#ASTD2010 Conference Highlights and Notes

I am in Chicago at the ASTD conference, which is always a great source ideas and inspiration. Yesterday's keynote was from Dan Pink on motivation. He did a great job sharing about the power of autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Check out his talk on Ted.com for a similar talk.

I did a presentation on middle management training and was thrilled to see the room packed. Many organizations are struggling to determine the best strategies for how to develop their middle managers. It was a great group and I enjoyed sharing ideas. Here are the skills I suggested they consider to be part of their middle management development program.

 

Today I will be doing a second session on how to use a salon concept (conversational salons) for management development. Here's a wee paragraph about salons:

Salons, which originated in 16^th century China and flourished in 17^th and 18^th century France, continue in spirit today as organized but small gatherings intellectuals, artists, and writers. The name derives from the salons, or sitting rooms, in which the gatherings were typically held. After becoming established in France, concept spread throughout Europe and many scholars believe that salons played an important role in the development of the public intellectual sphere and the Enlightenment. Salons were moderated by women, known as salonnières in France, who historically had few other alternatives for organized intellectual discourse. Held for either amusement or education, or both, salons consisted of carefully selected small groups of like-minded individuals who exchanged ideas and news within a framework of politeness, civility, taste, and wit. Conversations could easily become spirited and animated. As time progressed, salons became more inclusive and less aristocratic events.

“If the flow of talk is to get anywhere, if it is to reach a conclusion, it must be confined within a rather narrow channel, or it is certain to dissipate itself.” Chauncey Brewster Tinker - The Salon and English Letters

Meet-ups and self-directed brown bag sessions can be modern-day salons if they create high-quality conversation. Even nontraditional conferences, like pal Terry Starbucker's SOBCON have salon-like vibes.

Having a great time connecting with colleagues!