Contact Kate Carroll, Chapter Administrator, Boston SIM, email: kcarroll@bostonsim.org, phone: 978-463-6800 for more information.
Each month Boston SIM meetings enable members to gain perspectives on: New technologies and business opportunities; Best practices as demonstrated by leading companies; Real-life experiences—successes and failures; How other companies respond to similar challenges; Expanding your own skills and knowledge base.
Ten meetings are scheduled from January through June and September through December, featuring leading authorities and dynamic speakers. The cost is $35 for members and $60 for nonmembers and guests, if prepaid; and $45 for members and $70 for nonmembers and guests if paid at the door. Payment may be made by check or cash. Prepayments should be mailed to Boston SIM, P. O. Box 998, Upton, MA 01568.
Prospective members and other guests are welcome to attend a maximum of two events before applying for membership. To make a reservation, visit our chapter's website at www.bostonsim.clubexpress.org or send an e-mail to kcarroll@bostonsim.org
Initially offered in 1985, the CIO Roundtable has become one of the most popular features of Boston SIM membership for those individuals who are identified as the Chief Information Officer for their organizations. The Roundtables provide opportunities for CIOs to discuss topics of interest with their peers in a relaxed, informal setting.
The CIO Roundtables are by invitation only to those eligible Chapter members and are offered in the Boston and Providence areas. The typical Roundtable program is hosted by a CIO at his/her company. The program begins at 1:30 p.m. with a presentation by a CIO member or invited guest on a topic chosen in advance. Ample time is provided for discussion with the presenter and among the group. After the program, refreshments and dinner provide additional opportunity for discussion and networking. Four CIO Roundtables are held each program year. Following is a list of recent CIO Roundtable topics: Group Collaboration Using the Internet, How to Manage and Succeed in Your Career as CIO, ERP Implementation Projects, Managing Remote Network Access, Justifying and Measuring the Value of IT, and Managing the Human Resource.
The Consultant Roundtable provides IT consultants with a forum for sharing best practices and growing their network. The roundtable started in the spring of 2006. Its participants are a diverse mix of IT consultants, ranging from sole practitioners to managers at large, international firms. They also cover all aspects of IT consulting, including strategy, application development and infrastructure.
The Consultant Roundtable is modeled after the CIO and Practitioner Roundtables. The program begins at 3 with a brief presentation from the host company. This is followed by a facilitated discussion on a topic chosen in advance.
This professional development program is designed for participants to develop an understanding of themselves as individuals and the value of their relationship to others, and to become more effective as part of a team. The seven, two-day sessions are facilitated and feature open discussions with business leaders, case exercises, candid discussions about careers, successes and failures, as well as a hefty reading load.
"To achieve and hold a position of leadership in this age of innovation, you must spend a part of every day in self-development."
James McCay, The Management of Time, recommended reading for the RLF session on "The Ideal CIO"
Technology has evolved dramatically over the last several decades from a tool that enabled change through efficiency, then effectiveness and finally by transforming the enterprise as a mission-critical business priority. The industry is now demanding that IT professionals transform along a similar continuum—from technologists to strategists to multidimensional internal agents of change—well versed in the leadership, management and communications skills that are driving the business revolution into the next millennium. SIM’s Regional Leadership Forum helps prepare participants to meet this challenge.
Go to the SIMI RLF Home Page
The Leadership Development Roundtable (LDR) is based on the very successful Regional Leadership Forum’s (RLF) learning model, which is highly participative and very open in its nature. It continues to address such items as Integrity, Leadership and Results. It’s objective is to provide a continuous learning experience for RLF graduates to pursue the development of their authentic, personal leadership style. It is a process, which allows the RLF graduate to “sharpen his/her own saw”.
The LDR program is sponsored by the Boston chapter of the Society for Information Management (SIM) and is offered to all RLF graduates regardless of which year or forum they attended. It is designed to allow one to enroll as many times as one wishes whether that person graduated last year or more than ten years ago. Approximately a third of LDR participants have attended multiple years in the five-year history of the program.
The curriculum is designed with input from the participants regarding the books, topics and guest speakers with more time devoted to each than was in the RLF. The scope of coverage extends from Harvard case studies to exploring Personal Leadership Moments of the participants themselves. It is aimed at a better understanding of how one applies his/her leadership style in life and on the job.
Leaders know that “leadership” and “management” are not the same skill set, but not all leaders are effective for the same reasons. However, they all demonstrate a certain level of self awareness, and an understanding of the importance of relationships & interpersonal skills.
Sharpen the Leadership Saw is a new program offered to all current SIM members, and all former SIM RLF graduates, who are interested in evolving as a leader. Through carefully selected book discussions and speakers who are IS/IT leaders, the program offers an opportunity to improve a fundamental understanding of “leadership”, and your own personal brand of it.
The book, topic, facilitator, and location for the next session(s) are determined by the participants of the current session, ensuring that everything is relevant for the audience. Sessions are targeted for October, January, April, and July.
Many years ago, Albert Schweitzer said, “You must give some time to your fellow man, even if it’s a little thing, do something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it”.
It is with these words that the Boston Chapter of SIM created its Outreach Program. Our members had risen through the ranks, assumed positions of IT leadership and the field had been good to us. So, it was time – time to ‘give back’, to help others less fortunate than we are.
With this direction, a committee worked defining just what we wanted out of this new Chapter activity. Mission statements, strategies and goals were all laid out so we could measure our success--because we were not to going to fail.
To date we have selected three Outreach Partners – Year Up, Teen Voices and Common Impact. They are different while being similar – they can use our help, expertise, experience, funds and counsel. They need help from not just the leadership of your Chapter; they can use the help of each and every member. A little help from each member would make a big difference to these wonderful organizations.
We have described our current Outreach Partners – their stories and the kind of support and assistance our members can provide. Click on the following link and please read and consider being one of the ‘privileged ones’ of the Boston Chapter.
Click here to learn about our Outreach partners - their compelling stories and the assistance our members can provide....
Members and friends of Boston SIM can also contact Les Ball, (lesballscituate@gmail.com) or any other member of the Board of Trustees to learn about how you might become involved in either of these very worthwhile programs.
New to the SIM offerings since 2006 is the Practitioners Roundtables for those individuals who are identified as vice presidents or directors within their organizations, typically reporting to a CIO. These "Roundtables" are modeled from the CIO Roundtables and provide opportunities for senior managers to discuss topics of interest with their peers. Unique to the Practitioners Roundtables is participation by those representing both the infrastructure and the applications side of the house. Topics for each are presented at the sessions. If you have pressing technology issues or would like to continue to develop your overall IT knowledge, this is a great forum in which to do it.
The Practitioners Roundtables are by invitation only to eligible Chapter members. The typical Roundtable program is hosted by an IT senior manager at his/her company. The program begins at 1:30 p.m. with presentations by senior managers or invited guests on topics chosen in advance. Ample time is provided for discussion with the presenters among attendees. Following the program, refreshments and dinner provide additional opportunity for relaxed discussion and networking. Four Practitioners Roundtables are held each program year.
Boston SIM Silver is an organization dedicated to members who are approaching traditional retirement by assessing, planning, evaluating and discussing the transition from their professional careers to a new stage of life.
The goals of SIM Silver are to:
- Facilitate discussion in the transition to a post professional career stage of life.
- Provide a forum for helping its members conduct an assessment of their life in preparation for a post professional career stage.
- Provide a forum to review and assist its members in developing a post professional career plan.
- Share its members’ experiences as a method to gain insight into a variety of struggles, setbacks and successes in a transition.
- Facilitate a social network of post professional career Boston SIM members.
Membership in SIM Silver is voluntary and defined as first being or having been an active member of SIM and currently a member in good standing. Those wishing to participate will contact the Boston SIM Chapter Administrator to be placed on the SIM Silver mailing list. Meetings are conducted 4 to 6 times a year.
In addition to meetings, SIM Silver has a collaborative web-site where members can share information, ideas, and thoughts. Relevant information from a variety of sources are available at that site. For more information, contact the Boston SIM Silver facilitator, Les Ball, at lesballscituate@gmail.com.
Annual Golf Tournament
The annual Boston SIM Golf Tournament has been a great success with numerous sponsors and over 150 attendees participating. A portion of the proceeds from the Boston SIM Golf Tournament helps support Boston SIM Outreach activities.
The 2008 event is scheduled for June 18, 2008 at Cyprian Keyes in Boylston, Massachusetts.
The Boston Chapter of SIM invites members and friends to join together for an enjoyable afternoon of golf, with an evening dinner and awards ceremony to follow.