Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

INTRODUCTION:  Today is another beautiful day. I am in the Sacramento airport, complete with free wireless :o), heading back home to Jackson.  I feel relaxed and at peace.  This morning I had a great run, and to my surprise was exposed to some rare Metro-California wildlife.  15 turkeys roosting in a tree all started googling-gobbling LOUDLY at once as I ran through the wooded trail along the American River! They were huge and some had the full tail fanned out.  I have never seen that before.  I contemplated what that meant and why i saw them all… then remembered all the times in life I have been called a TURKEY – HA!, about the Thanksgiving Paradox (Black Swan Reference), and then the mind kept rolling…. that’s another story!     I am HERE, NOW, and take 10 long, meditative breaths and celebrate being alive on this planet. 

AT THE METRO:    Holly and I had a blast greeting and talking with Sacramento people non-stop for 5 hours!  At one point, we had about 25 people surrounding table-top initiative station working on the Great Nail Balance, spinning the Buzz Ring, and engaging in lively conversation derived from the Thumb Network Ball! Sweet. It was great to hear comments like, “Grand Dynamics is definitely the funnest booth here”,  ”This is really great to have a company like Grand Dynamics in Sacramento”, “When can we get together to plan something” and “Wow, I need this for myself – and my company!”

STN OPEN ENROLLMENT EXCITEMENT:  Our Seeking True North open enrollment event in Grass Valley April 21-23 was quite a popular topic and I am excited to see many of the people I met there for a few days of inspired focused personal and business development. To those California people reading this that  I met – send me an email and let me know you are planning to come!

CA ECONOMIC CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE:    California, like most places right now, is filled with businesses that are challenged.  However, business representatives mostly remained optimistic that there they would make it through these though times.  And the general consensus at the expo was that it would require WORKING TOGETHER. Certainly internally with an inspired staff operating on full cylinders, but also externally with businesses supporting other businesses to further each other’s goals.  This is one theme that has become more and more apparant, and necessary, in challenging economy. COMMUNITY and working together in a way that businesses support each other. Certainly there is the exchange of goods or services, but the deeper question is how can we support each other in the BIG PICTURE of business economics.   Keep your eye out for opportunities to network and support each other.   When contracting with another company, is there a potential for a MUTUAL EXCHANGE so that both companies benefit?  What referrals can each of you provide for one another?  How can you help someone else as you further your own goals?   When we rebound out of the economic challenges, will you be proud of how you MAINTAINED COMPOSURE, CREATED INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS,  SUPPORTED OTHERS, or will have you just barely “made it through” AT ANY COST?

Today I awoke in Denver Colorado after playing percussion at a live show
last night with my great friend Ivan Huber and his band – Art Compost and
the Word Mechanics. Our music was the instrumental jam-band and warm up
for the Poetry Slam – where random people would perform poetry to our
eclectic instrumental fusion.  It was a great way to finish up this stint
in Colorado and another vivid example of people living out their passion
through artistic expression.

Last week was largely spent in Colorado with the national and
international GDI team at a “unconference” called NCCPS.  The format for
this conference is quite intriguing.  The format is known as Open Space
and essentially involves participants arriving at the conference with NO
SET SCHEDULE.  Have you ever been to a conference with NO SET SCHEDULE?

What an incredible concept!

About 200 experiential educators converged in Boulder Colorado to discuss
the art and science of experiential learning including leadership,
facilitation, work, play and team dynamics. I love this conference because
it provides the platform for participants to present and discover the most
important topics in their personal and professional growth.  The entire
agenda for the conference is created in the first 2 hours of the 3 day
conference.  This occurs by participants proposing that the time slots be
filled with Presentations (a ready-to-go presentation) Workshops (a
facilitated seminar with expertise provided upon request by the presenter)
Discussions (facilitated conversation or activity around topics of
interest) and I NEED (topics that participants want to have someone else
present on.)   This provides the platform for presenters to try new things
and get feedback from the audience and to really dive into the topics that
are most important.  Each day the conference schedule is revisited and
topics updated.

Grand Dynamics had an excellent presence and delivered several
presentations including The Master Facilitator (Holly Baade), New Games
and Activities (Will Leggett), Creating International Initiatives to
Change the World (Josh Morris) and of course, SEEKING TRUE NORTH!
I was inspired by our industry greats like Chris Cavert and Sam Sikes and
the plethora of facilitators I was lucky to meet for the first time, many
who have the potential to join the ranks for Grand Dynamics contract
facilitators. One cool workshop even included how to design and deliver a
team building workshop where participants find, build a GIANT CATAPULT!
(technically it’s a Trebuchet :o)!

Thanks to Tom Leahy and the whole NCCPS crew and to everyone that SHOWED UP.  I am looking forward to the drive home today and reflecting on all the great things in life and all the new opportunities that continue to
unfold for Grand Dynamics. And also looking forward to strategization of
the ACTION!  The energy and vibe is positive and the universe continues to
offer magical connections.

As I said in my NCCPS closing comments, There
is Genius and Boldness in ACTION. Whatever you can dream to do, do it NOW.
For Success is reserved for those that SEEK IT OUT.  Happy Hunting!

Here it is!  For the past 8 years, Grand Dynamics has partenered with the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) to provide the Spring Creek Annual Incoming Chapter President’s Leadership Advance. Comprised of mostly CFOs of large construction companies, these leaders come to Jackson Hole for a 4 day Grand Dynamics training and development experience. The business results and ROI of this program have been featured in the New York Times.  Watch for yourself as construction industry leaders comment about CFMA, Grand Dynamics, and the power of the Seeking True North models methods and tools.  The following questions/comments are addressed in this interview series.

1. How can a Spring Creek Program benefit an incoming Chapter President?  

2. Describe your Grand Dynamics experience.

3. How will this training impact your personal or professional life?

4. Describe the effectiveness of the Seeking True North Models, Methods and tools.

5. During challenging economic times, why is it important to invest in team building and leadership development?

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Thank-you to Mike Molaro, the CFMA team and all the incredible Chapter Presidents we have had the joy to share insightful and impactful learning experiences.  Thanks to Cal Beyer and Arch Insurance for their continuous support of this program. Thanks to Master Erick Erickson and Master Josh Morris, the Grand Dynamics facilitators I have been lucky to work with over the years. Thanks to the following 2009 Incoming Chapter Presidents for their interview:

Christopher Zaucha – Philadelphia; Sonya Quazchnick – Dallas/Forth Worth; Catherine Granger – Las Vegas; Bryan Johnson – Georgia; Jason Henley – CFMA National Chairperson; David Whiteman – Houston; Jeremy Vokt – Nebraska; Jack Geiffels – San Diego; Melissa Turner – Last Frontier; Larry True – New York; Charles Tasto – Arch Insurance Group Sponsor

Inaction is the riskiest response to the uncertainties of an economic crisis. But rash or scattershot action can be nearly as damaging. Rising anxiety (how much worse is it likely to get?) and the growing pressure to do something often produces a variety of uncoordinated moves that target the wrong problem or overshoot the right one. A disorganized response can also generate a sense of panic in an organization. And that will distract people from seeing something crucially important: the hidden but significant opportunities nestled amongst the bad economic news.  HBR 2/09 Rhodes & Stetler

New opportunities arise in every economic environment. Adaptability is paramount in a calculated team effort. Seize advantage in a downturn.

Hola!  We made it to Potrero Chico! The drive was long but fun and we had some killer climbing at Cochise Stonghold along the way. Gary stepped up and fired  a killer finger crack (from the cover of the guide book)to get things going.  Later that day I got my first big fall of the trip out of the way. Funny – the last time I was climbing with Gary he caught me on  30 footer on Mount Moran which led to a self rescue. This was another big one – but this time the fall was clean and I was able to step back up and send. Face the dragon – and shake hands with fear. Potrero Chico is a magical place with 10 minute approaches to stellar limestone multi-pitch routes.  The first three days of climbing have been awesome! Gary and I are firing and the first day of cragging was a great warm-up.  Red pointing several 5.11s and a 5.12 with one fall! Day two we climbed the 11 pitch classic SPACEBOYZ – all 5.9 and 5.10′s pack to pack (up and down) in 5 hours.  Great speed and efficiency.  Day 3 was another classic multipitch day… Climbing is such the metaphor for life for me. Concepts like the Pygmalion Effect; When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Appears and  the Prax Factor have been topics of conversation.   How can you find your limit?  How do you shake hands and make friends with fear? Its starts by stepping up and choosing to force yourself into the growth zone. Movement, challenge and finding your limit by stepping up and giving everything you’ve got. No failure – only feedback.      I expect to get some photos downloaded at some point – we have some great ones. Until then – Keep on Climbing!  Yours in Adventure -  Tim 

Welcome Everyone -

If you are reading this because you got an email, talked with a friend or read an article in Planet Jackson Hole or Jackson Hole News and Guide and are considering the Seeking True North ACTION SEMINAR, here are a few things to consider.  My name is Tim Walther and I am the President of Grand Dynamics. 10 years ago I started this company with the dream of creating a way to live in Jackson Hole and create a life where I could explore the world through climbing adventures.  I had a vision to work with corporate groups long before there was a Four Seasons, Amangani or even consistent air service into the valley.  Equally imporant was my vision of creating a company based on experiential training and development principles. Principles in which action and adventure melds together with psychology, business and philosphy and focused on empowering individuals and teams to live a life of their dreams.  After living in Jackson Hole and realizing that I needed to take action to realize my vision, I went back to graduate school and studied the science of Experiential Training and Development - my Masters thesis was my business plan for Grand Dynamics. This was the winter of 1998.  Now in the early days of this venture I, like many starving entrepreneurs, worked multiple jobs as a bar tender and such to make ends meet.  I began my busines with a focus on quality over quantity, as we all know that this town is very small and word travels like lighting. 

I went to countless seminars, read hundreds of business, self-help, psychology and human performance periodicals. I worked day and night to deliver one successful program after the next and began to travel around the country delivering seminars. Steadily I began to have people believe in what I was doing and invest in my programs that I developed.  Over the years Grand Dynamics has developed into an international company with offices in New York, Baltimore, California and now in Chiang Mai Thailand.

About 8 years ago I had the great pleasure of meeting Erick Erickson at one of those training and devopment seminars.  Little did I know how much power this man would have in my life. A few months later Grand Dynamics landed a contract with CFMA- The Construction Financial Management Association. Since the first program with CFMA, Rick and I have delivered, every fall, two 4-day leadership retreats (I now call them Advances) along with a multitude of other training programs around the country – and globe.  The focus of these leadership development programs is to combine an amazing Experience with as many personal and professional models, methods, tools and habits as one can reasonably fit into any multi-day format.  The design of these programs was an amalgamation of what I had and what i continue to learn about the art and science of human performance. At the end of each program Master Rick and I would stand before our group of 25 attendees or more and ask what they had learned.  The result was a list of well over one hundred principles that have had PROFOUND impace into the lives of our program attendees.  Of course these concepts are also at the core foundation of the varied Grand Dynamics programs. As the successful training programs, speaking engagements and international climbing adventures continued Rick and I began to talk about writing a book. That book, of course, is Seeking True North.

It is my honor to be launching Seeking True North – the ACTION SEMINAR here in Jackson Hole. This program will be an intimate group of friends and colleagues who share the passion for a life of Freedom, Beauty and Success.

Here is a taste of WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT when you sign up for this weekend program. For starters, we have an amazing group of individuals who are commited to an amazing weekend.  People from varied industries including Data Networking President, Construction CFO, Building Entrepreneur, an individual about to embark on a year or more tour of Europe, a full time Musician, Performance Consulting Executive and one of the worlds best female rock climbers to name a few.   Several of our key Grand Dynamics team members will be on hand to support the delivery of an outstanding three day transformation.

FRIDAY NIGHT we will focus on the art of PREPARATION. Fundamentally this begins with our personal and professional VISIONS of the life we want to live on a continuours basis. In a fun, engaging and interactive environment we will explore the core of what is most important to focus on in life. We will embrace our fears and create powerful psychological anchors that will be with you to call upon for the REST OF YOUR LIFE.  This experience culminates in the BREAKTHROUGH experience, where you will literally break through a wooden board as a metaphor and achor for total success.  The first time I experienced a workshop of this sort, I had three words written on my board. CREATE GRAND DYNAMICS. This was 11 years ago.

SATURDAY will be a day filled with adventure in our back yard at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Participants will engage in a series of activities that will bring to life the PRACTICE of Seeking True North. Challenge, Adventure, Teamwork, Deep Shamonic Meditation, Rock Climbing and MORE await. Saturday night will be filled with more action, learning and fun… before we head downtown to celebrate the day!

Sunday we will be moving from knowing what to do to doing what we know with Grand Dynamics Action Planning process that has WORKED FOR THOUSANDS of our PARTICIPANTS. We will also focus on additional models, methods and tools that are not in Seeking True North.

The models, methods and tools in Seeking True North are there because they work. IF you use these tools you WILL create and live the life of YOUR DREAMS and experience happiness and passion like never before. And our committment to you is to deliver them through an experience that you will never forget.

One WORD OF CAUTION: This program is for leaders – and for people who STEP UP. We have no room for people who don’t want and expect the best out of life – and from the people we CHOOSE to surround ourselves with. If you are ready for a transformational experience, then sign up NOW by emailing me directly at tim@granddynamics.com .

I look forward to talking with you soon.

Yours in Adventure -

Tim Walther

President

Grand Dynamics International