This deal would provide Microsoft extensive social-networking
tools that it could integrate into existing products for its corporate
customers. Yammer, which is used by more than 200,000 companies, provides a
“freemium” private social network for internal corporate use similar to Facebook. The purchase of
Yammer by Microsoft could potentially add additional functionality, such as
file sharing and chat, to Microsoft Office, which generates more than half of
Microsoft’s annual operating income. Notably, Microsoft Office’s SharePoint
already features some of these capabilities, though they are not widely used in
the corporate environment, unlike Yammer.
Worried about a leadership shortage? Gazing at a thin management pipeline?
Wondering how to get the most out of the talent you have?
It’s time to expand and amplify your organization’s leadership by looking
beyond your proven superstars and management-track talent.
Young professionals and experienced individual contributors need to be part
of the leadership equation, too. These overlooked leaders are the people who
are working on project teams, influencing others and taking on ever-larger and
more complex assignments.
Consider the role of highly experienced professionals. As individual
contributors, they play critical roles as engineers, designers, medical
professionals, marketing or logistics experts, and so on. They are expected to
take on project-management roles and be key players on cross-functional teams.
As their role expands and they increasingly work with others, subject-matter expertise
is no longer a guarantee of their success or effectiveness.
Meanwhile, early-career professionals are looking for ways to engage,
interact and gain skills. As they navigate their work and your organization,
they have many opportunities to lead, even before they step into formal
management roles.
Both groups are in the right place to leverage leadership skills, but they
need the nod from you. So, here are four messages that you – and your fellow
leaders – can send to the skilled experts, up-and-coming professionals and, in
fact, the entire organization.
1. Think “process,” not “position.”
Leadership is a process, not a title. It’s about leading with others in ways
that establish direction, create alignment and build commitment. Rather than
looking for someone else to be a leader, individual contributors need to ask
themselves: “What am I bringing to the leadership process?” “How can I better
facilitate the process of effective leadership in my group or in my project
team?”
2. Understand your leadership brand. Your
leadership brand is created by the ways you behave, react and interact. It
affects your network, and it is linked to your effectiveness.
Like it or not, you already have a leadership brand. You have a reputation
based on how you get things done and how you interact with others. To leverage
your leadership brand or to steer it in a different direction, you need to get
a clear picture of how others perceive you today.
Start paying attention to how you work — not just what you know or what you
accomplish. How do you learn? How do you share information, make decisions and
influence others? How do you build and nurture both day-to-day and strategic
relationships? Just by paying attention to these questions, you’ll gain some
insight. You’ll also want to check in with peers, a mentor and your boss — or
seek out opportunities for formal feedback or a leadership development program
— to gain a better picture of your leadership brand.
3. Take control. You are in charge
of your leadership brand, so invest in your learning and development as a
leader. Your boss or your organization may not always tell you exactly what is
needed or hand you the tools and experiences that will boost your
effectiveness.
Take time to think about your current job and future career. Begin by
focusing on your number one workplace challenge. How does your leadership brand
support your work today? What would happen if you could be more effective? How
could improving your own leadership ability help get you there? What do you
need to learn or change to improve your leadership skills and hone your
leadership brand?
4. You are seen, heard and valued.
The company needs you to be as effective as you can be. Your co-workers do,
too. Even though you don’t have “manager” in your job title … or don’t have
direct reports … or are new to your career, your leadership abilities are
critical both to your own success as well as your company’s.
When you send these messages — clearly and consistently — the people
in your organization will see that they can contribute to something bigger than
themselves: the process of leadership. Stephanie Lischke and Joel Wright work with young professionals
and experienced individual contributors in the Leadership
Fundamentals program at the Center for
Creative Leadership, a top-ranked, global provider of leadership education
and research.
A protestor stands on a
barricade of barbed wire as Egyptian military police stand guard. Egypt's
Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the Islamist-led parliament must be
immediately dissolved.
BOSTON - Republican
presidential contender Mitt Romney's first traditional campaign trip of the
general election, a six-state trek by bus, is aimed at swaying undecided voters
living outside America's big cities.
(CNN) -- The story of the
so-called Forest Boy is a lie, police in Germany said Friday. The 20-year-old
hoaxer, who claimed he was 17 and lived in the German woods for five years, is
actually from Hengelo, Netherlands.
Tom Cruise rescues rock and
roll musical that 'wins no prizes for originality,' critics say. By Kara Warner
(@karawarner) It's relatively safe to say "Rock of Ages" has built-in
appeal: It's based on a hit Broadway musical of the same name and features
Miami Heat small forward
LeBron James is guarded by Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha
(2) of Switzerland during the first half at Game 2 of the NBA finals basketball
series, Thursday, June 14, 2012, in Oklahoma City.
US stock-market futures
pointed to a higher start Friday on Wall Street, underpinned by prior-day
reports that central banks were ready to act jointly to calm markets if a Greek
election result triggers volatility next week.
By Chloe Hadjimatheou BBC
News, Athens If the anti-austerity party Syriza wins power in Greece's election
on Sunday, the country's membership of the euro could be at risk.
TOKYO - Japanese police have
captured a member of a murderous cult who has been on the run since 1995.
Katsuya Takahashi's arrest in Tokyo concludes a 17-year manhunt for suspects of
Japan's worst terror attack - the unleashing of nerve gas on the
Burmese democracy activist
Aung San Suu Kyi is to receive the freedom of the city of Oxford. The Nobel
Peace Prize winner will receive the honour almost 15 years after she was
originally awarded it while under house arrest in Burma.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is
not discussing plans for a Syrian political transformation that would follow
the exit of President Bashar al-Assad, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on
Friday, emphasizing Moscow's vocal opposition to external…
Yammer is a Private Social Network for Your Company
Collaborate securely across
departments, geographies, content and business applications.
Who We Are
Social
media has dramatically changed the way we share and connect with friends and
family, and it will have an even more profound impact on the way companies
operate. Giving your organization the advantage of a social foundation is
critical for success in today’s fast-paced environment.
Yammer
is a secure, private social network for your company. Yammer empowers employees
to be more productive and successful by enabling them to collaborate easily,
make smarter decisions faster, and self-organize into teams to take on any
business challenge. It is a new way of working that naturally drives business
alignment and agility, reduces cycle times, engages employees and improves
relationships with customers and partners.
Background
Pioneered Enterprise Social Networking when we launched in
2008
Among the fastest growing enterprise software companies in
history, exceeding over four million users in just three years
Raised $142 million in venture funding from top tier firms
Used by more than 200,000+ companies worldwide
Social Expertise
Built social from the ground up with ‘Facebook DNA’:
Facebook’s Founding President, Sean Parker serves on Yammer’s Board of
Directors
Yammer and Facebook share the same first investor, Peter
Thiel; backed by Social+Capital Partnership – a fund established by former
Facebook Vice President, Chamath Palihapitiya
Our Customers
More than 80 percent of the Fortune 500® are using Yammer
Leading organizations including Deloitte, Ford,
Nationwide, 7-Eleven, Orbitz Worldwide, Rakuten, and Telefonica O2 have adopted
Yammer
Recognition
A leader in “The Forrester Wave™: Mobile Collaboration, Q3
2011″
Recognized with Deloitte Australia in the 2011 Forrester
Groundswell Awards as the winner in the Management: Collaboration System
category
Named an “Innovative Application Software Company Under
$100 Million to Watch, 2011″ by IDC
Management
Executives
David O. Sacks
Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board
David has been involved in the Internet
space for 10 years as an entrepreneur, executive and investor, starting with
PayPal in 1999. He was PayPal's Chief Operating Officer and product leader, taking
the company from startup to IPO and eventual sale to eBay for $1.5 billion.
Subsequently, he founded Geni.com, which is a genealogy website that enables
millions of family members to collaboratively build an online family tree. He
also produced and financed the movie "Thank You For Smoking." David
holds a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University and a J.D. from the
University of Chicago Law School.
Adam Pisoni
Co-Founder, CTO, and Board Member
Adam Pisoni oversees engineering and the
development of all software at Yammer.
Before Yammer, Adam served as Software
Architect at Geni - the company in which Yammer was originally created. Prior
to Geni, Adam was Director of Web Engineering at Shopzilla, playing a pivotal
role in systems architecture and product development. Adam also co-founded and
served as CTO of Cnation, a web development consultancy with clients including
CBS MarketWatch, BizRate.com, Fox Interactive, Nissan of Japan, and Honda.
Cnation's work for Honda earned them the 1997 Clio award for interactive
design.
David Obrand
Chief Customer Officer
David Obrand oversees Yammer's sales and
customer success teams and is responsible for the growth of Yammer's business
worldwide.
David brings close to 20 years of
experience in sales, technology, operations and management. Before Yammer, he
served as Vice President of Vertical Sales at Salesforce.com where he spent
almost 10 years establishing a record of revenue over-achievement. David has
also held sales and business development positions at leading technology
companies such as Promptu Corporation, Sagent Technology and Siebel Systems.
David holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Claremont McKenna
College.
James Patterson
Chief Product Officer
James Patterson is responsible for the
development and execution of the product vision at Yammer.
James was an early member of the
engineering team at Yammer and served as a Director of Engineering prior to
leading the Product team. Before joining Yammer, James was the Co-Founder and
CTO of AudioCaseFiles, a multimedia production and publishing company serving
the legal market. Before founding AudioCaseFiles, he was the Director of
Professional Services at Rapid7, a security software and consulting company
specializing in penetration testing and web application security. James served
as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and holds a B.S. in Computer Science from
Vanderbilt University.
Mark Woolway
Executive Vice President of Corporate
Affairs
Mark Woolway is responsible for finance and
business operations at Yammer.
Prior to joining Yammer, Mark served as Managing
Director at Clarium Capital, a global/macro hedge fund with peak
assets-under-management of over $8 billion, where Mark managed the firm's
financial, operational, administrative, and legal functions. Prior to Clarium,
Mark served as Vice President of Corporate Development at PayPal, Inc., where
he led the company's IPO and eventual sale to eBay Inc. Prior to PayPal, Mark
practiced corporate law at Munger, Tolles & Olson. Mark holds a B.A in
Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D. from the
University of Chicago Law School.
An Le
Vice President of Business Development
An Le is responsible for partner strategy
and execution of the Developer and Affiliate programs at Yammer.
Prior to joining Yammer, An served as
Director of Business Development at New Relic, where she led the company's
partner strategy and expanded partnership agreements to fuel revenue growth.
Previously, An worked at Mobile Money Ventures, which was ultimately acquired
by Intuit. There, she was responsible for the execution of strategic
partnership strategies and go-to-market sales channels. An also worked as a
Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group following the completion of her M.B.A
from Harvard Business School. Additionally, An holds a B.S. in Electrical
Engineering from Stanford University.
Dee Anna McPherson
Vice President of Marketing
Dee Anna McPherson oversees
Yammer's overall marketing strategy and execution.
Prior to joining Yammer, Dee Anna was a
Partner at Horn Group, a digital communications agency, where she led the San
Francisco office. Previously, she led worldwide public relations for PeopleSoft
and was a Senior Vice President at both Edelman and Ogilvy. Dee Anna holds a
B.A. in Communications from Purdue University.
Kris Gale
Vice President of Engineering
Kris Gale oversees all product development
engineering at Yammer.
Kris was an original member of Yammer’s
engineering team, serving as Director of Infrastructure, where he focused on
performance and scalability from the company’s public launch through its first
three years of rapid growth. Kris has 13 years of experience in development,
systems engineering and operations.
Samantha Loveland
Vice President of Worldwide Customer
Engagement
Samantha Loveland leads Yammer's Customer
Success, Solution Engineers, Training, and Support teams and is responsible for
driving adoption among the company's customer base. Her team ensures customers
receive maximum value from Yammer's products and services.
Before Yammer, Samantha served as vice
president of the Customers for Life organization at Salesforce.com, where she
led a team responsible for driving adoption and user engagement. She has also
held management positions at leading companies such as Deloitte Consulting,
Barclays Global Investors and Bank of America. Samantha has a B.A. in
Quantitative Economics from the University of California, San Diego and an MBA
from Columbia University.
Georg Ell
General Manager of Yammer EMEA
Georg Ell is responsible for scaling the
business across the EMEA region and leading a fast growing, hyper-passionate
team of sales and customer success managers.
Georg was previously the pan-EMEA sales
director at Yammer. Prior to joining Yammer, Georg served as a European sales
executive for Microsoft Online Services. While there, he was responsible for
Microsoft's Business Productivity Online Services sales across Europe and
overseeing several large, strategic accounts; he also won multiple awards for
his work with global customers and partners. Outside of work, Georg's proudest
achievement is his participation as Core Crew in the Global Challenge - known
as "The World's Toughest Yacht Race" - racing around the world in an
all-amateur crew and raising £5,000 for charity. Georg graduated from St.
John's College, Cambridge University with a degree in Social and Political
Science with Management Studies.
Josha Bronson
Director of Security Engineering
Josha oversees the security program at
Yammer, focusing on all facets of application and enterprise security.
Josha Bronson has 11+ years of information
security experience. Prior to joining Yammer, Josha built out the security
program and team for Hi5 networks, including application and network security,
secure development, incident response, PCI compliance, and complying with
governmental and legal regulations. Before Hi5, Josha was a Senior Security
Consultant at iSec Partners where he performed a variety of contracts for large
clients, including code review, application and network security audits,
product assessments, threat modeling and product review.
Board of Directors
Chamath Palihapitiya
Board Observer
Chamath Palihapitiya is the founder of The
Social+Capital Partnership, a new Venture Fund created in 2011 that will focus
on investments in the technology, healthcare, education, and financial sectors.
Previously, Chamath was the Vice President
of User Growth, Mobile and International Expansion at Facebook, where he was
responsible for overseeing the Facebook Platform as well as launching
Facebook’s online advertising channel. Chamath joined Facebook from The
Mayfield Fund, a leading venture capital firm in Silicon Valley where he was
focused on consumer Internet, advertising and technology investments. Prior to
Mayfield, Chamath spent five years with AOL, most recently as the Vice
President and General Manager of AIM and ICQ,, where he oversaw two of the most
popular instant messaging businesses on the Internet. Chamath holds a B.S. in
Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
George Zachary
Board Member
George Zachary is a partner at Charles
River Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley and Boston.
George joined CRV in 2004 and he brings more than 17 years of operating and
investing experience in computing and consumer technology. George's focus is on
building great services and software technology companies. George led CRV's
investments in SocialMedia, Twitter, Geni, Yammer, Millennial Media, One
Season, and Metaplace. George also co-led CRV’s investment in Scribd.
Previously, George led the Nintendo 64
development business at Silicon Graphics, managed sales and marketing for
virtual reality pioneer VPL Research, and served as a product marketeer at CATS
Software. He is a board advisor to Stanford University’s SSE Ventures, which
seed fund on-campus student startups. He is also an advisor to X PRIZE. George
earned a joint BS from MIT and MIT Sloan School of Business. George also leads
the Stanford CRV Research Council.
Jason Green
Board Member
Jason Green is a founder of Emergence
Capital and has over a dozen years of experience in the venture capital
business as a General Partner with Emergence, a General Partner with USVP and
as an associate and Kauffman Fellow with Venrock, the venture capital arm of
the Rockefeller family. Earlier in his career, Jason served as VP of
Muzertechnika, the largest private computer and Telecommunications Company in
Eastern Europe. Prior to this, he served as a strategic consultant with Bain
& Company and with the investment firm of Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and
Stowe. Jason has led successful early-stage venture investments in past
companies such as DoubleClick (DCLK), aQuantive (AQNT), Visual Networks (VNWK),
SuccessFactors (SFSF) and Ask Jeeves (ASK) and currently serves on the boards of
private companies such as Lotame, TouchCommerce, Yammer, Goodmail Systems,
ServiceMax, Inc. and ResponseLogix.
Jason is Chairman Emeritus and on the Board
of the Center for Venture Education and the Kauffman Fellows Program, the
leading educational fellowship in venture capital. Jason serves as Chairman of
the West Coast Research Center for Harvard Business School and is on the Global
Advisory Board. He is also a Founding Board member of Endeavor, a non-profit
serving the needs of entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
Jason graduated cum laude with a B.A. in
Economics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard with Distinction.
Upon graduation, Jason was selected for the Charles Williams Fellowship at
Harvard Business School for post-graduate research in Entrepreneurship and
Finance. Jason is married with two children. The most unique trivia about Jason
is that he is a twin married to a twin.
Rick Lewis
Board Member
Rick is a technologist and two-time
software entrepreneur. Rick joined USVP in 2004 and is a General Partner in the
firm. At USVP, Rick focuses on software (enterprise SaaS and security) and
consumer internet (social, mobile, and e-commerce). In software, Rick serves on
the Board of Directors at Act-On Software, ThreatMetrix, Victrio, and Yammer.
In consumer internet, Rick led USVP's investment inmyYearbook.com (acquired by
Quepasa, NYSE:QPSA) and he serves on the Board of Directors at Hooked Media
Group, ScoreBig, Trunk Club, and Wayin. Rick also helped lead USVP's investing
activities in energy-efficiency technology, including Intermolecular
(NASDAQ:IMI), Redwood Systems and Xicato.
Prior to joining USVP, Rick spent six years
in high-tech leadership roles spanning software engineering, product
management, operations, and strategy--for market leaders like Autodesk and Walt
Disney Imagineering, and as a co-founder of software companies Design
Variations (funded by Parametric Technology Corporation) and Common Point
Technologies (acquired by Bentley Systems). Rick also held positions at Sun
Microsystems, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and McKinsey &
Company. Rick holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from the
University of California at Davis (summa cum laude), an M.S. in Computer
Science from the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.B.A. from
Harvard Business School, where he graduated with Distinction.
Sean Parker
Board Member
Sean Parker is an entrepreneur with a
record of launching genre-defining companies that reinvent ways to spread
information online. In 1999, at the age of 19, Sean co-founded Napster Inc.
with Shawn Fanning and changed how people think about and share music. In 2001,
Sean co-founded Plaxo, pioneering viral engineering technology for updating
contact information. Sean served as Plaxo's president until 2004, around which
time he joined with Mark Zuckerberg to launch the online social network
Facebook. Sean was the founding president of Facebook from 2004-2005, again
turning a technology start-up into an industry giant. Sean's latest success is
Causes, the largest online platform for grassroots activism and philanthropy.
At Founders Fund, Sean looks for and supports this spirit of innovation in
up-and-coming developers.
Contact
Sales Information
To discuss pricing, security, and to
request additional materials, please call 888-926-7377 or 415-796-7400 or
Please share full details of the suspected
security vulnerability by sending an email to security@yammer-inc.com. Please include as much information as
possible so the Yammer security team may verify the issue.
The First and Most Powerful Enterprise
Social Network
Yammer
brings the power of social networking to the enterprise in a private and secure
environment. Yammer is as easy to use as great consumer software like Facebook
and Twitter, but designed for business collaboration. Connect people, content,
and conversations across all of your business applications with productivity
software that employees love to use.
