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ISE Columnist Sharon Vollman, Editorial Director

Which Is More Important?

Feb. 1, 2021
Process or Product? Let’s use the example of deploying 5G to the masses. Most of you are acutely aware of your company’s deadlines to deploy small cells across cities and […]

Process or Product?

Let’s use the example of deploying 5G to the masses. Most of you are acutely aware of your company’s deadlines to deploy small cells across cities and towns in your service area.

And, painfully, many of the best sites for these small cells involve solving complicated rights-of-way issues or OTMR or powering or NIMBY or … the list goes on and on. Each municipality has its own rules that result in complex negotiations between carriers, equipment vendors, landowners, technology partners, and government agencies.

Food for Thought from Our 2022 ICT Visionaries

All of those require negotiations, contracts, and project management details, that can be tricky unless folks are willing to step away from their own agendas and egos — and work collaboratively.

Why isn’t this as it sounds? Perhaps, in part, because some folks are experts in Area A while others are SMEs in Area B. More often than not, the two don’t seem to speak the same language. 

That’s why the ISE brand is committed to sharing education about things in your sweet spot, and about others that are an intellectual reach.

In addition, we share content about how to grow your teams’ soft skills. Essentials like listening, empathizing, and learning to walk a mile in each other’s shoes. These Human Network topics may not be a specific line item on the P&L, but they can be the difference between getting things done and banging your head against a wall. 

Let’s make 2021 about connecting — literally and figuratively. The ISE brand is here to share great educational content to help your team do their jobs better: technological solutions from the cloud to the underground as well as thought leadership and soft skills that encourage teams to collaborate and meet their pesky but very real deadlines.

Building solutions is oftentimes about building bridges between each other. In 2021, it’s important for all of us to remember that process is equally as important when it comes to making connections for the future.

About the Author

Sharon Vollman | Content Ambassador for ISE EXPO

Sharon Vollman is the Content Ambassador for ISE EXPO. She is passionate about collaborating with thought leaders, SMEs and hard-working doers who design, plan and deploy ultra-reliable broadband networks. Vollman is committed to creating a variety of educational offerings for ISE EXPO attendees that inspire them to connect every U.S. citizen with the broadband networks we all want for our children and grandchildren.

Vollman has created educational partnerships with Broadband Service Providers including  AT&T, Verizon, Lumen, Frontier Communications and others. She has covered the telecom industry since 1996.