• In the BBC show Back to the Floor, Robert Thirkell convinces corporate CEOs to spend a day as a bottom-of-the-rung employee. Contact the show and obtain some tapes of episodes and watch them at your next group meeting. If you were the CEO of the company profiled, what changes would you make on the 'factory floor'? Discuss what goes on at the lower levels of companies represented in your group that the CEO probably is unaware of or would be shocked to hear. Try to get a local CEO to spend a day on 'factory floor' with all employees and follow him or her around. Record where he or she is impressed and surprised. Hold a roundtable on what change members of your group would implement if they were CEO.
• Alison Overholt shows that the nature of business meetings is changing in Virtually There?Explore and discuss the different options available for electronic collaboration, like Placeware, WebEx, Centra, and Tandberg. Contact one of these companies and see if they are willing to allow your group to demo their software. Hold your next group meeting virtually, with people meeting at a few different locations and communicating via the software. Or hold a regular meeting and invite a special guest to participate via virtual software, perhaps even a representative from one of the above companies who can explain how to maximize the benefits from the program.
• Fara Warner explains How Fitch Makes Its Pitch, with every person filling a specific role in presentations. Now that spring is here, watch how the real pros make their pitch in spring training. Spring training is a great way to see baseball stars warm up and unknowns make their bid for a spot on the roster. Also consider taking in a minor league game as a CoF. Observe the backups and unknowns during the course of the game and try and compare their efforts and attitude to the more established players. What is the training period like in your company -- is it a time for manager to shine or to slack? Observe the relationship between pitchers and catchers, especially in later innings when younger and less-established players are playing, and when the pitcher and catcher haven't worked together as much. Is the chemistry between the two the same as in the early innings? What ingredients need to be present for the two position players to gel? Relate this to different positions and departments in your office.

Daniel Richards contributed this month's Flash Points.

March 2002 Connexus | Flash Points | Next Steps

Action Packs home