{"id":18169,"date":"2010-05-08T01:47:28","date_gmt":"2010-05-08T00:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=18169"},"modified":"2010-05-08T01:47:28","modified_gmt":"2010-05-08T00:47:28","slug":"engineer-to-ceo-the-development-of-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/engineer-to-ceo-the-development-of-balance\/","title":{"rendered":"ENGINEER TO CEO &#8230; THE DEVELOPMENT OF BALANCE"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm', 'Marken Communications']);\" ><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Marken Communications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking commentary. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> \u2013Mark Poppin,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">ABT Senior Editor<\/span><\/span><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"center\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n    google_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><br \/>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\n<\/script><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-11.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18170\" title=\"Untitled-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-11.jpg?resize=450%2C346\" alt=\"Untitled-1\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-11.jpg?resize=450%2C346 450w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-11-300x230.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Over the past 10 years we\u2019ve studied the formation of more than 50 companies in the PC\/CE\/communications content arena.\u00a0 We\u2019ve also talked with the heads of several venture capital organizations about the subject.<\/p>\n<p>We realize this isn&#8217;t startling that 90 percent of them were started by engineers,\u00a0 beyond that, we focused on the disciplines that are generally found in engineers and entrepreneurs,<\/p>\n<p>The goal?\u00a0\u00a0 See why so many individuals&#8211;and organizations&#8211;fail.<\/p>\n<p>First of all, engineers are skilled in the planning, design and construction of a product or service.\u00a0 They solve challenging problems, make technological breakthroughs and develop successful solutions.\u00a0 They are stimulated by producing the next generation of technology and making it successful.<\/p>\n<p>Entrepreneurs organize a business and assume risk for the sake of profit.\u00a0 The entrepreneur is out to make money, take risks and beat the competition.\u00a0 He or she is excited by the challenge of starting an organization and making it successful.<\/p>\n<p>The engineer is product-oriented.<\/p>\n<p>The entrepreneur is profit-oriented.<\/p>\n<p>These goals are dramatically different.<\/p>\n<p>The fundamental drives and motivations are so different that, all too often, the engineer can&#8217;t make the transition to entrepreneurial businessperson.\u00a0 This inability to make the transition cripples many organizations as they go through their various stages of life.<\/p>\n<h2>Company Life Cycle<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18171\" title=\"Untitled-2\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-2.jpg?resize=450%2C342\" alt=\"Untitled-2\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-2.jpg?resize=450%2C342 450w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-2-300x228.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While many don&#8217;t realize it, companies are a lot like people, in that they go through a complete life cycle.<\/p>\n<p>First, there is the gestation period when the company is an idea that is talked about.\u00a0 The parents-to-be plan big things for the child-to-be.<\/p>\n<p>Birth occurs when the founders leave their present company, rent some office\/storage space, obtain funding and start nurturing their first product or service in earnest.\u00a0 For the engineer and the entrepreneur, these are the fun years in the life of a company.\u00a0 Energy, togetherness, creativity and dedication are everything.<\/p>\n<p>People work long hours and have fun for little pay (especially when compared to their contributions).\u00a0 During this stage, CEO can be an entrepreneur, an engineer or an engineer\/entrepreneur because the small team worries less about titles and job descriptions and more about the task at hand.<\/p>\n<h2>Formative Years<\/h2>\n<p>During the formative years ($1 to $5 million), the organization begins to take shape and a management structure is developed.\u00a0 The engineer must spend less time on products (he or she is still permitted this luxury though) and more time developing and managing others.\u00a0 The company grows from a core group to between 50 and 100 people, and a management style emerges.<\/p>\n<p>Most engineers can survive as CEOs during this phase of the company&#8217;s life cycle.<\/p>\n<h2>Adolescence<\/h2>\n<p>As the company approaches 100 to 150 employees and sales of $20 &#8211; $150 million, the company enters adolescence.\u00a0 Just as parents encounter problems with their children during this phase, the founders of a company begin to encounter problems.\u00a0 The management team is stretched thin, sales flatten, and the CEO suddenly has to acquire new skills to help the firm move on to its next growth level.<\/p>\n<p>During the adolescent period, there are rapid growth spurts.\u00a0 A loose, fun organization gives way to one of greater structure.<\/p>\n<p>During this period a more professional management approach is needed.\u00a0 At this point, the engineer (and sometimes the entrepreneur) often stumbles, steps aside, or is moved aside.<\/p>\n<h2>Adulthood<\/h2>\n<p>When sales surpass $150 million, the employee population has grown from 150 to a vast number of people, with all levels of expertise, capabilities, goals and desires.<\/p>\n<p>To reach this stage of maturity &#8212; and pass safely through it &#8212; management must acquire even more skills.\u00a0 The company is now highly organized and has a very structured environment.\u00a0 The CEO needs professional management skills and must surround himself\/herself with people who have superior management experience and capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>The company is now positioned to be a true, major factor in the industry, and perhaps even a Fortune 1000 company.<\/p>\n<h2>Masked Problems<\/h2>\n<p>Occasionally, dramatic product\/service acceptance whisks a young organization through the formative years to maturity without permitting the infrastructure to properly develop.<\/p>\n<p>These blips of meteoric growth often mask problems.\u00a0 Since the structure and team are not properly in place, the system breaks down because the growth cannot maintain itself &#8230;it needs the support of management and others within the firm.<\/p>\n<p>The heads of these organizations have basked in the spotlight of success.<\/p>\n<p>They have become gurus for still other aspiring engineers\/entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n<p>Their pronouncements have been held in awe.<\/p>\n<p>They have been sought after from every quarter.<\/p>\n<p>When the system breaks down, it is often too late to save the company.\u00a0 Our heroes&#8217; words suddenly take on the flavor of the ravings of madmen.<\/p>\n<p>Just as with life, there is a natural process of development in a company.<\/p>\n<p>Its leadership must experience a similar increase in skills.\u00a0 Those who develop these skills are able to bring the company through the critical periods and get it back on the road to success.<\/p>\n<p>Those who can&#8217;t are destined to help bury the company or are &#8220;retired&#8221; to let others get the growth and profits moving.<\/p>\n<h2>Balance<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_18172\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18172\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18172\" title=\"Untitled-3\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-3.jpg?resize=400%2C321\" alt=\"The key to the individual's success is balance.\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-3.jpg?resize=400%2C321 400w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-3-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-18172\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The key to the individual&#39;s success is balance.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>According to venture capitalist Bill Davidow balance is a set of tangible and intangible skills.<\/p>\n<p>The tangible skills are general management, technological, marketing, financial and operational.\u00a0 Intangible skills are determination, leadership, team building, communications and human relations.<\/p>\n<h2>Tangible Skills<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 General management is fundamental to the success of any organization.\u00a0 Without a good foundation, activities are fraught with frustrations.\u00a0 Planning, organizing and controlling are essential activities.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Technology plays a less important role for the CEO as the organization evolves and grows.\u00a0 An engineer often finds it difficult to give up his or her first love, but it must be done if he or she is to become an effective manager of a growing organization.\u00a0 However, the technologist can&#8217;t totally abandon his\/her area of expertise because many critical decisions require solid technical understanding as well as an awareness of industry technology trends.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Marketing soon becomes the heartbeat of any organization and the CEO must develop strong product marketing skills&#8211;especially in the areas of positioning and strategic marketing.\u00a0 This means positioning the company in its target market and developing the kind of thinking that can help the company make its way through the marketing maze, outside noise.<\/p>\n<p>It is essential that the CEO understand who is buying the product, what they are buying and why they are buying it.\u00a0 This area is so important that many industry leaders feel that company presidents should spend 25 to 30 percent of their time with customers.<\/p>\n<p>This way they find out first-hand what is happening in the marketplace and who their competitors are.\u00a0 They also learn a lot about the customer&#8217;s wants and needs &#8230; now and in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Another important area of expertise is sales and revenue forecasting.\u00a0 These are the forecasts that drive the company, so management must understand their methodology.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Finance.\u00a0 Human blood is red.\u00a0 A company&#8217;s blood is green.\u00a0 From the very start, the engineer has to gain a whole new perspective of finance to control budgets.\u00a0 Then, as things become more complex, the CEO must gain skills in general accounting, cost accounting, cash flow, asset management and so forth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Operations becomes important in an engineering-driven firm where management has to be concerned with the dispersal and use of its assets.\u00a0 Despite his personal likes or dislikes, the CEO should gain a basic understanding of material requirements planning (MRP), outsourcing, international supply chain management.<\/p>\n<h2>Intangible Skills<\/h2>\n<p>It is important to balance the tangible or measurable skills with a philosophy of thinking that provides consistency in the management style.\u00a0 These intangible skills can often carry, pull or push an organization through the rough times.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Determination \u2013 combined with dedication and desire \u2013 is difficult to beat during the early phases of an organization&#8217;s growth.\u00a0 That almost blind determination to do whatever it takes, and the willingness to go the extra mile, motivates others.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Leadership takes many forms and has many facets that help motivate those within the organization to achieve even beyond their own expectations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Trust is essential.\u00a0 People within the organization need to<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">feel that they can trust the CEO to do what is in their<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">best interest.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Good judgement comes from being observant and being able to<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">anticipate problems and solve them before they occur.\u00a0 In<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">addition, since no problem has only one solution, good<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">leadership requires the ability to evaluate all potential<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">solutions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Initiative from the top is mandatory.\u00a0 It is vital for the<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">CEO be sensitive to people and events and know<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">exactly when it is time to take the lead in order to make<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">certain things are done properly.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Authority and respect must be earned by the CEO and given<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">to team members to be retained.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Team Support is best explained by observing a motivational<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">seminar where team members strengthen each other.\u00a0 People<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">naturally rely on the CEO to make sound decisions under<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">stressful conditions.\u00a0 In addition, the members of the<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">organization like to &#8212; and want to &#8212; participate in these<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">critical products and decisions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">The tough projects and decisions aren&#8217;t to be given<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">only to a select few, but shared.\u00a0 They are what<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">get the adrenaline going and permit people to shine.\u00a0 If<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">there are failures along the way, people need support.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">When there are successes, they need the accolades.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Optimism is most often exhibited by your best salespeople.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">The big sale, the big order and the big success are just<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">around the corner.\u00a0 During the various stages of a<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">company&#8217;s growth, the CEO needs the confidence of the<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">entire team.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Principles must never be compromised.\u00a0 People have to know<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">where the CEO stands in order to have confidence in him or her as<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">a boss, leader &#8230; and as a person.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Focus on objectives, not obstacles.\u00a0 A CEO should have a<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">clear picture of what he or she is trying to achieve, and must<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">keep that picture in focus regardless of the obstacles that<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">must be overcome.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Prioritize the things that have to be done.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t make it<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">a long list because a long list is just like a long list of<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">New Year&#8217;s resolutions.\u00a0 It&#8217;s so long that they can&#8217;t all<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">be achieved.\u00a0 Therefore, none of them are.\u00a0 With a short<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">list of priorities, the company never loses sight of its<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">main objective.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Credibility is vital in an organization.\u00a0 No one expects<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">the CEO to be right 100 percent of the time, but when he or she<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">is wrong, they should admit it.\u00a0 Nixon and Clinton wouldn&#8217;t have gone<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">through their public flogging had they been upfront about their<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">shortcomings.\u00a0 No one really believes in infallible super<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">heroes.\u00a0 Okay, maybe not Clinton but Nixon certainly would have<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">fared much better than he did.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Delegate responsibility and authority &#8230; it&#8217;s the only<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">way to keep good employees.\u00a0 If others aren&#8217;t involved in<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">the success or failure of a product, they have no vested<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">interest in its success &#8230; so its failure is nothing to them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Build a team of the best people available.\u00a0 Employee selection is one of the most difficult things that a CEO has to do.\u00a0 He or she can never be 100 percent certain that they are making the right decision until months or years after the decision has been made.\u00a0 The key is to hire smart and manage tough.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Identify the key positions in the organization, and spend an exceptional amount of time hiring the best people possible &#8230; not for today, but for tomorrow.\u00a0 If a CEO is good, he or she should have no fear of being surrounded with superior people.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">*\u00a0 Communications in an organization of any size is vital to its success.\u00a0 During the early stages, it is easy.\u00a0 As the firm grows in size and complexity it becomes increasingly difficult.<\/p>\n<p>According to Cornell University, quality communications is very important.\u00a0 Only 7 percent of what is verbally communicated is actually understood by the target audience.\u00a0 However, 38 percent of the action and 55 percent of the attitude are received.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, 93 percent of communications is not what is said, but how it is said.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, it is important for the CEO to be:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Genuine, open and honest<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Sensitive to the feelings of others<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Unselfish<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\">&#8211;\u00a0 Willing to listen actively, not passively<\/p>\n<p>Human relations is important throughout the organization, not only with the direct staff, but also with everyone.\u00a0 Call it a corporate culture, but it is an interrelationship with others in the organization that keeps them motivated and working toward a common goal &#8230; corporate success.<\/p>\n<h2>Profile of Balance<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18173\" title=\"Untitled-4\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-4.jpg?resize=450%2C299\" alt=\"Untitled-4\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-4.jpg?resize=450%2C299 450w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Untitled-4-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The engineer who starts a company must make a transition from specific knowledge to proficiency in all areas.\u00a0 At the outset, he or she has to have strong communications, leadership and technological understanding.\u00a0 In addition, the engineer\/entrepreneur needs the skills of marketing and management.<\/p>\n<p>During the early stages of corporate growth, it is rare to find an individual who has all of these elements.\u00a0 In order to succeed, however, the individual must have a plan of action for developing and nurturing these skills and for overcoming deficiencies before they bring down the individual&#8211;or the company.<\/p>\n<p>As the organization enters adolescence, technological expertise begins to take a back seat to determination and new tangible skills that include finance, marketing and general management.\u00a0 The intangible skills of communications, team building and leadership are vital at this point in the organization&#8217;s life cycle.<\/p>\n<p>As the engineer\/entrepreneur continues the transition to CEO of a mature organization, he or she adds other tangible and intangible skills.\u00a0 Complete proficiency in all of the areas isn&#8217;t absolutely necessary.\u00a0 However, it is important that the CEO either has the skills, or is surrounded with superior people who have them.<\/p>\n<p>Through it all, there is no substitute for desire, dedication and determination.\u00a0 These character traits, along with a good idea and a good team of people, can assist the engineer\/entrepreneur in turning an idea into reality &#8230; and success.<\/p>\n<p>A balance of skills will help ensure the engineer\/entrepreneur that his or her soon-to-be-born idea will not die a premature death.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"># # #<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong> By\u00a0 G.A. &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong> President<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong> Marken Communications, Inc. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong> <a href=\"mailto:Andy@markencom.com\">Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>________________<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of Marken Communications Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking commentary. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":18173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,6,7],"tags":[3530,3526,3527,3525,3529,3528],"class_list":["post-18169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-news","category-technology","tag-balance","tag-ceo","tag-company-growth-cycle","tag-engineer","tag-failure","tag-success"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18169\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}