The Idea:
Following is the most recent edition of AHA!: my proposal for a virtual
'Discovery and Learning Centre' that would use state-of-the-art tools
and techniques to tackle business problems Monday to Friday, for a fee,
and then on weekends tackle larger international social and
environmental problems, on a volunteer basis.
I'm still refining this, but I'm
at the stage where I'm looking for more comments. What I would
especially appreciate your thoughts on::
- Is the enormous difference between what AHA! offers and
what other 'solution centres', educational institutions and large
consulting organizations offer clear enough?
- I've thought of incorporating the entrepreneurial skills
training that I advocated recently, in the AHA! offerings (it's not at
all inconsistent, and is also 'virtual'), but I suspect this might be
too much, and change people's conception of what AHA! is all about.
What do you think?
- What should I include in the 'elevator pitch' for AHA!?
- I recognize that we'll probably have to start small, and not try to run before we walk. What do you think we should do first?
Our Vision
Imagine if there was a place
where the world’s brightest and most creative minds from widely diverse fields
– scientists, artists, businesspeople, engineers, philosophers, social and
technological and political thought leaders -- got together physically and
virtually to collaboratively help each other.
Imagine if this place taught
the critical skills and techniques needed to envision and realize better ways
to do things, quickly and effectively.
Imagine if visitors to this
place were surrounded by artefacts of the world’s most astonishing human
accomplishments: the eradication of smallpox, the moon landing, the abolition
of slavery, the unravelling of the human genome – and inspired and charged in
their tasks by the words from the greatest speeches and most moving calls to
action in our history.
This is the vision of AHA! , the means to get
things done, a catalyst for change, a vehicle for applying human ingenuity and
collaboration and passion to bring about extraordinary results: The
right people, the right skills and techniques, the right intensity, an
environment of creativity and learning, and a spirit of exuberant, reciprocal
collaboration.
Inspiration
 “You never change things by
fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that
makes the existing model obsolete…I look for what needs to be done. After all,
that's how the universe designs itself."
(Buckminster Fuller)
“Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever
has."
(Margaret Mead)
“We can't solve problems
by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.“
(Albert Einstein)
Benefits
Better decisions and more
creative ideas and alternatives
Improved work productivity,
processes and results
Better understanding of
needs, challenges, opportunities
Improved life-long competencies
and learning
Improved collaboration,
networking and innovation
Better morale and deeper
commitment
Stronger relationships, greater
trust and empowerment
AHA! provides:
~ A focused curriculum to impart the critical skills you must have
to get things done (Learning Sessions);
~ A flexible, creative approach to discover, explore and achieve a
deep understanding of your needs, challenges and opportunities, and surface
powerful insights about them (Discovery Sessions)
Unlike consultants and training centres, we offer:
~ A dynamic environment that inspires, facilitates and teaches you
to understand and address insightfully your own challenges, needs and
vulnerabilities, rather than depending on outside ‘experts’
~ A process you can use whenever and wherever you need it to become
more innovative, more collaborative, more able to discover and tap the wisdom
of others: customers, employees, citizens
~ Access to some of the brightest and most creative thinkers on the
planet on a reciprocal (you help them, they help you) basis
Critical Skills and Enablers:
The Discovery Session Framework (diagrammed above)
The Environmental Scan
The Accelerated Discovery and Learning Processes
Insight Portfolios and Idea Markets
Cultural Anthropology
Open Space Technology and Appreciative Inquiry
The Four Practices
Creative Thinking, Imagining and Visioning
Critical Thinking, Systems Thinking and the Thinking Hats
Effective Collaboration
Attention Skills: Listening, Observation
Entrepreneurship / Natural Enterprise Skills
Tapping the Wisdom of Crowds
Building Communities & Networks
Story-Telling & Narrative
Self-Organizing in a Complex, Chaotic World
Effective Research and Analysis
Project Facilitation and Improvisation
Getting Things Done: Personal Productivity Improvement
Natural Design, Rapid Prototyping
AHA! Assets
People:
Director, Research Staff, Technical Staff
AHA! Certified Advisor Network
‘Reciprocal volunteers’: Global thought leaders who contribute
their time and energy to others’ sessions in return for reciprocal time and
energy of others on their sessions
Intellectual &
Technological Assets:
The Critical Skills and Enablers of the staff and certified
advisors, and the online Critical Skills and Enablers Bank and software toolkit
Knowledge Bank of global trends and opportunities across all
social and economic segments of our world
Needs Bank of identified social, environmental, business,
economic, technological and educational challenges, needs and opportunities
The Network Bank: A global directory of AHA! Certified advisors,
session participants from customers, and ‘reciprocal volunteers’
Physical Assets:
AHA! is a completely portable and virtual environment; Since
Discovery and Learning sessions can be more effective if at least the first
meeting (and, for participants uncomfortable with current conferencing
technologies, subsequent meetings) are face-to-face, the AHA! Team can operate
effectively in any meeting or conference facility
AHA! is considering certifying qualifying meeting and conference
facilities as Preferred AHA! facilities which will be able to advertise
themselves as AHA! Discovery and Learning Centres
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MADE IN CANADA
trust your
instincts 
