Should You Even Bother With Technology Alliances? — Let’s Talk About It
Here is a potentially-controversial opinion:
If your company isn’t willing to staff an Alliance program properly, set realistic expectations, and give it the time to bear fruit—don’t bother doing it. Save everybody the trouble and spend your money elsewhere. Please just stop. I’m serious.
I know that sounds abrupt, but I’ve seen too many well-meaning companies build Alliance programs on shaky foundations with silly expectations. They throw one person (or a tiny team) into the deep end and expect miracles. Or they assume partners will altruistically sell their product enthusiastically without an exchange of value. Or they want it all to pay off big time by next quarter. None of those scenarios are grounded in reality. They’re all wishful thinking. As the saying goes, “If wishes were horses…”
I’ve been in this space a long time (picture me looking in a mirror at my very-gray hair). And, as I’ve noted before, I’m very fortunate to be at a point in life where I can ease up from the stress of career aspiration, which means I’m completely untethered from any concern about blowback for expressing an unpopular thought. I don’t have to say what people want to hear. I can say what they need to hear—what I believe to be true - in politely (hopefully persuasively) blunt terms based on decades of experience in the trenches.
So, as I’ve said before, I’m here to be of service (probably mostly in the form pro bono discussions). I’m more than happy to talk with:
Early-career professionals who are trying to find their footing in the Tech Alliances world
Mid-career folks who feel stuck and want a sounding board
Leaders who want a clear-eyed, bias-free opinion before making a move
I’ve been lucky to have a long and fulfilling career in this field. I’m not looking to turn a conversation into a paid gig. This is about paying it forward to the industry that gave me so much.
That’s not to say that I’m not willing to take on a paid project. If you are looking for help with a tough Alliances project, I’m still open to the right kind of engagement. But at this stage, my motivation is contribution and connection.
So if you're thinking about how to build or rebuild a Tech Alliances program—or navigate your role within one—feel free to reach out. I’m here.
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Want to see how I approach the work? Visit Cascadia Leadership Advisors
