ebbf Spring Event, Lisbon, Portugal

The ebbf - Ethical Business Building the Future spring event was held on 28-31 May 2015 at a lovely hotel in Turcifal, near Lisbon, Portugal. The Governing Board met the day before, and then 40 of our most active members were invited for a two day pre-event of facilitated consultations on the future direction of ebbf, based on the Governing Board's redrafted vision and core values capturing "the ebbf way", as well as a document on social action.

Pre-event consultations

consultation . consultation . consultation
There was deep reflection and wide consultation on the fundamental principles and operational concepts that make up "the ebbf way"

consultation - consultation results . consultation results
Different discussion groups report on their findings, including one with very linear thinking
consultation . consultation . Sjoerd and consultation results
There were various proposals for future activities and ways of organizing

consultation . presenting consultation results . reviewing consultation results
The interchanges were dynamic and constructive
timeline of participation in ebbf . timeline of participation in ebbf . consultation results
A timeline from the beginning of ebbf 25 years ago allowed everyone to post their involvement in ebbf activities over all that time; Jason Maude makes a point

consultation . consultation . consultation
Despite the diversity of the group, there was a remarkable unity of vision

consultation . consultation . facilitator
The consultation was ably facilitated by Ralph Blundell, not an easy job with 40 active participants

discussion . Mark Rivers and Francoise Le Goff
discussion continued between sessions, and everyone left with a new enthusiasm for ebbf


The Spring Event

The theme of the ebbf spring event was "Interconnected business: how can organizations improve people and people improve organizations?" The 80 participants were each provided with a learning guide to record questions, summarize insights, note people met and potentials for collaboration, and prepare inputs for social media.

Jason Maude opens the event . audience . audience
ebbf events organizer Jason Maude opens the meeting; round tables facilitated meaningful discussions

Friday evening started with opening keynotes by Vafa Akhavan on "the true seeker: a strategic imperative for enterprise outcome" and Luis Monteiro on "people-centric organizations, I just love them!", each followed by a meaningful conversation around the tables.
speaker . Daniel Truran introducing Luis Montiero . Luis Montiero
Vafa Akhavan; ebbf Director-General Daniel Truran introducing Luis Monteiro; Luis Monteiro

ranking ourselves by characteristics . ranking ourselves by characteristics
To get to know each other, we ranked ourselves across the room by various characteristics

The Saturday keynotes were by Alain Gauthier on "evolutionary co-leadership: the next stage in leadership and organizational development?", and by Marc Rivers on "is it easier or more difficult to create an interactive empowering environment in a global corporation?". There was also time for two sets  of parallel learnshops.
speaker . speaker . Mark Rivers
Alain Gauthier; Marc Rivers

discussion . discussion .
Meaningful conversations after the keynotes

workshop . workshop .
A learnshop by Valerie Davis on "power as a key differentiator in collaborative cultures"

project presentation . project presentation . project presentation
After dinner, a number of young entrepreneurs presented their innovative projects and receive accompaniment and advice from all of the participants

project presentation . project presentation . project presentation
An ideas and projects market place where members presented their projects and how we could support and learn from them

The last keynote on Sunday morning was by Emanuel Gävert and Majke Rønne on "it's all about the little things".
project presentation
Emanuel Gävert and Majke Rønne


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Last updated 31 July 2015

Photographs copyright © Arthur Lyon Dahl 2015