Day 1

Interesting, viewing Eric and Dori's training. Very Baak-y: reflection, intimacy, honesty, authenticity. Safety. It went a bit awry at the end, but they pulled it out. Polling the participants they seem enthusiastic, but have reservations if this is something they can use. By the end of today, the second day, this should start to land with them.

An interesting measure of the company culture yesterday evening. A "brainstorm session" for the facilitators on "virtual learning." Very fast, incomplete, major assumptions and little processing. Using a "love meter" to rate presentation success with no conclusion. Felt like a game show. What struck me the most was 1) the absence of understanding or experience with virtual learning environments or terminology (or, worse, the entire concept), and 2) a lack of professional L&D jargon (one of many examples: instead of "evaluation" phase of learning, they named it "feedback"). Is it because of the bi-lingual approach (English, but with a heavy French influence)? Processing was left to an artist and a notulist. "What will happen with your summaries?" I asked. "I dunno," the notulist said, "I guess sent in an email." What? Not posted to the intranet? This says a lot.

Cap Gemini University week

I'm here at the Cap Gemini University for the week, evaluating the CTI training method as adapted by Eric Kohner for Ekcosystem. We've been talking about a potential cooperation between Ekcosystem and De Baak for some time now, and this is the first time I will be able to see this method in action. I arrived here at Les Fontaines the corporate training center for CG in Chantilly, France, just outside Paris. Here are a few of my initial observations:

• This is clearly a corporate learning center. There are hundreds of participants here, from all levels. This is "University Week," and the learning is spilling out from the classrooms into the hallways: flip charts and white boards with models and brainstorms. Corporate sayings littering the walls and tying-together themes done up by an artist.
• Eric. What a unique individual. While most are dressed in business casual, he's walking around in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt that was property of the NYPD. He's the embodiment of "good salesmen can sell anything." He's a predator, always moving, like a shark cruising for its next victim, looking for a connection. He's been introducing me around and it's reassuring seeing the Baak reputation spilling over the border. Because of CG's large Dutch presence, there are many Dutch amongst the staff. "Oooh, De Baak!!!" is their consistent reaction. I'll be curious to see him "in action" on Wednesday.
• Recession? What recession? Eric says this is a profit center for CG, but in order to make profits as a learning center you need, as the English say, bums on seats. There's no want for participants here, not as far as I can see.
• Eric introduced me to the head of corporate learning for CG. Eric, being the acquisition beast he is, pushed product. The man said, "Sales. Sales, sales, sales. CG is all about sales training right now." This is a clear market signal: smart companies, at least this one, are looking to expand their market presence.

Alarm has gone off. More later.