Technology Services World, October 2010: The Seven Secrets of Effective Alliance teams

1. The 7 Secrets of Effective
Alliance Teams
Susan B. McKay
Director, Strategy & Alliance Development
EMC Corporation
October 20, 2010

2. Why do we need alliances?
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Napoleon Bonaparte
King of Italy
Emperor of the French
1805-1814
France Austria
Source: Wikippedia 9/20/10 The Emperor Napoleon
in His Study at the Tuileries, by Jacques-Louis
David, 1812

3. Direct or indirect sales?
Direct Sales
(Napoleon’s approach)
Pro
• Talk to end customer directly
• Receive all the benefits
Cons
• Absorb all sales costs
• Rely only on your team’s talent
and relationships
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“Better not to have been born than to
live without glory.”
- Napoleon Bonaparte

4. • Stronger team
• Lower cost or risk
• JIT resources – right
resource at right time &
place
• Stronger contacts,
executive positioning
• More complete solution
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Source/Original work at/Original en: Pyms Gallery
Austria, Prussia, Russia, UK,
Netherlands
vs.
France
Indirect Sales
(Austria’s approach)

5. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.

6. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.
• Increase revenue
• Decrease or avoid
costs
• Reduce risk
Why are we doing this?

7. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.
• How to measure?
• Who measures?
• Establish a “rhythm
of the business”
What’s in it for each party?

8. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.

9. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.
“Friendship is only a word, I
care for nobody.”
“We walk faster when we
walk alone.”

10. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.
“Two powers like France and England, with a
good understanding between them, might
govern the world. “
“England is a nation of shopkeepers”

11. The 7 Secrets of top alliance teams
1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve conflicts.
“…a conqueror must not inspire a
good opinion of his benevolence until
he has demonstrated that he can be
severe with malefactors.”

12. Napoleon – why did he and France lose?
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Source:
http://www.militaryartgallery.com/HTML/napoleons_retreat_from_mosc
ow.htm
1. Ego-driven objectives
2. One-sided metrics
3. One “executive sponsor”
4. No real alliance
5. No process to resolve
conflicts.

13. Austria – why did they “et al” win?
The 7 secrets checklist
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1. Clear objectives
2. Metrics
3. “Got juice?”
4. Equal commitment
5. Team players
6. Transparency
7. Way to resolve
conflicts.

14. Call to action – next steps
14
• Identify areas
where you’re
losing to the
competition.
• Find allies who can
help you survive –
and win the war.
• Use the 7 secrets
to plan your next
move.

15. Contact Information
Susan McKay
Director, Strategy & Alliance Development
susan.mckay@emc.com
508-330-8160
Visit my blog:
http://partnersandalliances.typepad.com/partnershi
ps-alliances
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