Remembering old sessions, part 1

Since our forum has been running since June 2003, and we've just now opened this blog, I thought I could dig up some interesting old sessions and show them on the blog. This could serve the old members as reminders, newer members might learn about the forum's hiostory before they joined, and perhaps some readers might be interested to read these, too?

This is a condensed presentation of our very first session on June 6th, 2003...

What is Leaders Forum about?

It provides a very powerful way to develop personally and professionally with
other like-minded people who meet monthly to learn together, hear thought-challenging talks, and share ideas and experiences.

Our motto: Making a world of a difference by me making a difference in my world
Our values: Respect Trust Sharing Support

Each Leaders Forum group is unique. Members are from a diverse range of occupations and professions with most being in mid-career.

We learn and gain (1) New ideas and solutions to challenges, (2) To access our natural wisdom, (3) “What works” and “what does not work”, (4) Broader outlooks and deeper understandings, (5) To develop our leadership skills, (6) Support, encouragement and invaluable insights from other members ….our own personal mentoring team! Plus: Developed our expression skills in English.

How we work together: Our overall theme is leadership development. Within that theme we decide on and work with the topics that most interest us and from which we have most to gain. Meetings can combine talks by thought-leaders and practitioners; presentations by members; open dialogue and challenge-focused discussion; learning by practicing; mentoring one-to-one or as a group. Each member keeps a record of their “best ideas and practices” and is also provided with summaries. Members aim to gain high personal value, grow as self-leaders and to make their positive differences.

We are multi-professionals who are open and adaptive to new ways thinking. and to allow for the “best ideas” to come up we do not have tight rules. “Energetic, creative, enjoyable, relaxed, fun” best describes our meetings and is what we aim to take with us into our lives and into our work.

Short talks and presentations and unhurried open discussions: Thought-challenging talks and presentations spark our minds for us to dialogue together in search for the BIG ideas; the break-through insights to maximise our learning and to give the ways and tools we are looking for.

No homework: We are too busy.

The facilitators distil the best ideas and feed them back to us and we each keep our own personal record of our special insights and ideas we wish to use. Confidential matters are kept confidential.

For our first six months, we wished to (1) Develop our presence of mind, (2) Find new perspectives and ways to think, and (3) Understand what motivates me and others.