September 2008 Dialogue Memories
- Posted by: Joe Williams
Here’s a photo review of the September 21-26, 2008 Dialogue Workshop. Participants came from all over the U.S. and Canada. They worked hard, learning new tools for strategic thinking, planning, persuasion and leadership. They got up early (well, some more than others!) and stayed up late. They SWOTED their companies and a few flies as well. They learned more about their own Empathy, Honesty, Intention and Focus with a horse in the round pen, and overcame fears during team penning. They made presentations and got great Invent-O-Matic feedback. As all alums know, Dialogue is no boondoggle. We work hard and long. But we also have fun while we learn, as these photos will indicate. In fact, we learn as much outside the classroom as we do in it. Everything is a teacher at Dialogue: from the horses to the sunrises and from twirling a rope to hiking through the desert. So many good and lasting memories. These are but a few.
A jumping cholla reflects the morning sunlight next to a young Saguaro. Note the cactus wren nest on the lower left.
And here’s a close-up of the same plant. The cholla has reverse barbs, meaning they go in straight, but hook once under your skin, making removal very painful. Give these plenty of room!
Gerry DeSimas of Northeast Utilities, Louise Iadicola of GlaxoSmithKlein, and Samantha Maddaugh of Community Savings in Red Deer, Alberta, enjoy an early morning sunrise in the desert.
Ready, fire, aim! Deb Barshafsky of Medical College of Georgia, throws a pretty mean lasso during the roping clinic. Some folks are just natural at this!
Glenn Hildebrand of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, shows how a Canadian strategic planner ropes a fast-moving little doggie. Laura, the White Stallion wrangler, looks on to learn a thing or two.
Russell True, co-owner of the White Stallion, gives Leanne Tait of Tait Communications in Yellowknife, NWT, a few expert pointers on how to twirl the rope.
Lynn Hutchings-Mah of Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, shows the White Stallion wrangler the proper way to hold a rope. The WS wranglers learned so much about roping from us!
Andy Feigin of Eclipsys (and husband of Dialogue alum Richelle Feigin), shows that even “techies” can master roping in no time at all. Actually, Andy and all the others (well, most all) took to roping like they did doing the SWOT analysis in the classroom. In fact, Samantha was spotted down at the roping corral practicing on her own time!
And speaking of meeting rooms, here’s a glance at just part of our spacious new Longhorn Meeting Room at the White Stallion. Lots of room to spread out!
Diablo is just one of some 140 horses at the White Stallion. Okay, his name really isn’t Diablo. Or Widowmaker, for that manner. It’s something like Speckle or Spakle or Sprinkle. But when Dialoguers go home, the names of their horses tend to magnify.
Not all the learning takes place in the classroom at Dialogue. Here, participants gather in a team penning exercise in which they have to work together, talk, plan and cut three cattle out of herd and drive them down the arena and put them a pen. And do it on horseback. Without falling off. Did I mention that the cattle don’t want to do this. They’d rather stay with the herd. It’s a timed event. Worst time buys at the bar afterwards! Shoot, other conferences would charge extra for this! How much fun and learning can ya stand all at the same time!!!!
Here’s what I mean.
After a bit, everyone quits worrying and thinking and just goes all out, learning the art of “feel” in their communication with the horse and with each other.
Through this adobe entrance lies the patio (where we take most of our meals), the indoor dining area and main lodge of the White Stallion. Panther Peak is in the background. Not a bad welcoming site, is it?
Laura is from Great Britian and she is the acting head wrangler at the Ranch. Here she rides in front of the hay wagon on the way to an afternoon cookout site. I particularly like this shot in black and white rather than color. How about you?
Samantha went for one last ride before departing the Ranch to go back home to Alberta. Her dark hair, white hat and shirt just snap out against the blue Arizona sky.
Gerry gives one last wave before riding off into the sunset. So long September Dialogue. Hello reentry.
The entire September group, on the way back from a very hot desert walk. Glenn Hildebrand (in the striped shirt) made it all the way with a stress fracture in his leg–it happened before he came to Dialogue–and nothing was going keep him from the walk. He put a whole new meaning in the word DESIRE. Way to cowboy up, Glenn!
