On my flight home from the Interop IT Expo and Conference 2012 in Las Vegas, I reflected on a great week of activities. I’m not talking about the free massages at the ViaWest booth, that cool orange Spiceworks shirt I never got my hands on, the cool Netscout tote that I got two of, or the great parties at Haze, Eye Candy Lounge, and the Foundation Room. Wait, of course I’m talking about them, because all those things were fun and cool and helped make the event great. But, here’s my more professional Top 5, in no particular order.

I’ve been to Las Vegas before when I attended Cisco Live 2011, but this is my first time attending the Interop IT Expo and Conference. Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and Interop — what a combo.

Like the majority of folks attending, as we walk by the slot machines, craps tables, and roulette wheels, I’m looking forward to learning more about emerging IT topics such as cloud computing and virtualization, data center and storage, and wireless and mobility, as well as security and risk management.

For most folks, their high school years were either the most blissful of their lives or so painful and angst-filled that they’re still haunted by them. Depending on your teenage experiences, you may have already noticed, or chosen to ignore, that most workplaces are like high school all over again.

Doesn’t the company Christmas party sometimes come off more like a pep rally? Do you ever catch yourself ducking the executive suite like it’s the principal’s office? Do you have this inherent department pride when compared to some other random department — like it’s seniors versus juniors?

If you missed the RSA Conference in San Francisco last month, then you also missed Cisco’s new vice president of security Chris Young speak on “Lock It Down and Free It Up.”

His new job at Cisco is a great fit for the San Francisco native and graduate of both Princeton and Harvard. His resume reads like a Top 5 technology company list, including stints at VMware, AOL, and RSA, the Security Division of EMC. I’m not sure how they found him, but he’s sure to give Chambers, Warrior, and Dominquez a run for their money when Cisco Live rolls around.

The RSA Conference 2012 starts today at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. It’s five days packed with cutting-edge sessions by the world’s top security experts. Plus, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is the final keynote speaker.

Of the massive number of session topics, a handful are sure to garner more attention than others. I’m sure many of us are eyeing sessions on mobility and the impact BYOD initiatives have on security policies and best practices. I’m also curious about how government CISOs are going to maintain a strong security posture with current and future budget cuts and where cybersecurity workforce development falls in their priorities.

In the summer of 2011, I attended my first Cisco Live event. For years – even when it was called Networkers, I’d heard how great a show it was. Needless to say, I was excited. I didn’t get to stick around Cisco Live 2011 long enough to hear William Shatner and Carlos Dominguez in the final keynote. Missing that was a huge disappointment. This year, I’m planning to be there the whole week — from the welcome reception to the final keynote address. This year, I’m planning to be there the whole week — from the welcome reception to the final keynote address.

I’m an Oakland Raiders fan so I didn’t have a dog in this year’s Super Bowl fight. Even so, I can admit that the NY Giants’ display was impressive. A down-and-out team at mid-season made quite a run in the post season and won the ultimate prize. I love an underdog about as much as watching Tom Brady’s bride berate opposing fans.

Do you feel like an underdog at work? If so, it’s understandable. Maybe you have a brother in the same sport, I mean industry, who seems to get all the glory. Maybe your team, I mean company, is located in the largest TV market on the East Coast and gets a lot of unwanted attention when you’re not doing well. Maybe your coaching staff, I mean company executives, are seen as old, stodgy, and behind the times. Perhaps, adding insult to injury, your competition is a well-oiled machine guided by one of the league’s, I mean industry’s, masterminds of the last decade.

My blog post a few weeks back “Five Career Tips I Learned from Willy Wonka” was so popular I wrote a follow-up. So here’s more career tips derived from everybody’s favorite chocolatier. Enjoy!

Keeping employees motivated to work hard year after year can be challenging. But without the right motivation, keeping your team consistently productive can be nearly impossible. That’s why it’s essential to remember to say “thank you” every now and then to those employees who prove to be assets to you and your entire organization. With just a little thought, especially during the holidays when companies usually reward employees for a successful year, showing appreciation can be easy as pumpkin pie.

It doesn’t take pure imagination to realize that when it comes to your career, inspiration may come from the least likely of places — a concept we’ll explore in this two part series of posts.

There are always the self-made men in the film, including Violet’s dad, used car salesman extraordinaire Sam Beauregarde, as well as Veruca Salt’s dad, the nut tycoon. But unless you think swindling or buying your way to the top are viable career options, let’s look elsewhere for our mentoring (and parenting) guidance.

For serious career advice you can use, look no further than the main man himself – Willy Wonka. His lines are filled with sage advice that can help you better any employment situation.