MELA's Royal Reception

21 MARCH 2011

On the morning of 21 March, King Abdullah received MELA Board Members Nabil Alyousuf, Meisa Batayneh, Jim Crupi, Michael Kouly, Andrew Summers, and SIBF Chairman Nick Hoffman.

King Abdullah with Jim Crupi, Meisa Batayneh

Amman, March 21 (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah II on Monday met with founder of the Society of International Business Fellows and Project Leader of the Middle East Leadership Academy, James Crupi.

During the meeting, King Abdullah discussed with Crupi ways to boost and promote the business environment in the Kingdom and create more opportunities for investments and how Jordanian businessmen can benefit from the society’s expertise.

King Abdullah stressed the importance of cooperation between Jordan and the Middle East Leadership Academy to achieve the goals of socio-economic development and improve human resources to attract more investments and create jobs.

Melaphilia

MELA DAY NINE, 21 MARCH 2011







A pirate map. There is treasure somewhere in these precincts. Can you find it?

Don Hutson speaks on becoming an effective negotiator. Nearly all negotiations are characterized by four phases: preparation, opening, bargaining, and closing.

Some people have severe cases of negotiophobia -- and cede too much, too early in the process as a result. Fortunately, neither Sandra nor Hazem suffer from this debilitating disease.

Omar is Egyptian, Zeina is Lebanese. Negotiophobia was eliminated from both their countries long ago.

Soughit and Ramzi are suffering from an equally acute case of Melaphilia. This is characterized by elevated levels of brain activity, a taste for fresh challenges, and pleasure in the company of new friends. The condition is infectious and can last decades. There is no known cure.

Presentation Skills with Terri Murphy. It is no use having a strong message or a brilliant idea if you cannot transmit it with conviction and panache.

Can we try that again with a little more energy and excitement, pleeeease!?

Carolanne observes from the sidelines.

The Little Mermaid statue, Copenhagen, Denmark

Mohammad Habib leads participants in identifying key issues in the region, with a view to identifying areas where the resources of MELA could make a meaningful contribution to progress.

So much to tackle.









Sign-up sheets. MELA members form key-issue groups to begin the process of developing presentations. Yasser, Lama, Shamma, Radwa, Luke.

Short break for refreshments before the serious brainwork commences.

The cake sent from Sarah's family in Saudi Arabia to celebrate a very special mother -- with congratulations to be shared with all the mothers in MELA's extended family. Happy Mother's Day!

The MELA World's A Stage

MELA DAY EIGHT, 20 MARCH 2011

The fish (Japanese koi) in the pond beside the footpath. Colorful, variegated. Each individually beautiful, yet most impressive when viewed together. Sociable. Cooperative. Strong group dynamics. Spend all day networking and bonding in a close and familial atmosphere. Gaze into the waters, O members of MELA, and see yourselves reflected in nature.

Michael Kouly speaks on adaptive change. A decision is a negotiation among the voices in a person's head (particularly one's parents'), one's culture and one's reason.

Leadership is about permanently changing values -- but refashioning loyalties within systems is hard. "Individuals have mercy. Systems have no mercy." SIBF Chairman Nick Hoffman chews over these ideas.

Continuing the discussion over coffee.
Michael, Don, Ramzi, Terri, Julie

Meade & Zeina / Ahmed & Carolanne

Adey & Sandra / Saif & Faye

The Executive Committee meeting of the Association of International Philanthropic Fellows (AIPF) is called to order. AIFP is a (fictional!) organization facing problems on all fronts. It decides to hire consultants to interview its officers and set it on the right track.

The four consulting companies (Dead Sea Consultants, Leadership is Us Inc., Al-HabsySaabTobi & Associates, MELA Solutions Team) prepare their strategies for collecting information about AIPF.

Only Firas had the heart, and patience, to visit AIPF's crusty old founder and listen to his interminable stories.

The VP of Membership complains that the programs are not attracting fresh blood.

The VP of Programs is dissatisfied with the financial side of the operation.

The Treasurer has a beef with almost everyone. How can he do his job properly when the marketing department is so weak?

The VP of Marketing & Communications points the finger at programming, finance and IT.

Nobody in the organization listens to the VP of Technology. But he has a few surprises up his sleeve.

The Executive Director senses his team's frustration with him. There are at least two sides to every story, however...

The consultant companies reconvene in the ballroom to present their recommendations.

As the coordinator of the AIFP exercise, Steven is awarded a gift beyond price, a Jordan Harley Davison cap!

Masks are off, and the actors are revealed to be none other than the MELA facilitators.

Yasser was fooled!

... These our actors

As I foretold you, were all spirits and

Are melted into air, into thin air...

-- Shakespeare, The Tempest

MELA Messages

MELA DAY SEVEN, 19 MARCH 2011

Some memorable messages from today:

Zap the Gap: Terri Murphy examines the different profiles, expectations, and communication strategies of the different age groups in today's societies. She delivers her talk with fluency and humor.

Amusement on the right of the room.

Hilarity on the left of the room.

Men in black: spot the odd one out.

(Clue: follow Firas' finger.)

Men in blue: the MELA administration team is totally coordinated.

Shamma and facilitator Randy Hanna are the pastel people.

The beige and brown brigade: Dima, Sarah, Radwa.


Michael Kouly addresses the problems of identifying and achieving one's purpose from an unusual but compelling viewpoint. His ringing question: What makes you unique?

A new set of message introduces the Neon Buzz simulation.

Participants enter a dysfunctional factory culture where their skills

in communication, team-building, and organizational restructuring are challenged and tested.

Do not, repeat, do not disappoint company owner Jim Crupi. Omar, Lyutha and Hamoud struggle to explain their poor productivity and under-performance.

Line managers Haya, Omar and Yasser puzzle over the task at hand with materials & shipping agent Hania.








Who, why, what, when, how?

The secrets of moving from high stress work in an inefficient system....









... to world class organizational performance!














Factory observers Ginny and Faye respond to the improved morale in the room by grooving to the music.









Excited anticipation (and yes, team satisfaction and pride!) as the company's new productivity figures are revealed.

Spirit of MELA.

Ahmed, Lama, Soughit, Yasser

MELA Movie Night in the Grand Auditorium. Made in Dagenham is based on the true story of a group of women workers at a Ford Motor Company factory who in the 1960s joined forces, took a stand for what was right, and fought to change an unjust system.

Good night! See you again for MELA Day Eight!