Category Archives: Meetings-2015

Annual Networking/Social Meeting
and “Gold Elephant Book Exchange”

Meeting Goals:
– Connect: get to know one another better – personally & professionally
– Learn: share knowledge informally during the book exchange
– Enjoy: fellowship + creative responses (and humor) of the game

Please bring a gift-wrapped book that is meaningful to you — perhaps a book from your own library to ‘pay it forward’ or one from a second hand bookstore. Don’t spend a lot of money – it’s the thought that counts!

The game will be similar to a traditional white elephant gift exchange — each person in turn will unwrap a book or ‘steal’ one that someone else has already opened. Unlike ‘white elephants’ (which are often useless), the books are ‘gold elephants’ that will contain some unique nuggets of wisdom when opened (or stolen) by the right recipient! Discovering those golden nuggets will be part of the game as people talk about the books they give (and the ones they get)!

Handout/Procedure for the ‘Gold Elephant Gift Exchange’

Presenter / Facilitator: Jim Jameson

(Please join our LinkedIn Group if you haven’t yet done so, and comment on the discussions.)

Facilitator BIO:
Jim Jameson is a Principal at Noah Consulting LLC (a firm specializing in Master Data Management for the Upstream Oil & Gas industry). His role is to improve the success rate of technology adoption projects, working mainly in the areas of Change Management, Collaboration, and Communications. He believes that focusing on the people side of technology change is the key to improving ROI on transformational ‘IT solutions’.

 Program Planning for 2016!

Schedule for Thursday Evening:
   – 6:30  Networking / Food / Intros
   – 7:00  Announcements / Program
   – 8:45  Closing and evaluation

Meeting Location:
University of Dallas – – Haggerty Science Center Room 201 [NEW] *
   1845 East Northgate Drive,  Irving, TX  75062   (972-721-5000)

Haggerty Science Center is #5 on the UD Campus map.   [Google Map for Nav] 

Note:  Haggerty Science Center is on the “Mall” by the tall Bell Tower.  Room 201 is on the 3rd floor. 

Parking:  Lot C or J, on Maher Ln, or in various places across the campus. 

Cost: No charge for members ($60/year). $10 for guests.

Facilitator BIOs:  

Jeff Bracken, CMC® Jeff is an organizational transformation and performance improvement consultant.  He is a Founding Member of the DFW OD Network, a Certified Management Consultant through the Institute of Management Consultants, a Member of the Board of Examiners for the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, a Member of the Board of Examiners for the Quality Texas Foundation, and a Mentor Trainer and Facilitator of the Technology of Participation (ToP®) facilitation methods through the Institute of Cultural Affairs.

Logan Renfrow is a global corporate development professional with strong entrepreneurial leadership skills and the proven ability to develop and apply strategic insight. He spent five years in China and Singapore successfully managing organizational change and growth initiatives for an international manufacturer of electrical power systems for the shipbuilding and oil and gas industries. Logan received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and will graduate in December with his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Gonzaga University.

We look forward to seeing you there!

 Selection & Retention of High Potentials

Also please note:   Your input is needed on the National OD Network’s Global Competency Model!  Please join your peers and participate in this survey, which closes very soon:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WS9FZB3

Schedule for Thursday Evening:
   – 6:30  Networking / Food / Intros
   – 7:00  Announcements / Program
   – 8:45  Closing and evaluation

Meeting Location:
University of Dallas – – Haggerty Science Center Room 201 [NEW] *
   1845 East Northgate Drive,  Irving, TX  75062   (972-721-5000)

Haggerty Science Center is #5 on the UD Campus map.   [Google Map for Nav] 

Note:  Haggerty Science Center is on the “Mall” by the Bell Tower.  Follow signs to room 201.

Parking:  Lot C or J, on Maher Ln, or in various places across the campus. 

Cost: No charge for members ($60/year). $10 for guests.

Presenter BIO:  

Dr. Glen B. Earl  works in the Leadership and Organizational Development Department for Parkland Hospital, focusing on succession planning and performance management.

Dr. Earl has worked in OD for 20 years in the financial, manufacturing, and healthcare industries

We look forward to seeing you there!

Organizational Fracking:
Opening Up Your Silos

Got silos in your organization?  Most people would say: ‘Why yes we do! And we need to bring out the big guns and break them down before they suck the life out of our company!’   Well not so fast cowboy — are silos always bad?  And when they are, do they need to be busted wide open?  Or do they just need to be ‘ventilated’ to keep people fresh and stimulate the flow of ideas?

In this session Pete and Jim will explore these questions and show us a new way to look at organizational silos using the metaphor of “fracking” – a common practice in the oil & gas industry that is not well understood.  Of course you can also expect a couple of stories (i.e. case studies) to illustrate these ideas, and perhaps a few examples from the audience as well.

So come to the July meeting and let us ‘frack’ your paradigm on ‘silos’!

Facilitators:  Pete Sorenson (Strategic Organization Design) and Jim Jameson (Noah Consulting)

We look forward to seeing you on July 9 at the University of Dallas. Remember we are in a different room at UD in 2015!  (It’s a nicer room and much easier to find!)

Schedule for Thursday Evening:
   – 6:30  Networking / Food / Intros
   – 7:00  Announcements / Program
   – 8:45  Closing and evaluation

Meeting Location:
University of Dallas – – Catherine Hall, Room 11  {New!} *
   1845 East Northgate Drive,  Irving, TX  75062   (972-721-5000)

Catherine Hall is #20 on the UD Campus map.    [Google Map for Nav]
>> Click for Satellite Map of the building and parking (with lat/long)

Note:  Catherine Hall is on the east end of the campus, just off Tom Braniff Drive (map).  Room 11 is on the first floor, just to the right of the front door.  (Much easier to find than our old room.)  

Parking:  Usually plenty of spaces in Lot P (map / map); also available in various places across the campus. 

Cost: No charge for members ($60/year). $10 for guests.

Facilitator BIOs:  

Peter Jay Sorenson is an independent strategic organization design and change management consultant, coach, social entrepreneur, university instructor, and ethicist.

Pete’s recent focus has been on using innovation to create economic and social self-reliance for individuals, families, and organizations in both the developing and developed world. His current clients are mainly from the healthcare and oil and gas sectors.

He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (1976) and his Master’s Degree in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University (1979). The Institute of Management Consultants awarded Pete the Certified Management Consultant® (CMC®) designation in 2002.

In August 2013 Pete was given the prestigious “Sharing the Wealth Award” by the OD Network.  This fall, his new book “Organizing! Deliberate Design” will be published.

Jim Jameson is a Principal at Noah Consulting LLC, a firm specializing in Master Data Management for the Upstream Oil & Gas industry. His role is to improve the success rate of technology adoption projects, working mainly in the areas of Change Management, Collaboration, and Communications. He believes that focusing on the people side of technology change is the key to improving ROI on transformational ‘IT solutions’.

Jim earned a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University, along with an MS degree in Information Systems and post-grad certificate in Knowledge Management, both from George Washington University.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Got EQ? Don’t Kick the Dog!

Emotional Intelligence (sometimes referred to as Emotional Quotient) requires little introduction now that it is considered a critical success factor in a career and organization, along with decision-making, leadership, creativity & innovation, teambuilding, and communication – just to name a few. But just because Emotional Intelligence is commonly known doesn’t mean it is commonly practiced to improve personal and professional lives.

In this session, we will take a look at Emotional Intelligence through an amusing story, “Don’t Kick the Dog”. This story, about 4 kids and a dog named Precious, will set the frame for a lively and highly interactive evening of learning. You will have some of your most “burning” questions answered by Panelists who are in the know, and finally — how about a round of “Emotional Intelligence Jeopardy”.

Michelle Y. Gilder will be our Learning Facilitator. She promises you will not only confirm what you already know about the skills of Emotional Intelligence but will be inspired to practice these skills to achieve more of what you want in your business and personal lives.

We look forward to seeing you on May 14 at the University of Dallas. Remember we are in a different room at UD in 2015!  (It’s a nicer room and much easier to find!)

Schedule for Thursday Evening:
   – 6:30  Networking / Food / Intros
   – 7:00  Announcements / Program
   – 8:45  Closing and evaluation

Meeting Location:
University of Dallas – – Catherine Hall, Room 11  {New!} *
   1845 East Northgate Drive,  Irving, TX  75062   (972-721-5000)

Catherine Hall is #20 on the UD Campus map.    [Google Map for Nav]
>> Click for Satellite Map of the building and parking (with lat/long)

Note:  Catherine Hall is on the east end of the campus, just off Tom Braniff Drive (map).  Room 11 is on the first floor, just to the right of the front door.  (Much easier to find than our old room.)  

Parking:  Usually plenty of spaces in Lot P (map / map); also available in various places across the campus. 

Cost: No charge for members ($60/year). $10 for guests.

Presenter BIOs:  Michelle Y. Gilder

Michelle is a highly regarded International Learning Facilitator, Human Performance Coach, Organization Development Systems Consultant, Trainer, and Mediator with Gilder Group International — the Learning firm she founded in 1991. Gilder Group International partners with organizations to identify performance gaps or barriers to productivity, uncover solutions within the system and implement for continuous people and business development. These solutions include, and not limited to, customized, quality facilitated learning events featuring 30+ business related competencies, professional development coaching, process improvement projects, and mediations, for business professionals in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, England, Wales, Australia, and New Zealand.

For 25 years her experience spans many diverse industries, such as government, financial institutions; telecommunications, healthcare, airlines, and pharmaceuticals just to name a few.  Michelle’s enthusiasm for learning is always evident and you will quickly become engaged as she challenges you to listen, think and most importantly, to have fun as you discover practical, useable information that will empower you to grow to your next level, personally and professionally.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Leadership Development
Using An Evidence Approach

What is an “Evidence Approach” to building a leadership development program? How does it work, how do you do it, and what are the results? In this discussion you will learn what it is, how it was used to develop such a program, and finally what were the results.

As the Program Manager for such an effort in a Fortune 250 organization, Ed Savage will share an in depth look at the methodology and its use to design, develop, deliver, and enhance an executive leadership development program in a 45,000 employee multi-business unit company. The evidence based principles discussed and used can be applied to large and small organizations.

We look forward to seeing you on January 8 at the University of Dallas as we kick off a new year of OD Network Programs!
>> Note that we are in a different room at UD in 2015!  (It should be easier and better!)

(Please join our LinkedIn Group if you haven’t yet done so, and comment on the discussions.)

Schedule for Thursday Evening:
   – 6:30  Networking / Food / Intros
   – 7:00  Announcements / Program
   – 8:45  Closing and evaluation

Meeting Location:
University of Dallas – – Catherine Hall, Room 11  {New!} *
1845 East Northgate Drive,  Irving, TX  75062   (972-721-5000)

The Art History Bldg is #11 on the campus map.         [Google Map for Nav]
  >> Click for Satellite Map  of the building and parking (with lat/long)  

Note:  Catherine Hall is on the east end of the campus, just off Tom Braniff Drive (map).  Room 11 is on the first floor, just to the right of the front door.  (Much easier to find than our old room.)  

Parking:  Usually plenty of spaces in Lot P (map / map); also available in various places across the campus. 

Cost: No charge for members ($60/year). $10 for guests.

We look forward to seeing you there!