Susan T. Blake, U.S. Country Facilitator

Imagine a world where organization development practitioners can access a global platform and find the tools they need to be effective and to maximize an organization’s performance. Imagine a place where you could develop your own creativity and leverage this new found knowledge with clients in your OD consulting practice. Imagine an innovative virtual community built exclusively for those in OD.

I recently spoke with the CEO of Susan T. Blake Consulting, who is also the United States Country Facilitator with Sedaa’s Global Brain Trust. I asked Susan about the value she has obtained working across borders with other country facilitators in a virtual environment. I was also curious about how she came to be selected as the U.S. Country Facilitator.

Susan responded, “I found Sedaa’s Global Brain Trust through two different friends, who each recommended that I join the group. I was pleased to be invited to join this exclusive community for senior practitioners of OD. I was selected to be the U.S. Country Facilitator because I was fully engaged within the community. It was a good fit because I had a background in OD, I had a little bit of a sales background, and a variety of skills – all of which I call upon in this role.”

When I asked her to outline some of the highlights of being a U.S. Country Facilitator, she mentioned several, “I have learned about OD in other countries and I am expanding my global network exponentially. This experience has given me the opportunity to use and develop a variety of skills including OD, team management, dealing with change, as well as sales and marketing. Being a country facilitator has given me an opportunity to use and develop every skill I possess.

I am learning to be creative while I build global relationships and put together the appropriate tools for each individual situation. We have a terrific bunch of creative people who are solving the challenges of building a new virtual organization specifically for those in OD.”

I wondered, “How can someone become a country facilitator?” Susan responded, “As we build our OD community, we are going to be adding country facilitators from every country. It is a tremendous opportunity!”

Susan then issued an invitation, “Just come visit our web site and let us know if you have an interest in becoming part of Sedaa’s Global Brain Trust.”

When you think about it, OD has the potential to be a hot-bed of creativity. OD practitioners are in a position to help their clients by developing their creativity and innovation. They also use their own creativity every day while selecting the right tools and taking the best approaches to finding solutions for their clients. Creativity is all about putting yourself in a place of maximum potential and then maximizing the potential of the organization.

Kim Hogh brings the excitement of science and technology to the Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

I have been on several exciting adventures this year. One included attending the International Association of Science Parks (IASP 2009) conference at the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, USA.

You may wonder, “What is a science park and what do they do?” Science and technology parks promote the economic development and competitiveness of regions and cities. Science and technology parks make the world a better place because they provide the infrastructure needed for the global knowledge economy. This includes:

• Creating new business opportunities and adding value to mature companies
• Supporting entrepreneurship as well as incubating innovative companies
• Generating knowledge based jobs
• Providing attractive new places for these emerging knowledge based workers
• Stimulating synergy between universities and companies

I had to good fortune to meet Kim Hogh, CEO of Scion DTU. It is one of Denmark’s largest university-based science parks.

He is gracious, generous, as well as quite brilliant. When I walked in I did not know anyone. He began by introducing me to the person who advises him and implements his vision, Gitte Skibstrup Nikolajsen. Kim Hogh introduced me to many of the organizers and the leaders of science parks from all around the world.

The energy in the room was incredible. It was a room full of the most committed people who are determined to make the world a better place by integrating the multiple disciplines of science, research, and business through the collaborative efforts of a network of science parks.

Scion DTU, in collaboration with Symbion Science Park, will host the IASP conference 2011 in Copenhagen. Since Copenhagen is noted as being one of the most innovative places in the world, it is a superb choice.

If you have an interest in science, business, technology, creativity, innovation or if you simply want to make the world a better place be sure to put IASP 2011 on your calendar.

I definitely have it on my calendar. I will see you in Copenhagen!