real time taking it to the next connected level breakout session

This is a meeting I avoided going to. I think you'll understand why. I've used the highly unusual alias "FIRM" to stand for my employer. Oh yeah, I work in Infrastructure. That's the people who make the company function - IT, HR, Finance, Marketing, etc. The very people who should not be driving vision and strategy for a services firm.

There are a number of items in this agenda that are terrifying. The "Team Blast" that kicks off day two, the breakout sessions, the uses of the meaningless phrases "real-time connected," "connected thinking for excellence," "taking it to the next level;" all bad. all very very bad. The vacuous, opaque possibilities of business speech are taken to their "next level;" incomprehensible communications and fruitless actions for two solid days. I feared the Caribbean Beach Party. You were asked to "dress appropriately." But it rained. So they played Poker.

VISION AND STRATEGY SUMMIT
FIRM Infrastructure services will enable the "Real-Time Connected" FIRM to provide the highest quality and deliver the Firm through end-to-end business process excellence.

SUMMIT OBJECTIVES Develop Awareness; Create Buy-in; Inspire Action

OPENING WELCOME
1) Welcome 2)Table Introductions & Icebreakers 3) Goals for the Meeting 4) Top 3 Qs to answer
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
1) The Infrastructure Journey 2) State of the Union - Current State of the Firm 3) Vision of "Delivering the Firm" 4) Presentation of FY05 Imperatives (Retention, Quality, Simplification, Relationships) with focus on Coaching & Simplification 5) Line of Service FY05 priorities 6) Taking Infrastructure to the Next Level - Case for Change
SHARED VISION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
1) Real-time Connected FIRM 2) Four components of the vision
Guest Speaker - Jerry Blakeslee
1) The value of Business Process Excellence 2) Examples of Process Success Stories
BUSINESS PROCESS CHANGE - SIMPLIFICATION
Connected Thinking for Excellence
BUSINESS PROCESS EXCELLENCE (Process Change Building Blocks)
Taking it to the Next Level - Strategy --- Processes ---- Systems ---- Imperatives
1) Business Processes in a Professional Services Firm - FIRM'S Process Framework 2) Client/Engagement Lifecycle Map - End to End Process 3) Art of the Possible Demo 4) Functional and Systems Updates 5) Breakout Sessions - PSoft - Human Capital - CRM - Markets - GFS - Finance
CLOSING COMMENTS
Dinner & Caribbean Beach Party

DAY 2
MORNING SESSION
Day 2 - Welcome & Teaming Exercise. Team Blast - Coaching, Simplification, Collaboration
SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY
1) Day 1 Recap and Day 2 Agenda 2) Evolution of the Shared Strategy 3) Key Messages
4) Strategic Priorities 5) Development of the Strategic Improvement Goals (SIGs) 6) INFRASTRUCTURE Strategy Framework
Breakout Session #1- Strategy
1) Facilitated discussion of Priorities and SIGs 2) Each team to develop list of current opportunities for their segment - People, Quality, or Profitable Growth.
Breakout Results #1 - Top 10 Actions
1) Teams present Top 3 opportunities 2) Group votes to select Top 3-4 actions for each segment of the strategy
Breakout Session #2- Strategy (Action Plans)
1) Action planning exercise 2 ) Teams engage in a facilitated discussion of assigned action 3) Develop a detailed action plan for execution
Breakout Results #2 -Strategy (Action Plans)
Teams present summary action plans.
CLOSING COMMENTS
1) Summarize meeting accomplishments & agreements 2) Respond to the 3 Questions 3) Next Steps & Expectations 4) Timeline & Milestones 5) Closing Comments

Participants Depart