2007 will commence with two new highly exciting International events. The first one is a continuation of the CLF International Masterclass series Feb 6, 2007 Dr. Goran Carstedt, is the former Head of IKEA Europe, President, Volvo and is currently Global Steward for the Society for Organizational Learning (SOL). His experience as leader of some of the worlds' most successful organizations allows Goran to demonstrate how to tap into energies of people to create something that matters deeply.. The CLF is delighted to be able to offer this rare and intimate opportunity with Goran Carstedt as part of the 2007 National People and Organizational Development Summit, Sydney February 7-9. There are limited places and before the CLF goes to market, 1/3 of the available places have been sold. So if you are interested please book quickly. The second international event is a brand new initiative, International Thought Leaders Forums. International Thought Leaders Forums are based on immersive action learning experiences and are designed to capture and publish the new knowledge that is created by the delegates around the Forum's theme. Mar 27-29th Dr Harold Nelson, architect, President and Co-Founder of the US Advanced Design Institute, past president of the International Society for Systems Science (ISSS) and co-author of "the Design Way", a ground breaking book variously described as "must have" and "fascinating and provocative" by his peers, will explore the idea of design as the ongoing genesis of the real world—the seminal process of world creation. In leading this Forum, Dr Nelson will challenge the participants to create a blueprint for leading design driven organizations for the 21st century? This 2 1/2 day retreat will be located at the beautiful 5 star boutique retreat, the Lake House, Daylesford, Victoria.
The CLF is currently designing a more generic one-day programme entitled How Creativity and Innovation Work (An Individual and Organizational Perspective) that will be launched mid 2007. This programme will introduce managers at any level to creative skills training, will explore how those skills can be used in the work place collaboratively using both human assets and information technology to produce meaningful results. Planning has commenced for a North American 15 day Study Tour on Creativity and Innovation for C+ Executives for October/November 2007. The tour will take delegates to the board room of America's leading corporations and universities that have demonstrated a global standard and capacity for genuine Creative Leadership. Full details will be announced early 2007. On a personal note, I have been approached and accepted the role of Event Director, 2007 for the US Creative Problems Solving Institute Annual Conference. This is its 53rd consecutive annual conference and I am honored and humbled to be able to contribute to an organization that has been a pioneer for over 50 years in the area of creative thinking skills and training. Its luminaries include - Alex Osborn, the founding creative director of the global advertising agency BBD&O, the "O" in the BBD&O, the generally acknowledged inventor of the term brain-storming and author of the seminal tome on creativity and its application "Applied Imagination", - Edward de Bono, perhaps, the most famous popularizer of creative thinking skills in business, way before the need for this skill was recognized - Abraham Maslow, the father of Humanist Psychology who wrote about self actualization and creativity on the 50's and - Ned Herman, the engineer, physicist-artist who in the 50's designed and developed GE's first Senior Executive Course around creative thinking and whole-brain problem solving and later went on to design the Herman Brain Dominance Instrument - the HBDI, the universally accepted standard for measuring an individual's preferred creative cognitive behaviour. The co-creator of the CPS methodology and co-founder of CPSI, Sidney J, Parnes, 84, is still actively involved with CPSI and I now have the unique thrill of being able to work directly with this globally recognized master and mentor in Creative Leadership. This experience will greatly inform the future of the Creative Leadership Forum. The CLF looks forward to continuing to develop, design and deliver meaningful creative leadership and skills training programmes that aimed to enrich both your personal and professional life. Thank you to all those who have supported the CLF in the first 12 months and welcome to those who are now hearing about us!!! Ralph Kerle |