Meet the Man in the Chair

MELA 2 DAY TWO, 7 OCTOBER 2011



Michael Kouly, President of the Cambridge Institute for Global Leadership, is a speaker who knows how to make every word count. His style of communication is arrestingly simple, but startlingly unconventional.







It certainly startles Randi and (MELA Bus Hero) Peter Mehany.







An anonymous appreciation of Michael's opening gambit: jotted on a notepad (found on a desk after class): "This is an amazing way to start."












Dissatisfied with his approach, however, Rita engages Michael in a tête-à-tête.









Attempts are made to reason with the speaker -- by level-headed, sensible people like Rany and Basma, for example.






Yet consternation at Michael's methods steadily grows. Abdullah Riri performs push-ups in a vain endeavor to appease him.









Cinderella tries to melt his stony heart by singing -- without success.










The group gathers during the coffee break to reconsider strategies against Michael's erratic demands and beastly behavior.











The facilitators have some ideas of their own, but keep them to themselves. They are in no imminent danger of being forced to do push-ups.










A delegation of Nader, Salma and Rany returns to the platform with the idea of negotiating with Michael, but the process fails.









By this stage, Monther's favored solution to break the deadlock is to beat Michael's head with drumsticks.







Rateb senses that the sides are not going to be able to bridge their differences with any reasonable concessions. Beside him: MELA Bus Hero Khalid Al-Salehi.









Michael debriefs the morning session with a further disquisition on the dynamics of power and authority.




Enjoying the Red Sea view at lunchtime: Lama, Mohammed, Adam, Abdullah, Tory.




The afternoon sessions are devoted to "Telling Your Leadership Story." Jim Crupi's motto: In today's visual world, you communicate your message best when your audience can see what you are saying -- can hear it in pictures.







Pre-dinner Parallel Group discussions. Group One's topic is becoming an entrepreneur and starting a new business, especially in unstable environments.









Group Two looks at sustainable development and social responsibility.









Group Three focuses on the ins and outs of human resources, including hiring and firing, motivating employees, and managing labor unrest.

RUBA AL-ZU'BI

We were very sorry that Ruba had to return home to Jordan today following news of illness in her family. We will miss her, send her our best wishes, and hope to see her again in a future MELA.

On the Path to Leadership Excellence

MELA 2 DAY ONE, 6 OCTOBER 2011


MELA 2 opens to the buzz of enthusiastic voices in a variety of languages and accents, promising the excitement of new acquaintances, and the support of peers on the path towards personal betterment and leadership excellence.







Mohammad Habib welcomes the workshop participants.












The facilitators are introduced.







MELA Board Member Jim Crupi interviews speaker Sahm Yaghi, Chairman of the Board of Alternatives Inc., on pivotal experiences in his life as an entrepreneurial leader, and how a rare illness steered him towards having greater compassion and a higher sense of life's values.





Dania has more questions for our guest during the refreshment break.







Cinderella and Basel pose for posterity. Mohammed Khalifa, behind them, is more intent on the coffee, after a sleepless night on a bus. Stranded at Cairo Airport by an air traffic controllers' strike, Mohammed is one of MELA's "Bus Heroes" who improvised long road journeys from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh in order not to miss the workshop (and lost their suitcases on the way).




Take your leadership to the next level. Jim Crupi challenges members of the audience not merely to act like a leader, but to be one. Is what you do reflective of what you believe?








Stretch yourself, mentally and physically, to attain goals that you believed were beyond you. Focus on a point to the left of you...










Now take your arm and show that you can reach it!










Tariq is amused.








Morale is also high in the organizers' corner: Mohammad, Tory and Lama.




The paired introductions during lunch are a chance for participants to discover new and wonderful things about one another -- such as Basma and Rateb's shared love for hand gestures.








Randi shows Mohannad how to play the castanets.












Mustafa and Abdullah Alznytan click easily.











Rita and Mohammed gaze higher, see farther.










The Samer-and-Amer double-act showcases their charm and wit.







In the afternoon, participants face a team challenge. The scenario is cruel; the choices are hard; a wrong decision means death. Adrift in a lifeboat a thousand miles from land, Rany (another MELA Bus Hero) asks himself: Shaving mirror or shark repellent?








MELA Bus Hero Abdullah Riri tabulates by priority his group's equipment choices.
















Lacking consensus in his group, Rateb argues the case for having ship's rope in the lifeboat: it is useful to stringing up those who disagree.












Unfazed by the dangers of sharks or ocean storms, MELA Bus Hero Monther is just happy to have survived five hours through the Egyptian desert to get to Sharm El Sheikh.




May MELA be a refuge and safe haven for us all, whenever in need of direction and good fellowship, to people of all stripes and birds of all feathers -- even those that joined us in the restaurant today for lunch.

Behind the Scenes at MELA 2

PRE-OPENING, 4-5 OCTOBER 2011


Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, is the location of MELA 2, the second regional leadership workshop of the Middle East Leadership Academy (6-16 October 2011). However, the tranquillity of the resort is deceptive.



In choosing Egypt as the location for MELA 2, we pay tribute to the nation at the epicenter of change in the Middle East. And by assembling the members here, we reaffirm MELA's significance as a program of practical learning and sharing -- a platform for exchanges among young Arab leaders passionately engaged in building a bright future for their region.


Quiet before the storm. It is 4 October, two days before the start of the workshop. The air conditioning hums with anticipation in the empty lobby of the Hyatt Regency.


Sun and shade combine in checkerboard patterns outside. But there are no MELA eyes to appreciate their artistry. There are no MELA footsteps to break the silence of the lonely walkways.


The MELA 2 conference venue looks as bleached and devoid of life as a Pharaoh's chamber.


Yet, once again, the tranquillity is deceptive. For behind these walls, the MELA machine is whirring in high gear, as months of work approach their culmination. This blog takes you backstage for an exclusive, behind-the-curtain glimpse of the final days of preparation before the grand opening of MELA 2.




Back to school! Arriving before the participants, facilitators take over the classroom for two days of intense planning and review, studying the materials and mastering the curriculum until they can recite it in their sleep.








Facilitator Coordinator Steven Raab leads a discussion on breakout groups, and how best to be serviceable to the participants and their goals.
















Curriculum Coordinator Bill Starnes strives to share everything that is in (and on) his mind.













What we've all been waiting for: The MELA 2 participants are introduced one by one.
















Regional Director Mohammad Habib describes one particularly colorful participant. Rules of confidentiality prevent us from revealing which one...












... but Gloria Dittus and Andrew Summers are clearly wondering how many colorful participants will be assigned to their breakout groups. (Answer: they are all colorful.)









Following a concentrated morning session of Middle Eastern names, pronounciations, issues and geographies, facilitators digest the information -- and their lunches -- at the Cascades Restaurant.







Meanwhile the office -- the nerve center of the operation -- is being built up, piece by piece, and brought to life by the talented Administration Team.





By the second day of training and briefings, our facilitators are firmly in the driving seat: Elizabeth Belenchia has the microphone.










The mood is relaxed, confident and excited: Susan Sutterfield looks up to her colleague and namesake Susan Simons.













With participants due to start arriving within hours, Steven and Dan Ciprari's body language says it all: Bring 'em on!











We are revved up and ready to hit the road running. Let the workshop commence!