Andy Leonard is CSO of Linchpin People and SQLPeople, an SSIS Trainer, Consultant, and developer; a Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) developer; SQL Server database and data warehouse developer, community mentor, engineer, and farmer. He is a co-author of SQL Server 2012 Integration Services Design Patterns. His background includes web application architecture and development, VB, and ASP. Andy loves the SQL Server Community!

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• “Can You See Me Think?”

  Introduction This post is the fifty-seventh part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . A Story… Once upon a time I was a manufacturing systems integrator. That’s a fancy Read More... Posted Saturday, October 26, 2013 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 3 Comments Filed under: Doing Software Right, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), measurement, Project Management

• On the Demise of the MCM Certification

  Recently, Microsoft decided to retire some expert-level certifications. Among them, the highest SQL Server certification: the Microsoft Certified Master (MCM). There are several good posts on the topic, most notably: Death of the MCM Program (Paul Randal) Read More... Posted Monday, September 23, 2013 11:40 AM by andyleonard | 8 Comments Filed under: Community, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), MCM

• It’s About Delivering Value, Stupid

  James Carville coined the phrase, “ It’s the economy, stupid ,” as part of Bill Clinton’s 1992 US Presidential campaign. I’m not fond of the “stupid” part. But I have also never successfully advised a governor to become President of the United States Read More... Posted Sunday, August 11, 2013 12:00 PM by andyleonard | 1 Comments Filed under: Business Intelligence, Cloud, Consulting, Disruptive, Elegant Design, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Professional Development

• Performance-Based Management and Andy’s Law

  Let’s begin with an assertion: “People are more important than process.” – Andy, circa 2008 Whenever an enterprise or institution adopts a new process or policy, that policy should serve people and not shackle them. The nicest thing that can be said about Read More... Posted Friday, May 10, 2013 10:29 AM by andyleonard | 3 Comments Filed under: Disruptive, Doing Software Right, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Freedom!, Geek

• Less Useful Soft Skills

  Introduction This post is the fifty-sixth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . Over a career that spans decades, one encounters useful and “less useful” soft skills Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2012 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 0 Comments Filed under: Consulting, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Engineers, I-Am-Such-A-Geek, Transparency

• Push The Pebble

  Introduction This post is the fifty-fifth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about starting something. Today is the First Day… … of something. Somewhere, Read More... Posted Monday, April 02, 2012 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 3 Comments Filed under: Doing Software Right, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Software Business

• Trick Question

  Introduction This post is the fifty-fourth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about you. Me? Yep, you. Two questions: What is your job title? (<—Not Read More... Posted Tuesday, March 27, 2012 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 23 Comments Filed under: Doing Software Right, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Software Business

• Managing Confidence

  Introduction This post is the fifty-third part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about inspiring others. Hot Chicks - Baby chickens beneath a warming lamp… Read More... Posted Thursday, March 22, 2012 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 1 Comments Filed under: EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Software Business

• Q: How Many Calls From Work While on Vacation is Too Many?

  A: One.   P.S. This post is the fifty-second part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about how to quickly and efficiently get the employees you need Read More... Posted Monday, March 12, 2012 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 3 Comments Filed under: EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Software Business

• To Snark or Not to Snark…

  Introduction This post is the fifty-first part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about communication. On Being Clever I enjoy listening to a good comedian Read More... Posted Monday, February 06, 2012 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 7 Comments Filed under: EMPs (Expensive Management Practices)

• Credibility

  Introduction This post is the fiftieth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about credibility. The Internal List I believe everyone has an Internal List Read More... Posted Monday, December 12, 2011 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 0 Comments Filed under: Community, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Leadership

• Dashboards

  Introduction This post is the forty-ninth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about dashboards. Dashboards are where data meets decision-makers. The Read More... Posted Monday, December 05, 2011 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 5 Comments Filed under: EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Leadership, measurement

• Performance-Based Management Stinks

  Introduction This post is the forty-eighth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about Performance-Based Management (PBM). Almost… In Mere Christianity Read More... Posted Thursday, November 03, 2011 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 5 Comments Filed under: EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Leadership, measurement

• How to Tell You’re a Community

  Introduction I read a slogan yesterday and laughed out loud. Literally. Had I been drinking coffee at the time, I would have needed to clean my laptop screen. When the laughter subsided I realized the organization that created the slogan believes it to Read More... Posted Thursday, August 25, 2011 12:30 PM by andyleonard | 2 Comments Filed under: Community Mentoring, Developer Community, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Transparency

• Creating is Hard

  Introduction This post is the forty-seventh part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page . This post is about creation. Creating is Hard Work Building something from nothing Read More... Posted Friday, August 12, 2011 8:00 AM by andyleonard | 1 Comments Filed under: Developer Community, EMPs (Expensive Management Practices), Software Business