Dennis Glendenning, a Group Manager in our Security practice and based in Cleveland, Ohio, is also a published author, a recipient of a commerce certificate from Oxford University and guitar player. Read on to learn how Dennis’ colleagues and his experiences at Avanade have helped him progress further than he thought possible.

Q. What gets you out of bed every morning?
A. Most times I get out of bed to give my family a better life, and for the honor of helping our clients and their customers to have better lives. Other times, I know I’ll get to grow somehow – in a call, a class or just sharing the same space with experts in their field. Growth is its own reward and it’s always an adventure to me.

Q. What makes Avanade different from other places you’ve worked?
A. The top three things are our leadership, the unique space we are building for ourselves in the market as the leading digital innovator, and the caliber of people that I work with each day. It’s a truly supportive and collaborative team.

Q. What is your proudest career moment and why?
A. In 2006, I was awarded the Avanade Contribution of Excellence (ACE) award for contributing a design to fill gaps in Microsoft’s web platform– the only person in Avanade Midwest history to have the honor. The award provided me with visibility inside the organization I didn’t have before; some of my colleagues considered me differently after that and others came out to introduce themselves. It was a key moment in my career journey as a member of the Midwest community. In addition, I got a couple of book deals out of the exposure, writing on topics like Windows Vista and internet information systems. It’s quite a thing to see your name on a cover sold across the world.

Q. What advice would you give to your younger self?
A. I would say, “Hey Dennis, do take advantage of the access you have - within Avanade, within Accenture and within your clients’ organizations. The experience and insights that await you will make all the difference in your career. Also, find out what ‘good enough’ means. Once you reach that, sometimes it’s better to spend your time on something else that matters and is adding more value – or just take a walk with a colleague and get some steps in. Ok, thanks Dennis.”

Q. What is your secret to making progress each day?
A. Humility and teammates. My secret is not to spend more than 20-30 minutes fishing for answers. If I don’t have it by then, I re-calculate the value of the answer and ask for help.

Q. A typical weekend for me is…
A. Catching up with family and friends. Then hiking, camping, tabletop gaming, strumming a Martin 6-string, and getting ready for the work week.

Q. Tell us one thing people don’t know about you.
A. I have a Certificate in European Commerce from St. Peter’s College, Oxford University. Go “Dark Blue”!