KO-OPERA Teambuilding and Kickoff meeting

Serbia, Niš, November 26th-27th 2010

Welcome & about Ko-opera

PLATO KO-OPERA meeting – Team building & Kickoff meeting Organized by VOKA Gent – East Flanders Regional Chamber of Economy Niš, Serbian Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bulgaria – Sofia Regional Chamber of Economy Craiova, Romania.

KO-OPERA = Implement Plato concept Internationally

Plato concept = learning network of entrepreneurs

Purpose of this kickoff

(Question round: why are you here?)

Become a Plato Learning Network

Discover each other’s expectations Build a team Have fun Find opportunities Build a program

Program Friday Nov 26

09.00: Mentor & coordinator training10.30: Welcome to kickoff Ko-opera (20’)10.50: Presentation: Plato: learning network +testimony (20’)11.10: Workshop 1: initiate worksheet (60’)12.10: Outdoor 1: spiderweb (40’)12.50: Debriefing (10’)13.00: Lunch14.00: Workshop 2: your strengths (60’)15.00: Presentation: Plato: your business! (10’)15.10: Workshop 3: find an opportunity (50’) (during walk)16.00: Break16.15: Workshop 4: company environment (75’)17.30: Walk around18.00: Break + feedback mentors/coordinators19.00: Diner20.00: Networking: find an international opportunity

Program Saterday Nov 27

08.00: Breakfast09.00: Workshop 5: vision & ambition (90’)10.30: Break10.50: Presentation: Plato: stronger business together (10)11.00: Workshop 6: learning objectives (80’)12.20: Break & Lunch13.30: Outdoor 2: shuttle run (30’)14.00: Workshop 7: build a program (90’)15.30: Plenary: propose the program16.00: Closing drink

Working in parallel with 3 groups

Plenary moments

Workshops & outdoor sessions

Exchange moments

?

TRANSLATION

Who is who?

Milovan Kocić: RCE Niš President Serbia Aleksandar Nikolić: National PLATO coordinator Serbia

Tereza Vladu: Regional PLATO coordinator Romania Atanas Naydenov: Regional PLATO coordinator Bulgaria Zoran Marković: Regional PLATO coordinator Serbia

Dragan Sojanovic: Yumis, Serbian Mentor Dragan Sojanovic: Telekom, Serbian Mentor

Christian Dobre: SC IPA SA, Romanian Mentor Catalin Vladut: Gabriel SC Polystart, Romanian Mentor

Jordanka Viyatchka: AVL Sofia, Bulgarian Mentor Genoveva Bakardjieva: Bulgarian HRM & Development Association, Bulgarian Mentor

Wim Keygnaert: VOKA Gent PM Belgium Patrick Belpaire: VOKA Gent Trainer Belgium

Tools: worksheet (formal) & thermometer (informal)

Company nameCompany activity(mission)

Your nameBusiness card

Company environment Stakeholders (blue)S&O (white) T&W (red)

Your strengths(blue)

CompanyKey figures(personnel, revenue)

Your ambitionCompany Vision (yellow)

Your Learning objectives (green)

Opportunity

Worksheet

Break/Outdoor

• Coffee-break

• Outdoor activity:

• Spiderweb

• Shuttle run

• (Minefield)

• Short walk

Plato: Learning Network (20’)

Plato history

1990 Plato starts at Voka East Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce

Since 1990: 1800 SME’s have joined the Plato Project in the Province of

East Flanders. ( 7500 in Flanders ) 320 managers of 70 multinational companies participated Volvo, Callebaut, Arcelor Mittal, …

Since 2000: Plato International

Plato is a learning network

Learning networks = networks of entrepreneurs that meet regularly Plato members decide themselves the topics they discuss during the

meetings Plato members can't be competitors – discussions remain confidential

Goal Stronger entrepreneurship together Inspire each other with new ideas Improve yourself through the feedback of collegues

Plato is a learning network

How?

Fixed group of participants Diversity of organisations Structured and regulary meetings (10) Exchange of experience with collegues Focus on practical application Openness & trust GATA attitude (Give Away, Take Away) Professional guidance

Different roles Participants Mentors Coördinator Trainer

Plato experience

Testimony

Workshop 1: Initiate worksheet (60’)

Initiate worksheet

Company name + business card Activity & relevant figures

Walk-around: Q&A (5’/pp)

Outdoor 1: spiderweb (40’)

Spider web

A web:

- made of wire

- between 2 trees

- as many holes as participants.

Challenge- Everybody has to go through it

- Each hole can be used only once

- Touch the wire => restart

Time: 12 participants, 30 min + 15 min debriefing

Outdoor 1: spiderweb debriefing (10’)

Spider web

How did you feel?

What did you notice?

Did you learn anything?

Lunch

Workshop 2: Strengths (60’)

What can you offer to the group? What are your strengths?

What do you have experience with?

Prepare the answers in groups of 2 persons (10’) Blue cards Stick cards on worksheet (left under!) Present your partner’s strenght (10 * 3’)

Plato: your business! (10’)

Plato starts from the practice

Plato entrepreneurs discuss their everyday problems: Accountancy, Sales, HRM, Subsidies, Taxes, Communication In order to increase their profit, turnover and growth rate SME owners have other priorities & problems: customized

program adapted to local SME needs

Entrepreneurs gain new knowledge from their colleagues, from their mentors and from outside experts

Why does a SME owner participate?

Gain knowledge & confidence about all business aspects Learn techniques and methods to optimise company practices Participate in networking (advice, transfer of know-how, contacts, …) Broaden their business horizon The will to bring their company to a higher level Create a local, regional, national and International network

Improve the company results!

Workshop 3: Network opportunity (50’)

Discover an opportunity: How can this learning network contribute to your daily practice?

Find information Acquire competences Cooperation Advocacy Support

Plenary (or during walk) For each opportunity type: short explanation & discuss with your neighbour (5 x 3’) If there is an opportunity, write it on a card (green) Polling & question round (5 x 3’) Take card with you and stick on your worksheet (right under!)

Workshop 4: Company environment (75’)

1. Think about the stakeholders. Who are they? What do they expect? Prepare the answers in groups of 2 persons. (15’) Blue cards

2a. Strengths (inside) & opportunities (outside) 2b. Weaknesses (inside) & threats (outside) Prepare the answers in groups of 4 persons. (2x15’) (30’) S&O= white cards, W&T = red cards

Stick answers on worksheets

3. Walk-around + Q&A (30’)

Diner & Networking

Workshop 5: vision & ambition (90’)

Your vision for the company? (interview in 2015) Prepare the answers in groups of 3 persons. (20’) Yellow cards

What is your ambition for the coming years? Prepare the answers in same group of 3 persons. (20’) Yellow cards

Stick answers on worksheets

3. Walk-around + Q&A (50’)

Plato: stronger business together (10)

Critical succes factors

Focus (objective, target group, progress) Willingly competent (knowledge & available) Formal (agenda, preparation, method) Informal (networking, fun, trust) Investment (time, appointments, engagement)

Workshop 6: learning objectives (80’)

Suppose you're two years later in time ..What are your objectives with Plato? When will the Learning Network be a success for you?

What would you like to learn from this network? (topics)

Prepare the answers in groups of 2 persons (20’) Green cards

Stick cards on worksheet

Walk-around + Q&A (10x4’) (40’) Rating (put 1 sticker on 3 topics of colleagues) (15’)

Lunch

Outdoor 2: schuttle run (30’)

Schuttle run

Two groups- Everyone goes to a bar stand.

- Order without leaving the bar(According to size, shoe size, age, initial name)

- Without talking? Blindfolded?

Workshop 7: build a program (90’)

Build a programWhat, how, where and when?

Practical agreements(invitations, be on time, catering,

cancellation, mobiles)

Date Place Topic Approach

Guided by the mentors Start from rating of topics (in objectives) Suggest topics & approach (min 5) Suggest dates & place (guidelines) Write schedule & agreements on flipchart Report final results in a spreadsheet Plenary: present results per country

Minefield

Discover the road to the other side

Only the game leader knows the road through the mindfield One team member examines a box If the box is a bomb (game leader says “bhum”) the team member must return Next member can try. Until the team can find the road (X)

Option Outdoor: minefield (30’)

x

x x

x

x x x x x

x

x x x x x

x x x x

x

Mentor/Coordinator preparation meeting

Guide = list of 7 workshop questions in presentation. Every workshop will start in plenum. Patrick explains the workshop.

What about translation? Who takes which role during the workshop? How to?

Lead/facilitate (make the group reach a result) Support (support participants, prepare outdoor..) Report (report the results on PC)

Website = pool where you can find all relevant information.E-mail adres required for subscription (through Google).Password = koopera

Next international meeting: when (May), where (Romania), approach (B2B, informative & training moments)