Life is good when it's Winter at home and the professional gig is on the Cote d'Azur.
I'm spending the week here with a group of nearly sixty people who manage one of my client corporations in Europe. The sixty are middle managers and above, and represent a cross section of functions and disciplines.
Their goal: to develop new and/or improved strategies for market penetration as a result of getting more specific about all of the factors impacting the value chain--for them and for their customers.
The method: Brief presentations by key managers followed by break-out sessions of cross-discipline groups. Each session has a well-defined goal.
Their desired outcome: Specific, thoughtful follow-up actions that will provide a common and energizing approach to business in the months ahead. And yield results that matter.
My Role: Process designer and consultant to VP; Real-time coach for selected managers; Speaker on specific issues of organization effectiveness.
Daily Updates and Insights all Week
I was trying to figure out the best way to make sure there is a meaningful and useful post every day. So you'll be hearing about the real-life dynamics of the sessions. In addition, I'm going to share what I'm learning and re-learning about large and small group processes, as well as the nature of business--and business meetings.
This March will mark my 30th anniversary as a consultant, coach, and speaker. I'm always astounded at the newness of things that could easily be discounted as "been there before." Maybe that's the first truth that's emerged. People--and groups of people--are never exactly the same over time. The predictability with which many of us behave becomes less predictable in the face of new challenges and opportunities. When the task and the process to get there are both clear and meaningful, great things can happen.
The idea is to post here multiple times each day. I hope you'll stop back, and together we'll see what we can learn and discuss.
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