MELA's Star Power

MELA DAY FIVE, 17 MARCH 2011

March 17 is St Patrick's Day, when tradition requires folks to wear green.

Persuading people to follow you is an art, but one that can be learned, as Don Hutson (CEO, US Learning Inc.) described in a dynamic and persuasive presentation. As some level, says Don, we are all in the business of sales, with a sales pitch for explaining what we do.

Here, Don persuades us that he can fly. And that we can too.












Audience members test their wings.













A rare moment of repose in an otherwise packed day. Shelby and Sandra catch some Jordanian rays.





Repose over. Enough relaxation already. Jim Crupi introduces an exercise for a session of Building High Performance Teams. There are times when an organization's tendency to reply on past experience becomes a liability. The exercise demonstrates the importance of overcoming that natural inclination.





Building a team means making sure that everyone lends a hand.














Lama patently is not excited about lunch today. How much rich food can a person eat, anyway?











The Star Power simulation illustrates certain behavioral norms in situations when power is stratified.

Participants are obliged to trade chips according to artificial and changeable rules.











Totally awesome trade! A gleeful Mohamad has little doubt that he got the better of Ramzi that time.

No trading for us! Radwa and Omar display the universally recognized gesture for "We don't want your chips. Go away."







The trials and tribulations of Hazem, Parts 1, 2, 3 &4. Watch this guy trying everything to convince Sarah to agree to his trade .



Charm...








Reason...









Humor...

Begging...

Nothing works on Sarah!

Maybe it's time for another dose of "the Art of Persuading Others" with Don Hutson.

The Egyptian team (Ibrahim, Omar, Ahmed -- with a little help from Saudi Arabia) offers reminiscences and personal impressions of the local and regional impact of the Egyptian Revolution.






The leadership lessons of Michael Kouly's Day Two presentation are used in this slide to model thinking about the course of the events in Egypt.

The audience shows its appreciation for a stunning and moving presentation.




And in the best MELA tradition, the discussions, debates, and exchanges continue long after the sesson has ended.