Microsoft
Online Peer Groups - YEAR 2
Growing Your
Business Through Learning, Sharing and Doing!
Overview
The online Peer Groups are an opportunity for Microsoft partners to
learn, share and complete activities designed to improve their business
and professional lives. The groups will be recruited from
Microsoft Partners Worldwide.
Structure
The
Content will consist of these six topics over a 12-month period.
Content will build on Year 1 activities.
- KPI's and why they matter
- Using your PSA tool to manage your business
- Put down your PDA (work life balance)
- It's the people that matter
- Process is the key to repeatability
- Making the most of your Microsoft Partnership
The online Peer Groups consist of up to 15 members partners per group. The meetings are scheduled at uniform times. Each meeting will focus on practical, useful content and tools that help you improve your business over the upcoming month and beyond. Homework and goal assignments are required and will supplement the learning. Peer group sharing is also a key part of the best practice exchange and overall learning.
Application
Process
Partners may
submit applications online by
completing a survey. The application contains profiling
questions designed to help assign partners to the optimal peer
group. Completed application is required to be a candidate
for selection.
Selection
Criteria
The target audience is Microsoft
partners who would highly benefit from the peer group experience to grow
their businesses.
Also, your acceptance into the Microsoft-HTG Online Peer Group program requires a commitment on your part. Please do not apply unless you will successfully complete the program and assignments.
Member
Commitments or "Gives"
Group members must commit to the
following:
- Attend a minimum of 10 of 12 online meetings.
- Complete a minimum of 5 of 6 homework assignments.
- Complete a minimum of 5 of 6 goal assignments.
- Pay $600/year membership fee to defray expenses.
- Install and use Microsoft Groove to facilitate the exchange of files, discussions and homework.
Member
"Gets"
Partners who complete the Peer
Group program gain industry knowledge and peer interaction they can call
on in the future. Additionally, Microsoft agrees to give each partner
who successfully completes the program a copy of Windows Small Business
Server 2008 Standard Edition. ($1,089 MSRP)
Goal
Setting
Each topic
will end with members setting one goal to complete before the
next meeting. Partners will provide a brief written report on
their success in achieving the goal before the next meeting.
Goal results will be shared with Microsoft to measure the
success of the program.
Homework
Each session will have an assignment related to the course
content. Homework may include topics such as sharing a great
business idea, preparing a basic marketing plan, writing a
vision and mission statement, submitting a portion of a business
plan, preparing a list of key metrics or developing an annual
forecast. Homework will be evaluated by the facilitator and/or
HTS moderator and graded as Pass/Fail.
Facilitators
and Content Providers
Group facilitators and meeting presenters are selected from
industry-leading consultants and speakers. Presenters are
selected based on industry knowledge and are subject to change
based on scheduling.
Peer
Group Management
Online Peer Group meetings will be held using Microsoft Live
Meeting. Homework will be submitted using Microsoft Groove.
Decisions regarding membership, participation and completion are
made by HTS.
Questions about the program? Please email Arlin Sorensen at v-arlins@microsoft.com.
