I woke at 7am after nearly eight hours sleep.
I have never had a television in my bedroom, so the ability of watching the news on Sky as I got washed and dressed was a novel experience.
I went down to breakfast - a big fried breakfast followed by toast and marmalade, followed by several delectable Danish pastries (normally I have a tiny breakfast, just a slice of bread and butter). Tea to drink. Various members of the Council came in and joined me (I was on the long table in the middle of the room) and made stilted conversation, a strange mixture of banalities and profundities.
The Friday seminars were semi-open, so there were a lot of day attendees. I stood on the Reception desk to help receive the arrivals, giving people badges and answering questions. Then I went upstairs to make sure Gary was alright on the stand.
I sat in the first talk by the American speaker Mitchell A, which was quite interesting although he was patronising to the audience and at one point made an outrageous remark about one of the female Council members.
"Changing people's behaviour is difficult... We think we know what goes on but actually we do not... There are a number of cool tools we can use... Listen and repeat back to them their story... Learn to engage in such a way that you empower people...Women bring a different mindset than men... To change consensus you need to concentrate on individuals... It's a difficult story to sell but don't be discouraged, it can be done... It all depends on finding the individuals willing to get engaged..."
The morning tea break and a rush of people up to the stands. When the seminars re-convened I stayed upstairs and talked Alec Nussbaum who was also "sitting out" for a couple of sessions. He told me he was enjoying the Conference and seemed much more positive towards the Institute.
Lunch and I made sure I was one of the first up to the small private Conference staff dining-room for sandwiches, biscuits, tea.
I felt nervous as immediately after lunch I was due to give my talk. The Conference had been split up into four different sessions, with attendees able to choose which session they went into. My room was laid out theatre-style and I paced up and down the empty room waiting for people to arrive and hoping everything would go well.
About forty people, very serious expressions, lots of questions.
"You've been praised loads" Marcia Walsh told me later.
The Conference ended at 4pm with the stands coming down and a stream of attendees checking out and carrying luggage to their cars.
With the Council and Institute staff I stayed until Sunday lunchtime - Council sessions all day Saturday, and the Institute's debrief on Sunday morning (plus all the break-down and packing that needed to be done).
When I finally got home (6pm Sunday) I was exhausted.
I have never had a television in my bedroom, so the ability of watching the news on Sky as I got washed and dressed was a novel experience.
I went down to breakfast - a big fried breakfast followed by toast and marmalade, followed by several delectable Danish pastries (normally I have a tiny breakfast, just a slice of bread and butter). Tea to drink. Various members of the Council came in and joined me (I was on the long table in the middle of the room) and made stilted conversation, a strange mixture of banalities and profundities.
The Friday seminars were semi-open, so there were a lot of day attendees. I stood on the Reception desk to help receive the arrivals, giving people badges and answering questions. Then I went upstairs to make sure Gary was alright on the stand.
I sat in the first talk by the American speaker Mitchell A, which was quite interesting although he was patronising to the audience and at one point made an outrageous remark about one of the female Council members.
"Changing people's behaviour is difficult... We think we know what goes on but actually we do not... There are a number of cool tools we can use... Listen and repeat back to them their story... Learn to engage in such a way that you empower people...Women bring a different mindset than men... To change consensus you need to concentrate on individuals... It's a difficult story to sell but don't be discouraged, it can be done... It all depends on finding the individuals willing to get engaged..."
The morning tea break and a rush of people up to the stands. When the seminars re-convened I stayed upstairs and talked Alec Nussbaum who was also "sitting out" for a couple of sessions. He told me he was enjoying the Conference and seemed much more positive towards the Institute.
Lunch and I made sure I was one of the first up to the small private Conference staff dining-room for sandwiches, biscuits, tea.
I felt nervous as immediately after lunch I was due to give my talk. The Conference had been split up into four different sessions, with attendees able to choose which session they went into. My room was laid out theatre-style and I paced up and down the empty room waiting for people to arrive and hoping everything would go well.
About forty people, very serious expressions, lots of questions.
"You've been praised loads" Marcia Walsh told me later.
The Conference ended at 4pm with the stands coming down and a stream of attendees checking out and carrying luggage to their cars.
With the Council and Institute staff I stayed until Sunday lunchtime - Council sessions all day Saturday, and the Institute's debrief on Sunday morning (plus all the break-down and packing that needed to be done).
When I finally got home (6pm Sunday) I was exhausted.
No comments:
Post a Comment