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The Bob Pike Group
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Eden Prairie, MN 55344
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The Bob Pike Group Conference
By Liz Wheeler

Bob Pike became an Eagle Scout in the early 1960s, the highest rank a boy scout can achieve. To earn the rank, a scout has to earn 21 merit badges, show responsibility in a position of leadership, and perform service projects. The scout motto is “Be prepared.” We asked Bob, “In regard to training, what does being prepared mean?”

 

“By the time you become an Eagle Scout, you really are a leader,” Pike said. And many times, those you’re leading, “those coming after you, are often unprepared. So you have ‘extras’ of things so you can help people out without them feeling shamed or stupid. A boy who forgets band-aids on a 25-mile hike already feels badly enough. And he'll always remember someone who gave a helping hand without making him feel foolish or guilty.”

 

Being prepared means planning ahead and exploring the possibilities, thinking through the eventualities. One way to explore options is to talk to those who have walked the path ahead of you—learn from their lessons, glean from their wisdom. Get their packing list for those long hikes.

 

In training, one way to “resource” from others’ wisdom is to attend industry meetings and conferences like The Bob Pike Group’s Fall Conference, now in its 14th year.

 

“The conference is filled with people who have ‘gone before’,” Bob said. “Almost every presenter has at least 10 years experience, many more than 20—and this is my 36th year. There's little we can hear by way of horror stories that we haven't heard before (and often done ourselves)! We are each at the conference not only to add our expertise through sessions, but also through the informal discussions that are so much a part of the conference.”

 

The conference this year has experts on facilitation, leadership, elearning, training design and training delivery presenting new research as well as the fundamentals in interactive formats acting as “a cloud of witnesses” for those following them on the path to becoming trusted advisors. ChartHouse Learning and William Horton are also presenting.

 

For more information on The Bob Pike Group’s Training and Performance Solutions Conference.


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