It's over and it’s beginning again.

Well I never got round to posting my report on yesterday (Saturday) so here are my thoughts for the last two days of the conference.

Saturday Morning started for me with an empty room. The convener of the ‘Sales Training’ session was unable to make it so I ended up across the hallway in ‘Marketing to Corporations’. Someone else has promised to post the results of that one so I’ll add only this. It was the second time in two days I heard about the need for some kind of backup that we can use to prove to potential clients that we are serious in our use of Improv and that the skill set we have to offer gives us a new and effective toolkit.

The two sessions I convened were quiet affairs.. In one case just me and someone else talking about the ‘hard’ (as opposed to ‘soft’) skills and how they can be taught using the improv skill set. The other session I offered on Accelerated Learning was just me. (for a while) so I shifted to one on dealing with corporate meetings. One bumblebee buzzed into that then asked if this was the Accelerated Learning thing, so we chatted.

I had a couple of opportunities to join the moving playground and they were everything I thought they might be. Fun and exciting.

A Quick nap then on to the banquet and jam. Some fun games and some great advice (as well as some bad advice and some of the worse advice you could imagine) including a tip on how to clear a room of improvisers. (A skill we all need!)

Sunday! Last Day and a Mini Open Space on the direction of the organization. And a potential conflict. Viv gave us the news that she has a conference in Australia next year that conflicts with the dates suggested for next years conference (That’s November in San Francisco) . She offered it as a choice for people to attend hers instead and the spirit of the conference made everyone want to YES-AND that. Some talking about moving our date, others about moving the entire conference to Australia. I don’t know what’s going to happen. My own personal circumstances make it more likely that I would be able to attend next year if it is before the end of October but I understand Alain’s reasons for making sure that the price is kept down (as the dates would ensure).

Then two great sessions. One on Executive Coaching from Paul Z Jackson and Janine Waldman and another on Manifesting the Learning from Andrew Welch. Lots to take in and work with.

Then The Closing of the Open Space and the end of the conference.
Song.
Dance.
Poetry.
Tears.
Laughs.
Thoughts.
Photos.

As I said there to all who made it. I’m not certain if I will be able to be physically present next year. But I’ll be there. These are my people. Where ever they gather part of me will be there.

Now what can I do to try and give back some of what I gained?

Posted by Alan Montague on October 3, 2005 10:09 AM in Annual conference
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