Think Consulting

Happy Canada Day! Today our clients, partners, and friends from north of our border are celebrating Canada Day! It is a celebration of the anniversary of the Canadian Confederation that occurred on July 1, 1867, where 3 separate colonies were united into a single dominion called Canada! Wishing everyone a Happy Canada Day filled with fun, happiness, and cheer! #HappyCanadaDay 🍁

Work-Life Balance Friday Happy Friday! Our effort to promote a healthy Work-Life balance continues with another expert suggestion to help with destressing after work hours and on weekends. This week’s tip comes from @Calm Limit Screen Time Intentionally limiting screen time can improve mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. Four simple ways to limit your screen time are: Turn Off Notifications: Disable non-essential notifications to reduce the temptation to check your device frequently. Set Up No-Screen Zones: Designate certain areas of your home, like the bedroom or dining room, as no-screen zones to encourage more face-to-face interactions and better sleep habits. Create a Schedule: Allocate specific times for screen use, such as checking emails in the morning and evening, and limit recreational screen time to certain hours. Engage in Screen-Free Activities: Find hobbies and activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading physical books, exercising, cooking, or spending time outdoors. By implementing these strategies, you can create healthier screen habits and improve your overall well-being. #WorkLifeBalance #WorkLifeHarmony #PrioritizeBalance #FamilyAndFriends #ReduceScreenTime #Disconnect  

[Article] The new deal gives Think Consulting access to companies in Europe, Japan and Australia. #consulting #projectmanagement #maryland

Microsoft’s AI for Desktop Scanning: Convenience or Privacy Invasion? Microsoft has introduced an AI feature designed to capture images of users’ desktops to help locate old or misplaced files. This AI scans the desktop, recognizing file types and their locations to assist in decluttering and enhancing digital organization. While this can streamline file management and improve productivity by identifying duplicates and suggesting files for deletion, it also raises privacy concerns. Users might unknowingly expose sensitive information, such as personal documents or confidential work files, to the AI system, potentially leading to unintended data exposure. Despite Microsoft’s assurances that data collected by this feature is encrypted and used only to improve user experience, the practice highlights the delicate balance between convenience and privacy. Users should remain vigilant, reviewing permissions and utilizing security features to protect their data. It is crucial for technology providers to maintain transparency and consider offering clear opt-out options, ensuring that user consent and privacy are prioritized alongside technological advancements. Sometimes large companies push the boundaries on what is done with user data and what is deemed acceptable, so it’s always best for end users to err on the side of caution with these new, untested features. #TechPrivacy #DataSecurity #DigitalPrivacy #TechEthics 

Conversational, Generative AI at Home Last week, Reuters was first to publish an article detailing that Amazon is considering charging a monthly fee, possibly tiered, for a revamped version of their Alexa service that will include a conversational generative AI component. The article stated that this will be the first major overhaul of the technology since its introduction in 2014. The updated, “more intelligent and capable” version is being called “Remarkable Alexa”. The original “Classic Alexa” is currently free, but Amazon is considering charging a monthly fee between $5 to $10 for the updated version. As companies continue to develop AI platforms and products, their capabilities and “learning” functions will continue to increase. Consumers will need to weigh the pros and cons of this advancing technology when integrating into their everyday lives. Integrated AI components can complete some household tasks and provide information however, privacy concerns may arise as well when advanced generative AI is constantly monitoring end users’ conversations. Is this new technology for you? Are you interested in integrating a conversational, generative AI product in your home? Would you upgrade if you had to pay? #AI #ConversationalAI #GenerativeAI #FutureTech #PersonalAI https://lnkd.in/eMGyz32e

Port of Baltimore Recovery    Recently, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced the full reopening of the Port of Baltimore, marking a significant milestone in Baltimore’s economic recovery. Since the collapse of the Key Bridge on March 26th, the economy has faced significant disruptions, costing an estimated $1.2 billion. The port’s reopening signifies hope to regain and even surpass previous economic momentum.    With estimated revenue of $192 million daily, or $70 billion annually, the economic impact of the port is roughly 13% of Maryland’s Gross Domestic Product. The ripple effect of this reopening will be felt across various sectors, from trade and commerce to job creation and infrastructure development.    This moment marks not only a return to operations but a significant step toward economic growth. The increased port activities aim to create jobs, enhance their logistics infrastructure, and offer new business opportunities, particularly for local Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) businesses.    Although it will be many years before the bridge can be replaced, the Port of Baltimore is back in business and the future looks bright!     🚗 #KeyBridge #Growth #Economy #Baltimore #Trade #Commerce #Development Photo Credit: Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images file

Valtus Alliance strengthens its presence in Central and Eastern Europe!   As a step in expanding our global network of Executive Interim Management services, Valtus Alliance welcomes CE Interim | Cross-cultural Executive Interim Management as a new member.   CE Interim has been supporting companies in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Balkans and the Baltics for more than 10 years. The company provides immediately available Executive Interim Managers, Industry Experts, and Advisory Board Members to navigate complex business transformations. The Executive Interim Market in Central and Eastern Europe has been booming in recent years. The impact of the pandemic, geopolitical shifts, and rising costs of both raw materials and personnel have forced international companies to rethink their global footprint and cost structures, and have skyrocketed the need for immediately available, skilled, and culturally aware Executive Interim Managers.   “I am thrilled to join forces with Valtus Alliance, representing their global network in central and Eastern Europe and expanding our global reach in cross-cultural Executive Interim Management assignments. CE Interim now enables the alliance to have a trusted partner in these key regions, adding to the cultural strength and global impact,” says Bohuslav Lipovsky, Managing Partner of CE Interim.   “The expansion of Valtus Alliance into these fast-growing, culturally rich, and diverse markets, combined with the well-established market position of CE Interim, offers unique opportunities to clients worldwide. Together, we expect to carry out a growing amount of cross-cultural Executive Interim Management assignments,” says Aymeric Bas, Managing Partner International & Chief Revenue Officer at Valtus. #executiveinterimmanagement #interimmanagement #network #global

Deliverable-based Engagements: The Key to Successful Projects At Think, our team works on many different types of client engagements. From Project Management Office (PMO) builds to Project Rescues, organizational transformations or even strategic roadmap developments, we believe in deliverable-based engagements to drive success and ensure client satisfaction. We employ this approach to ensure our clients understand exactly what we will be providing throughout the entire project lifecycle. At the completion of every project, we deliver exactly what we committed to at the start of the project.  When defining project deliverables, we collaborate with our client to understand their specific challenges and goals, prioritize the action items, and convey, confirm, and agree on the highest impact deliverables prior to the project launch.  This process is not only beneficial to our clients, but it creates clear expectations for our internal teams too. From project planning and launch, every Think team member understands what their direct, as well as the overall project success looks like. By aligning project deliverables directly with our client’s goals, we ensure our solutions meet and exceed their needs while maintaining high standards that deliver exceptional outcomes that make a real impact.  Ready to achieve more with deliverable-driven engagements? Let's connect to discuss your goals! Contact us: https://lnkd.in/ejwMR8UB #Deliverables #OnTimeOnBudget #Outcomes #Collaboration #Success  

ChatGPT Survey Results Last week, we conducted a survey regarding the reliance on AI after ChatGPT experienced a massive outage. Since many businesses and teams have integrated AI into their everyday operations, we wanted to know how significant the impact of the outage was for business professionals. The survey question: Did last week's ChatGPT outage affect you personally or professionally in your workday? The results: Yes: 15% No: 85% These results provided mixed reactions within our team. Some people thought the percentage of people affected would have been higher, some lower, and some thought the results were what they anticipated. Of course, now we're wondering what you think! Stay tuned… #AI #Technology #Productivity #Business #Work  

Happy Father’s Day Weekend! Think, like all organizations, is fortunate to have many Men and Fathers that make extraordinary contributions at work AND home while handling the unique challenges of parenting and the work-life balance. This weekend gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the contributions and hard work that Fathers willingly take on. It’s a time to recognize the contributions they make and let them know how much they are appreciated! To all the amazing dads, grandfathers, stepdads, uncles, and father figures out there, THANK YOU, this weekend is for you! However you decide to celebrate, we hope you feel all the love and appreciation you truly deserve! #HappyFathersDay #WorkLifeBalance #CelebrateDads #Appreciation