The Atlanta Conference – Retrospective

By:  John Cornyn, FCSI

North American Division Chair

Acknowledging an obvious bias with respect to the program co-chair this year, I think that the Atlanta conference was a huge success.  It was intended to be “engaging” and, in many respects challenging.  That proved to be prophetic as the Consulting Ethics and Morality session unfolded.  In addition to that panel, there were several reasons for this observation and I would like to ask for your positive or negative reactions to the following:

1.                  Overall, the Program Planning Committee achieved its stated goal to put together a great set of engaging educational events. 

2.                  The social events were well organized and afforded ample opportunities to network.

3.                  FSA staff and volunteers worked very hard to make the two and one half day event as seamless and hassle-free as possible.

4.                  There was a lot of passion and energy generated.  There was a sense of “family” and bonding happening.

With respect to #4 above, I believe that the event was successful in another, more direct aspect; it pushed our respective comfort zones.   Yes, the educational events were engaging, but there was something else going on….

For those in attendance, who can forget Tuesday’s opening session kicked off by the very talented young men from the Dunbar High School Drum Corp?  I don’t know about anyone else, but it was the first morning in a long time I did not need two cups of coffee to wake up!   Most participants thought it was great, but a few did not.  My primary takeaway is that we as a society have not paid attention to our future, our younger, highly energetic members! 

The next morning’s opening session was an equally interesting, if not a warm, compelling mini-concert put on by the Spellman College Women’s Gospel Choir.  I was in awe of the highly talented young women sharing their beautiful singing voices under the disciplined direction of the choir master.  Again, most participants agreed with me that it was a great opening transition into the morning’s educational events.  There were a few participants openly wondering about the relevance.  As with the Dunbar Drum Corp, we owe credence, respect and honor to the icons of culture within the communities that host us.  

Both of the unique, energizing opening the Drum Corp and Gospel Choir events proved to be subtle indicators that the educational events were intended to be equally engaging.  As always happens, some events turned out to be far more provocative than intended.    The topic was the “Consulting Ethics & Morality” panel discussion.  There was a moderator and representatives from each industry segment speaking on the topic.  Despite the Program Planning Committee’s best efforts to keep the topic harmonically focused on FCSI related subject matter, there was almost constant friction among some of the panelists and audience as well as a dramatic departures from the script outline.  In my opinion, the moderator left far too many unanswered questions and assertions hanging and, as a result, implying agreement or consent on the most important topic, ethics, when clearly that was not the case.  An immediate definition of terms and framing of why the topic was even being discussed was missing. The objective  was to discuss what ethics  means  and how it transcends into challenges in environments where less-than-ethical behavior is occurring by others.  With respect to the FCSI Brand, our collective challenge is how do FCSI consultants differentiate themselves from the pack of other “consultants?”

As a result of several missed opportunities, there was immediate audience reaction in addition to many observers hitting the door upset as to the absence of balance.   Those who stayed had lots to say at the end.  The satisfaction ratings for that particular event were probably quite low but I would rank it and the two opening events as being very successful.  Why?

Simply stated, they got people talking to each other.  They were the catalysts to get people engaged and outright passionate about what they liked and did not like.  Buttons were pushed and comfort zones challenged!   Several members, especially young ones were outraged that the panelists did not endorse FCSI’s ethical standards and, if nothing else, seek ways to tighten them so that there is a clear distinction when clients see the FCSI initials after a member’s name.  As a NAD officer, their comments were music to my ears as there was true passion generated on the topic.  They were endorsing what is the heart and soul of FCSI!  Their anger about the panel had the counter-intuitive intent of reinforcing why members join and retain their FCSI memberships year-after-year.  It was a message that both old and new NAD Board members heard loud and clear.  It was that rare lunar eclipse moment where participants bonded!

I came away from Atlanta feeling energized and brimming with ideas on how we can and MUST seek ways to engage our membership in all aspects of FCSI.  The 2008 Super  Regionals represent the best and most immediate way for generating membership interaction in the future.  The charge to the Super Regionals Planning Committee will be to seek both topics and speakers that will engage not only consultants but our clients in true, meaningful debates on critically important relevant topics.  In order to make the Super Regionals into this kind of meaningful forum, we need, no, beg for your participation.  We are not just asking you to attend…. no, we want and need more from you!  We need volunteers in each geographic region (Dallas, Seattle, Toronto & Boston) to step up and help recruit participants and provide volunteer assistance at the event.  Please contact Cindy or Natasha at FCSI headquarters to volunteer.  Today would be a really great day to do that!

There are additional opportunities to become immediately involved via FCSI’s Cornerstone Partner relationship with AIA.  Finally, there is a new FCSI website and energized staff waiting to guide you to a variety of things to do as well as help you grow your business. 

Our theme this year is that we are all part of the FCSI family.  We share, we support, we inspire, but why?  Simply stated, it is all about the family acting in concert to support and continually promote FCSI as the organization dedicated to design and management excellence on behalf of our clients.  Your participation will make or break this proposition! 

Chair, FCSI North America