019 is that the active communication is essential to happiness. Active communication to me is both listening, being engaged, working to understand the values of the other person and then sharing your thoughts in the language of the recipient. The biggest AH HA moment came to me when I realized that technologists have different values than many other parts of the organization. You see in IT we value being the brightest. The top geek wins respect. But when you leave the techie world and you try to gain respect by out geeking the CFO you will fail. In fact, you will make the CFO feel ignorant and all communication will breakdown. When this breakdown happens both parties are unfulfilled.
I believe connections with other humans is key to our happiness. Helping others achieve their goals is extremely fulfilling. After reading hundreds of books over the years on psychology, happiness, communications and personal development, it all came together for me in 2019. If we fix the communication barriers, we can help each other, connect more and increase happiness. Who doesn’t want to be happier?
What’s Instore for 2020?
AMAZING THINGS! I am so excited for this new decade! My personal goal is to help CEOs grow their businesses and increase the happiness levels in their teams and clients. Maybe I should make it my mission to get every organization to add a Happiness Performance Indicator to their KPI’s and Dashboards. You know the country of Bhutan has a Gross Happiness Index! (See more on Happiness Index). Hoping to make it to Bhutan someday! Happy New Year! I am looking forward to working with you and helping you succeed beyond your wildest dreams!
Heather L. Cole
President & CEO – Lodestar Solutions, Inc.