Seven Years...

On Friday of this week. I sent three emails to SAP. The first note went to Leo Apotheker. I thanked Leo for allowing me to contribute to SAP’s success and his guidance and told him I’d miss my times “sweating [while presenting] to him and the rest of the FLT [Field Leadership Team].”  I received a great note back from Leo.  Marty Homlish received the second email in which I also thanked him not only for the opportunity to contribute to Marketing's success at SAP but for his mentorship and the many personal  learnings I experienced while working for him. The final note went to my fellow colleagues: 

Colleagues… Seven years is a long time. I remember my first day at SAP though like it was yesterday -- I actually wore a tie on that first day, and looked so eager and ready to begin… And of course, I had much more hair. Each year has been completely different -- with new challenges and amazing opportunities. I've had my share of failures as well as some spectacular successes….Executive Offline Demos, Rapid Prototyping Tool, The CMI MegaModel and Custom Research Agendas, Risk Management, Competitive Monitoring programs, Services marketing, build out of the Apollo team and great successes with Safe Passage programs, driving design thinking into our experience design methodologies and helping to get SAP on the road with Web 2.0.

But the greatest success and thing that has given me the most pleasure has been the opportunity to work with such a talented and driven group of people. I want to thank you all for allowing me to be part of your professional and in some cases personal lives. Its been fun and its been an honor.

I wish I had some great pearl of wisdom that will leave you saying "wow" but nothing particularly insightful or groundbreaking comes to mind, so I'll just say, stay the course, get outside the box as often as possible, and if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.

So what am I going to be doing? Well, the road has a number of very interesting paths in front of me right now… I am weighing some fascinating opportunities. Each of them exciting for different reasons. I'm not sure which path I'll be taking but I'm sure our paths will cross again. As a matter of fact, you won't be getting rid of me that quickly. For the next few months, I will be working with Marketing and other organizations within SAP to move the ball on some of the Social Media efforts that we've already kicked off.

Oh, and I'm sure I've neglected to send this to folks. If you wouldn't mind passing along to your teams, I'd really appreciate that.

My coordinates:

steve.mann@sap.com for the next two months plus:

steve.mann60@gmail.com

+1 917-573-2692 (cell)

+1 646-441-0309 (cell)

Follow Me On Twitter:

http://twitter.com/stevemann

Best of luck and Great Success!!

Steve

The outpouring from my colleagues has been overwhelming. I’ve received hundred of emails… here’s a taste:

I am just in complete shock. You are one of the most valuable people I met at SAP, taking us into the 21st century.

I have learned SO MUCH from you. SO MUCH.

Well, let me know if I can be of any assistance in the future. Would love to work together again some time.

Hi Steve,

Gosh, this is a shock!  I’m sorry to hear you’re leaving SAP.  We’ve been doing some great work together and you’ve been THE leading voice in the marketing team for all things social media. 

Stunned.  Only word I can think of.

WHAAAAAAT?  Wow Steve, I'm gobsmacked.  What just happened?  :-)

So sorry to see you go, but also excited about what the future may hold for you.  I'll look forward to working with you over the next two months, and who knows, maybe we'll have the chance to keep up the communication after that.

I don't know what to say. Or there are so many things I want to say. We've done so much together that I am finding this really hard to comprehend.

Can we please go out, so we can get a chance to really discuss? Drinks, lunch, breakfast -- you choose. But let's just get it on the calendar soon.
Let me know when.
See you next week?

I think my favorite term was "gobsmacked." You get the idea.  I have hundreds of these.  So thank you SAP.  I have to say, I’m on the giddy side this weekend.  For a number of reasons. First I’m glad to be parting ways with SAP.  I like the company and I have great respect for its employees and leadership but there is so much more that I want to do, that I can’t do at SAP.  Secondly, we’re parting on very good terms – terms that reflect the benefits and contributions I’ve made to the company over the last seven years. Finally, SAP is retaining my services to continue to help them formulate, articulate and execute on their Web 2.0 strategy, which I am happy to do.

So. One door is closing and there are some new ones opening up directly in front of me.  I’m looking forward to having some news for you in the near future… stay  tuned.

Guess I should change my about page and LinkedIn profile eh?

Comments

[James Farrar]

1.

Steve -- sorry to see you leave SAP. You will be a real loss. We only met once in person but because of social media tools I was able to connect and learn a lot from you. And that's what its all about really. Especially important in knowledge heavy and geographically dispersped & decentralised organisations like SAP. So thanks from me for that opportunity. The good news is that the tools go with you so whilst you slip dock the loose ties are still connected. So -- I won't say 'stay in touch' - we already are. Cheers Mate. James

[Sam Lawrence]

2.

Wow Steve. Congratulations on this next chapter. I can't imagine the force you'll bring to your next chapter.

I'm sure you'll go big. Really big.

[Steve]

3.

@james thanx James. And you are so right! Paths easily cross and stay crossed because of who we are and what we do.

@Sam thanx Sam.. am invigorated at the prospect.

[Mark Masterson]

4.

Looking forward to seeing (and learning from) whatever you do next, Steve. All the best.

[Thomas Otter]

5.

Steve,
Best of luck. There is a big world out there. Grasp it.

[R Wang]

6.

Steve,

You have been a great driving force at SAP. I've personally witnessed the difference you've made as a competitor at Oracle and PeopleSoft and as an analyst. The innovations in Safe Passage, Apollo, and others are legends for generations to learn from. Given the many layoffs we are hearing from key SAP insiders, it's so rare to see such graciousness in exiting, but as you know, how you leave is just as important as how you begin and for a class act like yourself, congratulations and good luck on your next venture!

Warmest regards,

R "Ray" Wang
Vice President
Forrester Research, Inc.
http://blog.softwareinsider.org

[Steve]

7.

@thomas... this is true! And I'm so looking forward to it.

@Ray Ray...kinda blown away by your words. Thank you for them. They mean a lot to me. And I'm all about the exits and entrances :) Seriously, I do believe that its important to enter with your head held high and leave in the same fashion. I look forward to our continued engagements.

[Steve]

8.

@Mark thank you Mark!

[Jason Wood]

9.

Steve,

I remember meeting you at Sapphire during the first blogger session and you commanded respect and presence; which sounds normal but in the context of the egos and self confidence in that room, it was something special indeed.

From there I've had the distinct pleasure of getting to know you beyond your role at SAP and have come to respect you more as a person than I did for your professional acumen, if that's even possible.

You're a good person, a good friend, and someone I would happily go into battle with anytime.

I literally can't wait to see what you choose next, it'll be a whole new road to discuss, debate, support and encourage.

Best,

Jason

[Rotkapchen]

10.

Such is the beauty of the new social 'worknet' world. You've not really gone anywhere as far as I can tell :)

[Darren Hague]

11.

Wow - I only just found this news, via a link from a blog that Dennis Howlett referenced on Twitter - so this social media stuff definitely works better than SAP internal comms. :-)

Steve, I've learned a lot (and will continue to do so) from following you on Twitter, and I've always been glad that you're a part of SAP's Web 2.0 efforts. I hope that we can continue with this, and incorporate more of it both internally and as part of our product offerings.

Wishing you all the best,
Darren

[Steve]

12.

@Paula that warms my heart. thanx!

@Darren, yeah Wow... i hadn't realized Dennis had referenced it. Of course it works better than internal comms...this is where internal comms need to get to... :) I'm glad you've learned a lot Darren.. good luck to you!

[Nigel James]

13.

All the best Steve. From memory I found your blog via Mr Otter - no not that one - the other Thomas Otter. It has been great following your blog and tweets.
All the best for the next step.

[Ed C]

14.

Steve-

Follow your blog like I have time to read it, but since you make time to write it - its worth my while. SxSW next year, come down here, ok?

I SWEAR I will never call you the secret agent again (but you know you were the best then too), your incredible talent has been showing for years!

I love this game and so do you!

Catchup next time and soon, eh?

Ed

[Steve]

15.

@Nigel @Ed.... appreciate your kind comments. Looking forward to catching up soon!

Steve