A Champion's Guide to Advocacy

At first glance, becoming an IBM Champion can seem like a convoluted and arduous process.

This is especially true when comparing yourself to others with more experience and more followers.

However, in reality it's actually not too hard when you know what to do, and the optimal way to do it!

This article will explain what acts of advocacy you can undertake to work towards a future IBM Champion nomination, and all the related foibles.

Just remember that you should have your own journey, so you don't trail another person's footsteps, or else you may feel like you're living in someone else's shadow...

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What counts as “Advocacy”?

It’s a good question: What sort of actions would count as “Acts of Advocacy”?

Well, as long as it’s mainframe-aligned (or any other IBM technology) then any of the following actions are viable… For example:

• Describe a presentation you delivered to an audience at a conference (virtual or in-person), including during IBM TechXChange, Broadcom Mainframe Technical Exchange, IDUG, SHARE, RE:IPL, Open Mainframe Project / Linux Foundation and MightyMainframe

• Explain situations where you mentored or educated someone, passing that knowledge on to more people

• Outline an event that you organised or volunteered in, such as a college Careers Fair or a founding a local New-To-IBM-Z chapter

• Reference a time you took photos or videos as part of a networking event, sharing this content for the event organisers on social media or other digital properties

• Repost the "MindShare" topics by Mainframe Society with your own answer to start an engaging conversation with commenters

• Write tutorials for Dinoframe, whether these are in a written or video medium

• Contact places like TechChannel, Planet Mainframe, WAVEZ or Mainframerz Meetup to discuss the opportunity to create content for them, such as an online article.

• The Discord server "System Z Enthusiasts" (SZE) is a moderated and safe space for people to chat, collaborate, provide feedback, and to nonchalatnly 'chew the fat', but they also also host regular webinars on a variety of topics which you could support by raising a topic you feel passionately about, or even demonstrating a product.

• Repost a recording of the 'Z Rebels Technical Watercooler' webinars (from the Seven9s YouTube account) and start a conversation on LinkedIn about one of the topics/products discussed.

• Being a guest on a podcasts to the likes of Amit Sharma - Tech Sharmit, Laticia Carrow - TishTalksTech, OMP - I Am A Mainframer, MS - The Mainframe Community, IBM - z/Action!, etc...

• Support subsequent generations of talent by helping a Mainframe Society at a nearby university, such as MaSS at the University of Wolverhampton

These actions will help you build your personal brand and become recognised as a big name in your chosen field, which could be Security, Databases, Open Source, Modernisation, etc...

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How can I start the to become a Champion?

To achieve the status of IBM Champion, you will need to submit a nominations (when nominations are open again) with details of the aforementioned "Acts of Advocacy", outlining different acts of advocacy that you have undertaken.

However, you can get started today on your journey to a robust nomination!

• If you are a mainframer, you can participate in the IBM Z and LinuxONE Advocacy badge programme, or

• You can be recognised for advocacy as part of the IBM Rising Champions Advocacy programme, which is a graduated, year-round opportunity for other IBM technologies you support.

Both programmes are recognized pathways to a future IBM Champion nomination.

There are three levels of accomplishment through a digital badging process, appointed on Credly, which could lead to a future nomination into the IBM Champions program.

The IBM Z and LinuxONE Advocacy and the IBM Rising Champions programmes are similarly structured. These badges are awarded annually and are stackable:

1) IBM Contributor Submit two (2) acts of advocacy that you have completed within the last calendar year (according to the recognized program activities and beyond the scope of their role).

2) IBM Advocate Submit five (5) acts of advocacy (or add three (3) additional acts of advocacy to the above IBM Contributor level) that you have completed within the last calendar year (according to the recognized program activities and beyond the scope of their role).

3) IBM Influencer Submit eight (8) acts of advocacy (or add three (3) additional acts of advocacy for rising champions) or nine (9) acts of advocacy or add four (4) additional acts of advocacy for IBM Z and LinuxONE to the above IBM Advocate level) that you have completed within the last calendar year (according to the recognized program activities and beyond the scope of their role).

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Where do I submit this content?

So the final question: Where do you submit those “acts of advocacy”?

Depending on your interests and specialities, you can get started on your future IBM Champion by first joining the IBM TechXchange Community.

Then depending on your interest area, you can join the IBM Z Advocacy Hub and start earning your IBM Z and LinuxONE advocacy badges there

Or you can start earning your IBM Rising Champions Advocacy badges by applying via this form.

Simply click this link and you're there: https://airtable.com/appr7AMaQ5EWTQhV5/pag5LpRw2u0Fgcbcl/form

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Nomination

Nominations for IBM Champion are an annual process and will open again in the Autumn / Fall of 2025.

You can start today by earning your advocacy badges through either of these programs, which will help you build a portfolio of advocacy as you work towards your future IBM Champion nomination.

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/champions/ibm-champions-program

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Thanks for reading!

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