We have been busy with training, talks and performances. For the last three weeks we have been training senior consultants and partners at one of the top five consulting firms in strategic thinking and structure communication. This week we talk talks — in Oslo to 250 leaders in health care (Monday), in Tallinn to clients of a large financial institution (with musicians), and to members of the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce. The following week we train leaders from banking, energy and pharma. In May we train another of the top five consulting firms how to group their ideas. Upcoming also: talks in Brussels for CIONET and for the Norwegian department of municipalities and modernization (KMD).
The training sessions focuses on the smalles and most critical components in any intellectual work: the grouping. Through team exercises we increase awareness of how group ideas for better insight and how to use sound groupings to help ease understanding for the reader/listener. The goal is to ensure that the reader gets the best possible return on attention and that decisions are based on a full understanding of the underlying factors. The skills taught helps participants work better together and alone. They become better readers/listeners, writer/talkers and improve their ability to organize work in groups.
The talks deal with how to influence outcomes when you are out of control. The short answer is, when faced with live collaboration in complex environments, pay attention. When gaining control is either too expensive or downright impossible, the key to influence is to understand the context and freeze deadlines and sacrifice price and/or quality in order to avoid delays. In jazz as in business, presence AND timing go hand in hand; when you play in a tempo, you might have to sacrifice your own need for perfection in order to deliver in time. I sometimes use musicians to illustrate my points. I also use personal stories to create the glue needed for learning to take place.
Jazz. This spring, I have performed regularily at a club in Oslo (Palace Grill) — packed every time. The core of the band has been Bendik Hofseth (sax), Sidiki Camara (perk.), Audun Erlien or Mats Eilertsen on bass and myself on drums. Guests have included Lars Jansson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff, Jojje Wadenius (coming on April 27), Erlend Slettevoll.