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e-newsletter 5 | July 2008 |
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WelcomeA continuous theme that runs through the Teambuilding that we do in Fun.Food.Focus is the search for collaboration - between groups, teams, organisations and companies. With all of the different industries and organisations - large and small - this issue is a constant. As it is when I sometimes ask people whether they have worked in a 'good or thriving team'? - it is best I think to be very clear about what is meant by either 'a team' or in this instance 'collaboration'. By collaboration - I mean the idea that Thomas Davenport suggests in 'Thinking for a Living' - where he refers to knowledge workers collaborating - 'they meet, they chat, they congregate', he suggests in meeting places and conference rooms, specifically set up for this purpose. (p 168) Apart from the 'meeting' and 'chatting', there is a very serious side to lack of collaboration in organisations. It appears that very few companies actually 'map' the networks of relationships, that exist within their organisation to analyse the economic costs and benefits that such key interactions create, and at the same time identify interventions which are 'value-creating'. The simple process of sharing good ideas, or best practice, and to pass on 'lessons' among existing networks such as a work team - can be the beginning of good collaborative practice. However, as would be expected - to reap the true value of collaboration - requires a bit more work - and 'network analysis' is one aid for this. But as a starting point, forming a collaborative network to share what has been learnt during a project could be one method to consider. And this leads neatly into discussion about World Knowledge Cafes which, Advance Knowledge Networks - our consulting arm facilitates. However, more of this later in the e-newsletter. Helen Paige
Advance Knowledge Networks (AKN) | Fun.Food.Focus | TimeMaker |
PS (as the author I think I am allowed an occasional indulgence - so included this month is a picture of my daughter Sophia at her recent graduation as a speech pathologist - Congratulations Sophia!) 
NEW PRODUCTS!!
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THE COMPANY WE KEEP - A Selection of our Client Activities
Fun.Food.Focus in action!
Keen to include some of their colleagues from interstate who were visiting sites in Adelaide, Badge Constructions recently invited Fun.Food.Focus to host their team building day at a winery, just out of the city.
Taking the form of an Indian Banquet the team arrived at the winery and was greeted with tea and coffee and some of our gourmet cook's delicious home made goodies - (think Orange Loaf Cake and Passionfruit Frosted Cup Cakes!) Then the music was ramped up - and the teams commenced preparing their Indian feast. And what a feast it was...!
We can't share all of the menu with you here - but it included a Chicken Mint Curry and Lamb Tikkah Kebabs, plus all of the accompaniments. So it was a pleasure when the team testimonials included the following:
The best part was:
- The chance to see my team mates in a different light
- Everyone working around each other in a kitchen
- Eating the food! The reward for our hard work!
- Eating the final product
- General mateship
- Interaction with colleagues doing something you don't normally do
*****Hear further Testimonials on our Fun.Food.Focus Video****
Let Fun.Food.Focus TAILOR your event ... to suit YOUR requirements...
In This Edition
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NEW RELEASE!!
FUN.FOOD.FOCUS COOKING CLASSES - FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS
We are pleased to announce further offerings in our 'hands on cooking classes'
Adding to our existing CLASSIC PIZZA MAKING CLASSES we are also now offering
- EXOTIC THAI
- THE ART OF CHOCOLATE MAKING
- JAPANESE SUSHI and
- HEALTHY EATING
We are VERY excited that our Exotic Thai and Healthy Eating classes will be conducted by Jordan Theodoros, who many of you 'foodies' may remember as the celebrity chef on the Channel 9 Series Sumptuous.
Jordan's passion for food has taken him on many travels around the world, including living and working in Burma, and Shanghai as Executive Chef for a major boutique hotel group, and he and his wife Steph Vasileff (who by the way will be taking The Art of Chocolate Making classes), have just returned from their stint at the luxurious five-star Rajasthan Hotel the Armanbagh where Jordan was Executive Chef and Steph - Pastry Chef.
(More particulars about Jordan and Steph will shortly be available on our website) www.funfoodfocus.com.au
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All classes will be offered weekly over the month and further details can be obtained by:
Viewing our PDF (forwarded shortly)
Calling us on 8271 1173
or 0403 374 183
or e-mailing ask@funfoodfocus.com.au
MEA (Meetings and Events Australia)
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We were pleased to read the following review of our recent collaboration with Haighs Chocolates and Solstice Wines in the April MEA Review of Past MEA events -
'Adelaide members braved the recent sweltering record breaking heat wave to visit Haighs Visitor Centre and sample their Easter goodies.
Under the skilled guidance of Helen Paige from Fun.Food.Focus members were invited to decorate cup cakes using different types of chocolate supplied by Haighs. Competition and creativity was at its best to create a dynamic and fun environment…Corporate training and learning at its tasty best.
Solstice Mt Torrens Vineyard matched their award winning wines with the world famous chocolates and despite the heat, everyone agreed it was a fun way to prepare for Easter.'...
KNOWLEDGE REPORT
Advance Knowledge Networks (AKN) - Column in Career One, The Advertiser
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As mentioned previously, Helen has been invited to write articles for the Executive Call Segment of Career One in 'The Advertiser' The latest article was published on the 31 May and entitled A LACK OF BUZZ and it is about 'HOT SPOTS' and the lack of energy and buzz in a workplace that is not fully functioning. See the full article at
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23780833-
5014050,00.html
Helen has been busy in the Knowledge Management arena, and there is much more happening during the rest of the year.
An overview of selected activities will be provided in this and forthcoming Ideations.
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I recently facilitated a whole day World Knowledge Cafe for three TAFE SA. teams as part of their professional development activities. The setting chosen was a winery in the North, and the purpose was to engage the 40+ staff attending across three campuses in some strategic thinking, development and acknowledgement of cultural differences. MY FORTHCOMING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT-RELATED ACTIVITIES
22nd July 2008
Helen will be conducting a World Knowledge Café for ALPMA (Australian Legal Practice Management Association (South Australia) members. The topic is Leveraging Your Knowledge Assets. (A report will be provided in the next Ideation)
14th October 2008
After attending the 45th Meeting in Tokyo last year, Helen has been invited to present a Plenary Session at the forthcoming 46th Australia-Japan Joint Business Conference being held at the Hyatt Regency, Perth. The topic is Knowledge Management - Building Critical Resources within the Company.
(This is an exciting opportunity as those presenting including the Hon. Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Professor Ross Garnaut AO and a wide range of both Australian and Japanese speakers across the areas of Energy, Technology, Innovation and Collaboration in Education, Tourism, ICT, Financial Services and Energy and Resources.)
26-28 October 2008
Helen will be conducting a World Knowledge Café at the 2008 Australian Learning Communities Network National Conference, Connecting Faces, Places and Spaces at the Hyatt Regency, Adelaide. The role will be to conduct a Café around key threads of issues/topics raised on the first day of the Conference.
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Reprints: You are welcome to reprint these articles as long as the following statement is printed at the conclusion of each reprinted article. Hyperlinks as below must be included in the quotation.
© The Paige Group. Used with permission
Helen Paige
Phone: (08) 8271 1173 or 0403 374 183
E-Mail: info@thepaigegroup.com.au
Visit: www.thepaigegroup.com.au for further details