SBC MEETING SEPTEMBER 2007

Report & Slideshow

September found us ‘way out west’ at the Pine Ridge Golf Club, for a joint meeting with our good friends, the Lightwater Business Association. The Club’s atmospheric Tudor Barn meeting room is an unusual and versatile venue, where we can gather around large tables at the back of the room, and have a theatre-style set-up at the front for our presentations.

Networking and Story-telling…

The evening began with a structured informal networking session chaired by Keith Grover, with Members and guests introducing themselves and their business to the group. The floor was then opened up for anybody who wished to tell us something about one of their customers, by way of illustrating the type of work they get involved in while solving customers’ problems or delivering their service. Several interesting and amusing tales emerged, ranging from family disputes within the client business to dodgy wiring by inexperienced tradesmen!

Food for thought

We broke for refreshments and tucked into the substantial buffet, which we were unable to finish. Are we losing our touch in the eating stakes, perhaps? Lots of good social networking took place, and a good amount of gossip too, no doubt!

The Main Course

Our main presenters for the evening were Richard Cooke and Geoff Rolls of I-Change, who provide help and advice to businesses of all sizes in many areas including Change Management, Coaching and Mentoring, Leadership and Team Building. Find out more about all the products and services on offer by visiting the I-Change website –www.i-change.biz

Balance Your Life!

Richard and Geoff were here to give us a taste of their Balance Your Life product – an application developed by Richard to help his clients evaluate their present situation and identify what needs to change in order to achieve a more balanced and satisfied life.

Richard began by explaining the principles involved, before turning us loose on the coloured pens in a facilitated workshop. The tool at the heart of the process is mind-mapping, and for those not familiar with this powerful information management system, Richard illustrated the basics, and explained the personal dynamics of change.

There’s plenty of free background information and resources on the I-Change website – where you’ll even find a mindmap of the site itself, proving just how versatile this tool can be. Suffice it say that those of us who were brave enough to give the system a try came away with valuable insights into improving our own life balance, and a useful technique we could apply to facilitate and manage change in many aspects of our personal and business lives – so thanks again, Richard and Geoff!

Called to the bar…

After the end of the meeting, the Beverage Circle strolled around to the Clubhouse Bar (now mercifully smoke-free!) for a nightcap and a natter, as usual, on topics as diverse as the merits of franchises, business networking, expense accounts (remember them?) and football!

Please click here for a photo Slideshow from the event.