One of the missions we are seeking to advance at InScope is Telehealth- Bringing the Future of Electronic Healthcare into Focus. This is a ripe field, and InScope is aligning itself to hopefully reap the harvest.
Below are snippets from a recent New York Times article about how technology will impact the cost of healthcare:
"There is no silver bullet for reforming America's health care system, but medical experts have long agreed that digital patient records and electronic prescribing can help improve care and curb costs.
It seems straightforward. Just combine technology skills with investment money, and then develop innovative products. But to date, the push for a digital revolution in doctors' offices has brought mostly frustration for the many companies big and small that are trying to conquer the field.
...
The goal, is to deliver the better care and lower costs achieved by some large health care groups without being one... Trying to combine technology tools, cooperative relationships between doctors and insurers, and financial incentives to create the "virtual equivalent" of an integrated system.
If it is going to become a money-spinner someday, it will come from software, a business that can grow rapidly and profitably, if successful.
The right technology, medical experts say, can potentially overcome two major hurdles to the adoption of electronic health records by doctors: cost and complexity. Those obstacles are most pronounced in the market of doctors in small practices.
About one in five doctors now uses digital health records. But the percentage is far lower in small practices, while in larger, integrated health groups- Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic and others- all use digital records.
The larger groups are big enough to afford the investment in electronic records, training, and technical support. But they also use the electronic patient data as a tool to better manage patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and heart diseases, so they are healthier and less apt to require costly hospital care."
(Source: "2 Brothers Await Broad Use of Medical E-Records" by Steve Lohr. Published 3 October 2010. www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/technology/04pad.html?th&emc=th)
For more information on InScope's stance on bringing the future of telehealth into focus, visit our YouTube site to watch a short clip on the application of technology to healthcare! www.YouTube.com/user/InScopeInternational
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
A Helpful NY Times Article...
As we continue to become a geographically dispersed company, I found this article to be relevant, concerning how to "show up" and act professional in virtual meetings. "Virtual meetings have become a staple of business life, but personal conduct during a phone or video conference can be different than in face-to-face meetings." We all know it is tempting to dial-in to a meeting and then mute it and keep going about our lives. But it is important to be "present" at meetings mentally, even when you aren't face-to-face. Check out what this article has to say about virtual meeting behavior...
Staying Professional in Virtual Meetings
By EILENE ZIMMERMAN
Published: September 25, 2010
Q. Virtual meetins have become a staple of business life, whether conducted by phone or video. What are the biggest differences between a virtual meeting and one that is face-to-face?
A. Teleconferences and videoconferences offer a relatively inexpensive way to meet with colleagues from around the country or the world, but they also present special challenges.
When you aren't in the same room with other people, you lose important nonverbal cues that register unease, confusion, agreement, or disagreement. That makes it easier to miscommunicate, says Sean O'Brien, senior vice presiden for strategy and communications at PGi, which provides technology platforms for virtual meetings.
Participants in virtual meetings often feel a lowered sense of accountability, Mr. O'Brien says. "In face-to-face meetings people really show up, not just physically but also mentally. They come to the meeting prepared and actively participate," he says. In virtual meetings - including the telepresence variety, where images are highly realistic - that's often not the case.
Q. During a teleconference, no one can see you, so it's common for attendees to hit the mute button and do other things while listening. Should you?
A. People sometimes do things in a virtual meeting that they'd never do in person, like checking sports scores or having side conversations. "I've seen people at a videoconference grooming themselves on camera," says Laura Stack, CEO of the Productivity Pro, a management consulting firm, and author of "SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best."
But if you are at a virtual meeting only to listen, some multitasking is fine, says Bob Preston, chief collaboration officer at Polycom, a telepresence, video and voice communications company in Pleasanton, Calif.
Generally, though, it's better not to do other things while you're in a virtual meeting, because you could miss important information. "If you keep asking to have questions repeated or for clarification of what's being said, you are essentially announcing to everyone: 'I'm not really paying attention' and risk looking unprofessional," Ms. Stack says.
And use the mute button to block background noise. Mr. Preston recalled a teleconference in which someone was eating a bag of potato chips. "You could hear it rustling during the meeting, and finally someone said: 'Whoever is eating the potato chips, could you please mute?' That's embarassing."
The mute button is also important if you use a headset. "I've had meetings where someone went into the bathroom and forgot their headset was on," Mr. O'Brien says.
Q. Often in teleconferences and videoconferences, there is a slight voice delay, causing people to talk over one another. How can you make sure you are heard without being rude?
A. If you want to cut into the discussion during a teleconference, you need to prompt the group first, so say something like "Excuse me" or "Question" and then wait a couple of seconds before continuing, says Mr. Preston.
In a videoconference, the speaker will be the biggest image on your screen, but there is usually a smaller window where you can see everyone else, so prompt the group by raising your hand, or by raising your hand and saying, "I have a point I'd like to make," says Stephen Epstein, chief marketing officer at Avistar Communications, a video communications software company.
Q. What should you wear- and avoid wearing- to a videoconference?
A. Avoid stripes. They don't transmit well on camera and can be mistaken for movement, causing the camera to keep refreshing itself, says Susan Colaric, director of instructional technology at Saint Leo University in Florida. Stay away from large, shiny jewelry, too, because it picks up glare.
"Wear solid colors with noticeable accents and dress for your audience," she says. For instance, in academia, ties are rare, but in law firms, they aren't."
Q. If you are a presenter at a virtual meeting, you should your presentation differ from that in a face-to-face meeting?
A. Virtual presentations should be shorter because it's easier to lose people's attention. Mr. Preston suggests pausing periodically to check in with your audience. "If you notice people tuning out, looking around or fidgeting, address them," he advises. For example, he suggests, say: "Debbie, you look a little puzzled. Can I clarify?"
Q. What's the best way to stand out in a virtual meeting?
A. Be prepared and actively engaged, asking questions and offering opinions and answers. Especially in teleconferences, there is a tendency to wait for someone else to speak first, says Ms. Stack. "Don't worry about being the first one," she says.
Look into the camera when you speak and use the same kind of body language and facial expressions as in a face-to-face meeting, Mr. O'Brien says. "Sometimes in virtual meetins there is a lot of passive engagement, where people hit the mute button and disappear," he says. "That's definitely not the way to stand out."
(Source: New York Times www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/jobs/26career.html)
Staying Professional in Virtual Meetings
By EILENE ZIMMERMAN
Published: September 25, 2010
Q. Virtual meetins have become a staple of business life, whether conducted by phone or video. What are the biggest differences between a virtual meeting and one that is face-to-face?
A. Teleconferences and videoconferences offer a relatively inexpensive way to meet with colleagues from around the country or the world, but they also present special challenges.
When you aren't in the same room with other people, you lose important nonverbal cues that register unease, confusion, agreement, or disagreement. That makes it easier to miscommunicate, says Sean O'Brien, senior vice presiden for strategy and communications at PGi, which provides technology platforms for virtual meetings.
Participants in virtual meetings often feel a lowered sense of accountability, Mr. O'Brien says. "In face-to-face meetings people really show up, not just physically but also mentally. They come to the meeting prepared and actively participate," he says. In virtual meetings - including the telepresence variety, where images are highly realistic - that's often not the case.
Q. During a teleconference, no one can see you, so it's common for attendees to hit the mute button and do other things while listening. Should you?
A. People sometimes do things in a virtual meeting that they'd never do in person, like checking sports scores or having side conversations. "I've seen people at a videoconference grooming themselves on camera," says Laura Stack, CEO of the Productivity Pro, a management consulting firm, and author of "SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best."
But if you are at a virtual meeting only to listen, some multitasking is fine, says Bob Preston, chief collaboration officer at Polycom, a telepresence, video and voice communications company in Pleasanton, Calif.
Generally, though, it's better not to do other things while you're in a virtual meeting, because you could miss important information. "If you keep asking to have questions repeated or for clarification of what's being said, you are essentially announcing to everyone: 'I'm not really paying attention' and risk looking unprofessional," Ms. Stack says.
And use the mute button to block background noise. Mr. Preston recalled a teleconference in which someone was eating a bag of potato chips. "You could hear it rustling during the meeting, and finally someone said: 'Whoever is eating the potato chips, could you please mute?' That's embarassing."
The mute button is also important if you use a headset. "I've had meetings where someone went into the bathroom and forgot their headset was on," Mr. O'Brien says.
Q. Often in teleconferences and videoconferences, there is a slight voice delay, causing people to talk over one another. How can you make sure you are heard without being rude?
A. If you want to cut into the discussion during a teleconference, you need to prompt the group first, so say something like "Excuse me" or "Question" and then wait a couple of seconds before continuing, says Mr. Preston.
In a videoconference, the speaker will be the biggest image on your screen, but there is usually a smaller window where you can see everyone else, so prompt the group by raising your hand, or by raising your hand and saying, "I have a point I'd like to make," says Stephen Epstein, chief marketing officer at Avistar Communications, a video communications software company.
Q. What should you wear- and avoid wearing- to a videoconference?
A. Avoid stripes. They don't transmit well on camera and can be mistaken for movement, causing the camera to keep refreshing itself, says Susan Colaric, director of instructional technology at Saint Leo University in Florida. Stay away from large, shiny jewelry, too, because it picks up glare.
"Wear solid colors with noticeable accents and dress for your audience," she says. For instance, in academia, ties are rare, but in law firms, they aren't."
Q. If you are a presenter at a virtual meeting, you should your presentation differ from that in a face-to-face meeting?
A. Virtual presentations should be shorter because it's easier to lose people's attention. Mr. Preston suggests pausing periodically to check in with your audience. "If you notice people tuning out, looking around or fidgeting, address them," he advises. For example, he suggests, say: "Debbie, you look a little puzzled. Can I clarify?"
Q. What's the best way to stand out in a virtual meeting?
A. Be prepared and actively engaged, asking questions and offering opinions and answers. Especially in teleconferences, there is a tendency to wait for someone else to speak first, says Ms. Stack. "Don't worry about being the first one," she says.
Look into the camera when you speak and use the same kind of body language and facial expressions as in a face-to-face meeting, Mr. O'Brien says. "Sometimes in virtual meetins there is a lot of passive engagement, where people hit the mute button and disappear," he says. "That's definitely not the way to stand out."
(Source: New York Times www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/jobs/26career.html)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
On Becoming a "Go-Giver"
by Mike Bruce
Over the Labor Day holiday, I read the book The Go-Giver, a business parable modeled after the style of the well-known book Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. The Go-Giver tells the tale of a salesman named Joe, desperate to close a major account he has been targeting, or else he will risk missing his quota for the third quarter in a row. The trick is that he only has seven days. Joe seeks out an infamous, but mysterious sales consultant named The Chairman, who Joe hopes can proved the clout and leverage needed to land the deal.
Without spoiling the plot, I found myself agreeing with each of the principles that The Chairman gave to Joe. Principles that all InScopers should be applying. All of them worked, but not in the way that Joe had anticipated. I'll list the principles below, but leave it to you to read the book and discover what happened in the end with Joe, his major account, and his quota.
Principles, according to The Chairman
The Law of Value:
Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than what you take in payment.
The Law of Compensation:
Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
The Law of Influence:
Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first.
The Law of Authenticity:
The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself
The Law of Receptivity:
The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
Are you willing to apply these principles and become a "Go-Giver"?
Over the Labor Day holiday, I read the book The Go-Giver, a business parable modeled after the style of the well-known book Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. The Go-Giver tells the tale of a salesman named Joe, desperate to close a major account he has been targeting, or else he will risk missing his quota for the third quarter in a row. The trick is that he only has seven days. Joe seeks out an infamous, but mysterious sales consultant named The Chairman, who Joe hopes can proved the clout and leverage needed to land the deal.
Without spoiling the plot, I found myself agreeing with each of the principles that The Chairman gave to Joe. Principles that all InScopers should be applying. All of them worked, but not in the way that Joe had anticipated. I'll list the principles below, but leave it to you to read the book and discover what happened in the end with Joe, his major account, and his quota.
Principles, according to The Chairman
The Law of Value:
Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than what you take in payment.
The Law of Compensation:
Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
The Law of Influence:
Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first.
The Law of Authenticity:
The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself
The Law of Receptivity:
The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
Are you willing to apply these principles and become a "Go-Giver"?
Monday, August 23, 2010
InService: An Outward Expression of Our Internal Values
So our corporate vision is "Advancing the Global Good." Everybody wants to do that, right?
By placing global issues such as Affordable Housing, Cyber-Security, and Warfighter Support at the center of our consulting model, InScope International demonstrates that our finger is on the pulse of the international community. We are not going to continue to sell outdated and obsolete capabilities, or seek out business in fading industries. Instead, we are aware of that the international community faces borderless challenges that span geopolitical boundaries, and want to get involved in tackling these challenges. InScope International is dedicated to our desire to advance the global good.
Perhaps now skepticism come into play. Some of the issues the world faces are just too big for a small business to make a difference! This is where InScope International is different. Our actions within any given business day at InScope are also played out in the way we give back to the community. We give back to people, organizations, and programs that also strive to advance the global good. And we even have a program designed to directly support InScope's vision of advancing the global good- not only with our words and business, but with our actions.
> Example: We go weed the garden and organize the donation room at the Fisher House in Washington DC. We helped make a house into a home, for families of wounded or recovering warfighters. Though the gesture seems small, InScope matching their actions with their words. We aim to protect and support warfighters, and by giving back to Fisher House, warfighter families are the best support a warfighter could want.
> Example: InScope is a sponsor for the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon. We believe in this cause not only in our consulting work during the day, but we truly desire advances in the global issue of affordable housing.
> Example: Multiple InScope employees would prefer to exchange a portion of their Paid Time Off for a charitable contribution from InScope to an organization of their choice. Their are literally donating their time and money to advance the global good.
The InService program is an outward expression of InScope International's internal values. Our actions match our words and match the core of our consulting model. We do truly desire to "Advance the Global Good."
By placing global issues such as Affordable Housing, Cyber-Security, and Warfighter Support at the center of our consulting model, InScope International demonstrates that our finger is on the pulse of the international community. We are not going to continue to sell outdated and obsolete capabilities, or seek out business in fading industries. Instead, we are aware of that the international community faces borderless challenges that span geopolitical boundaries, and want to get involved in tackling these challenges. InScope International is dedicated to our desire to advance the global good.
Perhaps now skepticism come into play. Some of the issues the world faces are just too big for a small business to make a difference! This is where InScope International is different. Our actions within any given business day at InScope are also played out in the way we give back to the community. We give back to people, organizations, and programs that also strive to advance the global good. And we even have a program designed to directly support InScope's vision of advancing the global good- not only with our words and business, but with our actions.
> Example: We go weed the garden and organize the donation room at the Fisher House in Washington DC. We helped make a house into a home, for families of wounded or recovering warfighters. Though the gesture seems small, InScope matching their actions with their words. We aim to protect and support warfighters, and by giving back to Fisher House, warfighter families are the best support a warfighter could want.
> Example: InScope is a sponsor for the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon. We believe in this cause not only in our consulting work during the day, but we truly desire advances in the global issue of affordable housing.
> Example: Multiple InScope employees would prefer to exchange a portion of their Paid Time Off for a charitable contribution from InScope to an organization of their choice. Their are literally donating their time and money to advance the global good.
The InService program is an outward expression of InScope International's internal values. Our actions match our words and match the core of our consulting model. We do truly desire to "Advance the Global Good."
Friday, August 20, 2010
All Moved In!
Sorry for the delay! InScope has been undergoing quite a bit of change over the summer! Here's what you missed:
InScope International is getting settled into their new office space, their new name, and their new brand. For over a month now, InScope Solutions has relaunched as InScope International, a mission-centric consulting firm. Our office move reflects the direction we are heading as a company: innovative, green, and equipped with industry-leading features...
An earlier blog gives a sneak peak at the office space during construction. Here is the finished product!
InScope International reception area
Walkway to enter the home of the professional staffing team, the public initiatives team, and the ITO team.
Here it is! The home of Professional Staffing, Public Initiatives, and ITO.
This is our main conference room, the Richard E. Bryd conference room, named after the Admiral who explored both the north and south poles.
Kevin Cassidy getting moved into his new office.
Both sides of the office have huddle rooms, designed for collaboration and quick meetings within and across the different organizations at InScope. A lot of brainpower has already been expended in these four walls!
This is our beautiful cafeteria, where InScope employees now can enjoy lunch together, not eating at their desk.
This galley is designed for more huddle spaces, each booth equipped with power and computer outlets.
This is our Walter Reed Conference Room, named after the Army MD who discovered the cause of yellow fever. This room is uniquely built with a window to view into the Innovation Center, where current and future projects will be housed to demonstrate to clients.
Since we have so many employees outside of the Reston HQ, we built a hotelling office for those who come and visit!
More cubes, on the side of the office which houses Technology Innovation, Mission Systems, HR, Finance, Communications, and, of course, CEO Mike Bruce.
We underwent more than just a name change and an office move. With mission-centric consulting, we are undertaking a whole new approach to business. Instead of aligning as a capabilities-oriented firm, or an industry-driven company, we seek to advance the global good in the consulting we provide. Of course, we do want to be able to define our capabilities and be strategic about the industries we pursue, but what matters most to InScope is the global issues behind the clients we serve. InScope International places global issues at the core of its consulting model, aware that the international community faces borderless challenges that span geopolitical boundaries.
Monday, June 7, 2010
New Office Seating Plan
Take a look at our new office seating arrangements! Our space is THREE TIMES the size of our current headquarters home. Take a look at the big picture above, along with the below close-ups, color coded by departments:
Mark your calendars to check out the final product on July 10th during our company picnic!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Sneak Peak: InSync Preview!
You are looking at the future portal homepage, which is just weeks away from launch! The portal will have some wonderful features to help us stay connected within the company. The employee directory is one of the highlights of this project. Each employee will have their own "profile page" of sorts, like a facebook profile, where we will each download a photograph, and then list out our details-- location, contact information, position, project, etc.
InSync will be the home of all of our HR forms as well, including many of them becoming electronically available!
InScope International looks to utilize InSync to unite the company. Though we are geographically dispersed, InSync will look to bridge the gap between one another!
InSync will be the home of all of our HR forms as well, including many of them becoming electronically available!
InScope International looks to utilize InSync to unite the company. Though we are geographically dispersed, InSync will look to bridge the gap between one another!
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