Networking Opportunities at the Gartner Symposium

Michael Koenig, a resident of Sudbury, Massachusetts, is a successful and driven sales management professional who holds a degree from Hobart College in New York. Most recently Michael Koenig served as a regional vice president at Sudbury-based Gartner, where he regularly achieved double digit sales growth.

During his time at Gartner, Mr. Koenig also presented on the mindset of information technology buyers at the organization’s symposium. An annual event, the Gartner Symposium provides a leading platform for chief information officers and senior information technology (IT) executives to gather and discuss trends and innovations in the IT industry. The event features expert speakers, an exhibition floor, workshops, and a range of networking opportunities.

Networking opportunities at Gartner's Symposium include provider interactions via product solution sessions and the ITxpo Exhibit Showcase. In addition, attendees have the opportunity to participate in peer-to-peer networking sessions that range from workshops and peer meetups to roundtables and Q&A sessions. Moreover, the symposium typically offers special events designed to foster fun and camaraderie between colleagues and peers. This year's event included an evening spent at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park.

For additional information on the Gartner Symposium, visit www.gartner.com.

Top-Rated Hiking Destinations in the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area

An experienced sales executive based in the Boston suburb of Sudbury, Massachusetts, Michael Koenig draws on his leadership skills as a member of IBM’s Watson Talent team. In his free time, the Sudbury resident stays physically active through pursuits such as hiking. Michael Koenig’s home region offers a number of great places to enjoy a hike. The best include:

Middlesex Fells Reservation
Located six miles from Boston, Middlesex Fells attracts hikers with 100 miles of diverse terrain. The state park’s many trail options include Wright’s Tower, an uphill climb that rewards those who complete it with stunning views of the Boston Basin.

Noanet Woodlands
This Dover, Massachusetts, destination has something for everyone. Children can enjoy a half-mile hike on Caryl Trail, while more experienced hikers may opt for the challenging Noanet Peak.

Blue Hills Reservation
Blue Hills Reservation cuts through a range of terrain to the south of Boston. The 6,000-acre state park boasts 125 miles of trails and is home to Great Blue Hill, a climbable, 635-foot peak.

New Skills for Modern Sales Professionals

Michael Koenig, a resident of Sudbury, Massachusetts, worked at Gartner, Inc. for 22 years, finishing his tenure as regional vice president and North American sales leader. Recognized for his expertise in sales, Sudbury resident Michael Koenig has spoken on the topic and understands that today’s sales professionals must work to sharpen several different skills to stay competitive in the field.

Necessary skills for modern sales professionals have dramatically and rapidly changed over the last decade. Though still valid and important, skills and approaches that were mastered more than five years ago need to be built upon with accommodations for the new way buyers process information. Overall, it is essential for sales professionals to strive to stay ahead of their buyers, proactively working to drive the direction of how industries are reacting to their competition. In order to accomplish this, sales professionals can start by:

1. Expanding expertise. While knowing your product is an obvious necessity, knowing your customers’ industry is also essential. In order to sell the benefits of your product, you need to know and understand who and what your customers’ competition is, what drives them, and what lies ahead for the industry. In this way, you create a partnership with you customer by offering essential support services, not just sales services.

2. Helping the customer see your value. Rather than just selling a product or service, give your customer a vision for how your product will help them to solve what they perceive to be an underlying problem or need in their industry. When a customer understands that they are investing in the ultimate growth of their company, they are more likely to commit to a partnership with you.

3. Focusing on emotional intelligence. Connecting with your customers is more important than ever. Listening well, being sensitive to their needs, and treating them as individuals will only enhance your relationships.

4. Embracing digital marketing methods. Today, customers are usually fairly well educated about your product before you even shake hands with them for the first time. Embrace this by emphasizing your digital presence.

Mental Skills for Team Captains

Michael Koenig of Sudbury, Massachusetts, served as a regional vice president with Gartner for more than 20 years. Before coming to Gartner, Sudbury resident Michael Koenig attended Hobart College, where he played on the school's rugby and football teams, and served as the captain of the latter.

Team captains can come from any position in most sports, though positions like quarterback, which require similar skill sets to the ones team captains need, often tend to correlate with captain positions. Teams choose captains as much for their off-the-field talent as on-field talent, however.

Team captains must encourage their fellow players to think positively, under all circumstances. If players seem pessimistic, team captains should intervene with a message of hope. They should also give recognition to teammates who perform well, and be willing to help coach those who are struggling.

Team captains should also do their best to utilize teammates effectively. They should have a sense of which teammates perform well in which situations, and work to see that that each team member's unique skills are used as advantageously as possible.

ESPN Ranks Toughest Schedules for SEC Teams in 2018

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in political science from Hobart College, Michael Koenig of Sudbury, Massachusetts, is a former regional vice president with Gartner. Beyond his work in the field of high tech and telecom marketing, Sudbury's Michael Koenig is an avid college football fan who particularly enjoys following the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

The 2018 SEC regular season kicks off on August 30 as Texas A&M takes on Northwestern, and continues for an additional 12 weeks. According to the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI), Louisiana State University (LSU) has the toughest season in regard to difficulty of schedule among the 14 teams in the SEC. Its schedule is also ranked as the third most-challenging in the country, behind UCLA and Florida State. LSU opens the season against the University of Miami before taking on SEC West teams like Auburn, Arkansas, and Texas A&M. Its other opponents include Alabama and Mississippi State. 

Eight SEC teams rank among ESPN FPI in regard to schedule difficulty. Alabama has the second toughest schedule in the conference and 28th in the country, followed by Texas A&M, Auburn, and Mississippi State. Other SEC teams in the top 40 nationwide include Missouri, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt.