“The instant “fame” was great but what really hit home was the sudden interest in our work. We were able to use this win as an opportunity to expand our scope to new areas and drive more engagement.” - Sheenal Patel, Client Engagement Manager at Fannie Mae,
It has been a little more than nine months since the 2015 TBM Conference and with nominations open for the 2016 awards, I decided to catch up with Sheenal Patel, Client Engagement Manager at Fannie Mae, to learn more about what winning a TBM Award meant to her and her team. The Fannie Mae team won the 2015 IT Services Transformation Award for their work in shaping technology investment and operations at Fannie Mae. Their work with TBM has allowed them to retire orphaned infrastructure, establish closer collaboration with the business, and re-configure teams and tasks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOPgtMlKV1E
Below are some highlights from my conversation with Sheenal.
TBM Council: What did winning the IT Services Transformation Award mean to you and your team?
Sheenal: We’ve done some incredible work that has demonstrated great value across the organization. Winning this award was such an honor and receiving recognition for all of the hard work our team put into this implementation felt great. To know that the panel of judges, well respected professionals in the industry, found our case study not only worthy of being a finalist but then ultimately winning the award felt extremely validating.
TBM Council: What has changed since winning the award?
Sheenal: After winning the award, we felt like rock stars as we walked through the halls of the conference. When we came back home, we really felt the love. News of our award traveled fast. Our Corporate Communications team posted the announcement on the internal website so we were receiving emails, calls, texts congratulating us on the win. The instant “fame” was great but what really hit home was the sudden interest in our work. We were able to use this win as an opportunity to expand our scope to new areas and drive more engagement.
TBM Council: What would you tell someone who is unsure about submitting a nomination?
Sheenal: Just submit the nomination. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t win this year but you never know until you give it a shot. It’s like playing the lottery…you can’t win unless you try. Your hard work deserves the recognition!
TBM Council: After being a part of the process and ceremony last year, what qualities stood out to you about the other finalists?
Sheenal: The biggest quality I noticed was the enthusiasm each of the teams demonstrated. They not only felt proud of the work they accomplished but were so optimistic about the work ahead of them and their role in continuing to drive the importance of TBM.
TBM Council: What has been your biggest takeaway from being a part of the TBM community?
Sheenal: The TBM community is strong. The TBM Awards is a great opportunity to get your work out there and be recognized.
Thanks to Sheenal and all the members of the Fannie Mae team for sharing their TBM journey with the Council. We can't wait to see what you else you accomplish moving forward!
Who will be the winners of the 2016 TBM Awards competition? You don't want to miss the awards ceremony at TBM Conference 2016. Register before October 7, 2016 to save up to $500!