As we get ready as we get ready for the Microsoft 365 Community Conference in May 2025, it was a good time to sit down with my longtime colleague and Intrazone podcast co-host Mark Kashman from Microsoft.
We explored Mark's role as a Senior Product Manager, and his work with customers and the community. We covered some of his favorite productivity tips with @mentions and Loop, and even had Mark throw in his own gratuitous sports reference for once. Of course, building on our M365 Conference preview with Jeff Teper and Karuana Gatimu, we took a deep dive into what to expect next month beyond the keynotes, sessions, and expos at the Community Lounge in Las Vegas.
Even if you're not going to the conference, it’s great to hear Mark's take on the importance of this community and how to get connected and stay engaged.
We hope you enjoy it, and look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas.
Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.
Show Notes
Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.
References
Microsoft and the Community
Community Days.org is the home to find or create on of the dozens of Microsoft community events held around the world every year.
You can always join the Microsoft Tech Community here.
Mark Kashman
The KashBox on Substack
Mark is also an author of many children’s books, also available on Amazon.
Pop Culture
Mark Kashman is a fan of Frederik Backman, the prolific Swedish author perhaps best know for A man Called Ove, also made into the Tom Hanks film A Man Called Otto
Smartless is the podcast voice of Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes, who have not yet been guests on Polaris.
Events
Microsoft 365 Community Conference | May 5-8, 2025 (MGM Grand, Las Vegas)
Microsoft Build | May 19-22 (Seattle Convention Center)
European Collaboration Summit | May 26-28, 2025 (Düsseldorf, Germany)
Mastering Your AI Rollout: Success Strategies | June 12, 2025 (TribalHub Online)
Business Strategy Master Class | June 17, 2025 (Teams Online)
TechCon 365 Seattle | June 23-27, 2025 (Seattle Convention Center)
Production
Polaris is produced with the help of our friends at Riverside.fm. Our theme song, “Alternative Dream” is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.
Sound Bites
“If we can get a good ear to that evangelist who isn't just an MVP, but maybe is to hopefully scale through thousands or hundreds of people within their organization. That's where we really focus on.”
"Businesses should ensure that [advocates] have a seat at the table. They should know the direction of the business. What are we trying to accomplish? What tools do we have? They'll be able to provide guidance, they can be that internal trusted advisor.”
What makes a customer exec take notice of new technology? “A big one is around what can you do inside of Microsoft Teams?”
Takeaways
Mark Kashman has been with SharePoint for over a decade.
Community engagement is crucial for technology adoption.
Understanding when to use specific tools is essential.
Internal advocates play a vital role in technology adoption.
The TechCommunity provides a platform for engagement and feedback.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Mark Kashman
08:21 Mark's Role at Microsoft
11:27 Navigating Microsoft 365 Tools
17:16 Understanding Task Management Tools
20:35 Engaging with Microsoft Customers
23:45 Empowering Internal Advocates
25:31 Exciting Tools in Executive Briefings
29:59 Exploring the Tech Community
31:56 Practical Insights for Tech Users
36:05 Automation and Rules in Microsoft 365
38:41 Sports and Community Engagement
41:11 Microsoft 365 Community Conference Overview
47:24 The Joy of AMAs and Audience Engagement
51:13 Cultural Reflections and Book Recommendations
56:29 Upcoming Tech Events and Conferences
58:35 The Importance of Community in Technology
58:42 Reflections
01:00:53 Reflections and Closing Thoughts