WORLDNET COVERAGE

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We have compiled lots of data showing that this program has a lasting positive impact on the participants, company and communities involved.  Please contact us to learn more!!

 Yours in Adventure,

Matt

 Matt Campana

President

Corporate Motivation, Inc

Grand Dynamics Midwest Sales Manager

330.524.3047

Business’s Social Contract:

Capturing the Corporate

Philanthropy Opportunity

• The Shifting Social Contract. 84% of corporate executives believe that society expects businesses to take a more active role in environmental, social, and political issues than it did five years ago. Corporate philanthropy is one effective way to meet these new expectations.
• The Evolution of Corporate Philanthropy. Companies are developing more sophisticated initiatives to address the three levels of their contract with society (laws and regulations, implicit nonlegal expectations, and frontier issues such as obesity or human rights) and employing broader resources for community impact, including volunteerism, product donations, and capacity building.
• The Complexity of Getting It Right. Fewer than 20% of companies surveyed said their philanthropic efforts were very or extremely effective in meeting social or business goals. To help optimize these efforts, companies must define the focus of philanthropic efforts, gain public recognition for their programs, and allocate appropriate CEO time to philanthropy.
• Capturing the Corporate Philanthropy Opportunity. Examining the behavior of leading corporate philanthropists uncovered three keys to philanthropic success: deep involvement from the CEO and board of directors, alignment between philanthropic and business strategy, and management of philanthropy as a business investment.

Demonstrating that corporate philanthropy is a business priority even in a strained economic climate, 55 CEOs from many of the world’s largest companies convened on International Corporate Philanthropy Day, February 23, 2009, for CECP’s fourth annual Board of Boards conference to discuss the theme: “Global Leaders: Confronting a Crucial Decision.” Panelists Jeffrey Immelt of GE and Carlos Ghosn of Nissan engaged attendees in a dialogue, moderated by NBC’s Tom Brokaw, on the importance of corporate-community investment today. Key findings include:

2009 Board of Boards Report

• Elevate and Prioritize the Social Contract. Corporate leaders recognize the interdependency between business and society, and the pressing need to regain public trust. 82% of attendees indicated that philanthropy can help restore trust in the business sector, signaling their belief that corporate giving can support a regenerative cycle in distressed communities.
• Refocus on Core Strategies. Attending CEOs stated that in the current economic climate, aligning philanthropy with company values, practices and goals is imperative. Conversely, philanthropy conducted in isolation from the rest of the business will fail to deliver optimal social and business benefits.
• Initiate an Inclusive Dialogue. 80% of participating CEOs consider their employees and customers to be the most important constituencies when crafting giving strategy. However, factors such as government support of threatened industries, stimulus packages, and intensifying public scrutiny are swiftly expanding the number and size of stakeholder groups.
• Leverage Resources Creatively. The duration and severity of the economic downturn have eclipsed even the worst commonly-held predictions of a year ago. While this will likely have a downward effect on cash contributions, CEOs expressed their will to fill funding gaps to the greatest extent possible.

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Every year on this day (April 1) I wonder who is going to be the first to play an April Fools’ joke on me. Luckily no one has done this but the day is still not over. For all of you who are curious about the history of “April Fools’ or All Fools’ Day it is a day celebrated in various countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool’s errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Australia, and South Africa the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an “April Fool”.[1] Elsewhere, such as in France, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S., the jokes last all day. The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of January 1 as New Year’s Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the holiday, but this theory does not explain earlier references.” (Wikipedia, 2010)

Anyway, I expect your Spring time transitions are going well.  Grand Dynamics has lots of exciting things happening this year such as the Grand Adventure <http://www.granddynamics.com/revitalize/the-grand-adventure.html> which is taking place in Jackson Hole Wyoming on August 19-22. Feel free to check out the Podcast  <http://granddynamics.podbean.com/2010/03/31/grand-adventure-teleconference-325/>  with Tim Walther and Chief Exum guide Christian Santelices if you would like to learn more about this exciting high-impact event. You can check out our team building events, seminars, speakers and more at our web-site, www.granddynamics.com <http://www.granddynamics.com/>  .  Amidst all the challenge and uncertainty, there abounds opportunity. I wish you well in seeking out yours and enjoying the process.

I look forward to hearing from you and working and playing together this year. Also feel free to send me some funny April Fools’ pranks that you did or had done to you as I am always looking for a good laugh. Until next time, LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE!!

Will Leggett

Regional Vice President
Grand Dynamics International
(201) 483-6255
will@granddynamics.com
www.granddynamics.com

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You are on my personal invite “short list” of people interested in The Grand Adventure 2010.  Tonight we will have an overview call about the program at 8 PM Eastern.  I have invited Christian Santelices, one of the Grand Adventure Guides – and Chief Exum Guide, to join us to talk about climbing the Grand Teton. Awesome! We will also have an open Question and Answer session.

Please email me today with any questions you would like answered on the call tonight. I will also open the call up for questions tonight. 

 Dial – (760) 569-6000       Enter Access Code – 849987#

Thursday, March 25^th,  8 PM Eastern

 Here’s a bit about Christian.

Christian Santelices believes that experiencing nature first hand has the power to transform people’s lives. As a fully certified IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide, professional photographer, public speaker, writer, and community activist, his career has been dedicated to helping facilitate this process. During the summer months you’ll find him working in the Tetons as a Chief Guide for Exum Mountain Guides. The rest of the year he teaches avalanche courses, ski guides, and leads custom adventures and corporate community building and leadership development retreats worldwide through Aerial Boundaries.

As activist, Christian dreams of creating a global community by engaging groups from around the world in common conservation efforts. To this end he established the Global Community Project (GCP), a non-profit organization that combines outdoor education, service learning, and cultural exchange for students and professionals. The GCP provided the very first sustainable trail building course to the rangers of Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. In 2008 he brought Jackson Hole high school students to Chilean Patagonia where they teamed up with local youths, researchers, and conservationists to work on trail building projects and participate in a study of the endangered huemul deer.

Christian has made notable first ascents of big walls in Patagonia including The Dream (VII 5.10 A4+) on the East Face of Cerro Escudo in Torres del Paine National Park and numerous first ascents in the Sierra Nevada, California.

With three friends he did the first (and only) ascent of twenty of Steck and Roper’s “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America” in a single twenty-day enchainment.

As a guide, Santelices has led numerous expeditions to Patagonia, Aconcogua, Peru’s Cordillera Blanca, the Alps of Switzerland, Italy and France, South Africa, the Pyranees of Spain, the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Fiji, Alaska, and México. He has been featured skiing and climbing in numerous film, television and print articles, including two Warren Miller films (Journey and Impact).

Christian lives in Teton Valley with his wife and AB co-owner Sue Muncaster, daughter Mariela and son Nico.

Accomplishments:

Internationally Certified AMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide

BA in Anthropology, University of California at Berkeley

MA in Environment and Community, Antioch University, Seattle

Avalanche 3 Certification

Experience the Grand Adventure: Climb the Grand Teton with the Grand Adventure Team! Set and achieve huge goals, learn and integrate elite performance strategies, and LIVE THE ADVENTURE!

Thursday, March 25^th,  8 PM Eastern

 Dial – (760) 569-6000
Enter Access Code – 849987#

I look forward to connecting tonight!

Tim

Climb the Grand Teton with the Grand Adventure Team! Set and achieve huge goals, learn and integrate elite performance strategies, and LIVE THE ADVENTURE!

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How do you think it relates? — Posted by Tim Walther

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        Published in the Association for Experiential Education “Horizon” Newsletter

By Tim Walther, M.S.

 As Experiential Training and Development practitioners, we all understand and value the importance of “soft skills” training. This synopsis provides an overview of Emotional Intelligence as it relates to Experiential Training and Development.

Experiential Training and Development (ETD) practitioners understand and value the importance of “soft skills” training.  As practitioners, we intuitively know that experiential methods develop these skills, often very quickly.  However, by their very definition, “soft skills” are hard to measure.  Without such measures, we as trainers lack the data to develop business model for selling such trainings to skeptical front line managers, human resource directors, and other key corporate decision makers.  “Where is my return on investment?” is what you know they are thinking. 

                One excellent measure of soft skills that has emerged in today’s training and development research  is emotional intelligence (EI). EI research provides the ETD practitioner an opportunity for assessing areas of ETD programming and tracking the results.  Detailed in leading publications, including the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, and recognized by training and development experts world wide, EI has literally redefined what it takes to be effective in the workplace.

                What is Emotional Intelligence?  There are two primary models that have surfaced in the realm of EI: the Goleman model and the BarOn Model.  Goleman’s model identifies four strategic areas: awareness of self (emotionally); awareness of others’ emotional states; management of self; and management of other’s emotional states. Dr. Reuven Baron defines EI as “an array of personal, emotional and social competencies and skills that influence one’s abilities to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures.”  A competency may be defined as a personal trait or set of habits that lead to more effective or superior job performance.   BarOn has identified EI competency areas, each with sub-constructs, to include  intra-personal, interpersonal, stress management, adaptability and mood competencies.

 Today’s business is unlike the previous decades.  Everything happens in real-time.  Other factors that have emerged in today’s business world include globalization, technology, speed, competition, decreased organizational hierarchy, a shift from management to leadership and employee retention challenges.  Businesses today now require innovative training and development solutions that not only impact the bottom line, but provide valuable employee incentive as well.   While technical competency and cognitive ability are important for today’s business person to be successful, it simply isn’t enough anymore.  It is simply an occupational hurdle – an expectation that today’s corporate professional already has these skills and abilities.  Where research is showing a big difference is in identifying those professionals with low EI and high EI.  And everywhere that research has been conducted, the professionals with higher EI are running circles a round those without strong emotional competencies.

                Fortunately, it has been shown that EI, unlike IQ, can be learned.  Furthermore, research indicates that experiential training is a particularly effective method for developing EI.  Properly designed and ongoing EBTD training and development focused on developing specific EI competencies will have valued, lasting impact.

                How is EI Measured? The BarOn EQ-i is  a current measure of choice for emotional intelligence.

Normed on over 60,000 people in thirty countries, the EQ-i is a paper and pencil test that has 133 brief items and a 5-point Likert response set.  It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.  The test has been used to predict successful job performers, including Air Force recruiters, district managers in a large automotive corporation, middle manager insurance sales persons, non-college educated successful businesspersons, and upper level financial consultants for one of the Big 6 consulting firms, as well as aggressive behavior in the police force.  Employees who are selected using the BarOn EQ-I show greater productivity, reduced turnover and consistently out perform their co-workers. (EQ-I Technical Manual, Baron, 1999).

For the ETD practitioner of the future, Emotion Intelligence assessment tools and training and development applications certainly deserve attention.  Focusing soft skill development toward specific EI competencies can lead to great advances in demonstrating the efficacy of ETD programming.  At last, we may have the answers we have been looking for, and a process for addressing those age-old questions of the efficacy of soft skill training.  For more information on the emotional intelligence assessment and training, contact Grand Dynamics at info@granddynamics.com

Tim Walther, M.S. is the President of Grand Dynamics, Inc., a training and development company specializing in corporate retreats, business consulting and health and wellness services. Grand Dynamics is based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Tim holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Business Psychology and a Masters in Experiential Education focused on organizational development and leadership applications. Grand Dynamics provides a variety of services incorporating the use of Emotional Intelligence as a platform for increasing personal and professional performance for individuals, teams and organizations. For more information, you can contact Tim Walther at tim@granddynamics.com or call 307-733-1989.

This article was published in the Association for Experiential Education Newsletter, Horizon, Fall 2002.

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One trade group claims it has found statistical evidence that outdoor team-building exercises pay off. The Construction Financial Management Association in Princeton, N.J., which represents 7,000 financial professionals, has held annual retreats for new chapter presidents in Jackson Hole, Wyo., since 1995. It asked Grand Dynamics, a consulting firm, to create exercises based on the best sellers “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson, on workplace change, and “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey.

William Schwab, the association’s chief executive, said 27 chapter presidents who attended four out of six years had a net annual membership growth rate of more than 10 percent and a membership renewal rate of 81 percent, compared with the average renewal rate for associations of 75 percent. He said 34 chapter presidents who never attended had a 19 percent membership loss in that time.

“Without a doubt, we’ve been able to map our chapters’ development based on whether or not the chapter president went through this experience,” Mr. Schwab said.

Excerpted from an article by SHARON MCDONNELL, NY Times, Late Edition – Final, Section C, Page 7, Column 3 June 23, 2005

Team-Building With a Twist

For the full actual article link, go here:  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/23/business/23retreats.html

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