Plato Koopera Ghent, 16-17 june 2010

Welcome Short introduction Who are we? VOKA Koopera & purpose of next 2 days (Mentor training)

Program Wednesday, June 16th 09.00 Welcome 09.30 Acquaintance 11.00 Break 11.15 About Plato 12.30 Lunch 13.30 The role of mentors 14.00 Recruiting SME’s 15.00 Break + Outdoor Spiderweb 16.00 Kickoff team building: experience 17.00 Break 18.30 Diner

Program Thursday, June 17th 09.00 Morning walk 09.30 Kickoff team building: example 10.45 Break + Outdoor Shuttle Run 11.15 Kickoff team building: how will you organise it? 12.30 Lunch 13.30 Steer the monthly sessions 14.30 – 17.00 Outdoor Gravensteen 15.00 Support participating SME’s 16.00 Networking and followup 17.00 Conclusion 17.30 Break 18.30 Diner

Break/Outdoor Short walk Explain: Gravensteen walk Coffee-break Outdoor activity: Spiderweb Shuttle run Short walk Explain: Flying carpet Blind square Minefield Gravensteen walk

Acquaintance 1. Question round: present your job & yourself 2. Walk-around: Who is your neighbour? Find a unique feature you have in common. Present your neighbour. 3. Expectations 2 days What do you want to take home? When will it be a success? (meta-plan)

The Plato Concept

What is Plato ? Plato General Overview The SME’s The mentors Relationship between the stakeholders Plato History & International

What is Plato? Goal: professionalization of SME owners How: networks of SME owners Groups of 15-20 Entrepreneurs meet monthly Under the guidance of mentors/godfathers

Plato is a learning network Learning networks = networks of entrepreneurs that meet regularly Plato members decide themselves the topics they discuss during the meetings : a topic/problem mapping occurs during the SME TB Plato members can't be competitors – discussions remain confidential

What is Plato ? Plato General Overview The SME’s The mentors Relationship between the stakeholders Plato History & International

Why do companies participate in learning networks? But the entrepreneur has a LACK OF TIME AND MEANS For expensive and time-consuming trainings The entrepreneur has a NEED for information and contact with colleagues SME owners are responsible for EVERYTHING in their company: Finances management, HR, purchasing,, marketing, … The project deals with BOTTLENECKS and practical questions

Improve the company results! 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!

For whom ? SME-owners 2 tot 100 employees Growth company Willing to set time free for 12-18 months Willing to exchange expertise

Creation of fixed groups (max. 20 persons) Criteria Type of activity scale Growth phase of company Expertise S(M)ME owner No competitors No suppliers Same bottlenecks and needs Advantage fixed group Trust Openness Exchange of expertise Common interests

Plato starts from the practice Plato entrepreneurs discuss their everyday problems: Belgium: Accountancy, Sales, HRM, Subsidies, Taxes, Communication In order to increase their profit, turnover and growth rate Other countries: 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

What is Plato ? Plato General Overview The SME’s The mentors Relationship between the stakeholders Plato History & International

Plato groups are guided by mentors Mentors = managers from large companies Receive a training: Develop skills in managing a Plato group Learn about SME practices Network with other mentor and mentor companies Assist in recruiting SME’s Assist with the kickoff teambuilding Steer the monthly group meetings Give Individual assistance to the participating SME’s

Return for mentor Broaden perspective Training (Teambuilding, seminars, MBTI) Confrontation with flexibility of SME’s Unique chance to coach an external group Network Develop skills in managing a Plato group Learn about SME practices Networking with other mentors and mentor companies

What is Plato ? Plato General Overview The SME’s The mentors Relationship between the stakeholders Plato History & International

Key players mentorshipproject entrepreneurs Chambers of Commerce SME’s Mentor-companies

Partner organisations Overall coordination of the Plato within their region/organisation Delivers the Plato coordinator Learns the Plato Best Practice & can disseminate Plato itself Support organisations Assist and complement the Plato project They are brought together in a steering committee/ board Local government/economic departments/…

What is Plato ? Plato General Overview The SME’s The mentors Relationship between the stakeholders Plato History & International

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

History Plato international Poland Czech Republic Slovakia Ukraine Hungary Romania Bulgaria Slovenia Croatia Serbia South Africa Ireland UK Denmark Finland Sweden France

Lunch

Tools: worksheet (formal) & thermometer (informal) Company name Business card Activity, employees, results Thermometer Worksheet

Plato groups are guided by mentors Mentors = managers from large companies Receive a training: Develop skills in managing a Plato group Learn about SME practices Network with other mentor and mentor companies Assist in recruiting SME’s Assist with the kickoff Steer the monthly group meetings * Give individual assistance to the participating SME’s Networking

Who are the mentors? Lots of experience in different management topics Social skills to lead a team of SME’s Respected man or woman (image) Having a network or impact in the major company Motivated and engaged to make free time for it

Return for mentor Broaden perspective Training (Teambuilding, seminars, MBTI) Confrontation with flexibility of SME’s Unique chance to coach an external group Network Develop skills in managing a Plato group Learn about SME practices Networking with other mentors and mentor companies Do you recognize this? What are your strengths? Where can you learn? Why are you mentor? (Metaplan -> worksheet + walk around)

1. Assist in recruiting SME’s Discussion (3 groups + exchange) What happened until now? Who did you recruit? How did you recruit? Which result? Role of the mentor? (first visit)

2. (Assist with?) the kick-off meeting 1. Example program: experience 2. Example program: explained 3. Discussion (3 groups + exchange) How will you organise the kick-off? Where? Language? Who will be trainer? Role of trainer, mentor, coordinator & participants.

3. Steer the monthly group meetings Practical: Define topics (based on kick-off meeting) Choose method (speaker, exchange, case, workshop) Invitation mail Preparation (speaker, documents) Information sharing Facilitate monthly sessions Reporting

3. Steer the monthly group meetings

3. Steer the monthly group meetings

3. Steer the monthly group meetings

3. Steer the monthly group meetings Round table discussion How do you see the monthly sessions? Was the explanation helpful?

4. Support to participating SME’s Psychological support: listening ear Feedback: if requested Referral function: networking

5. Networking: How will you further cooperate? Building and executing the network project Communication Meetings E-Platform Learning from each other

4 & 5: Gravensteen walk Write down (metaplan) the names of 2 SME’s. Explain their situation to each other. Write down (metaplan) 2 prefered networking activities. How will you learn from each other? Find an answer on the following questions: How old is this building? Has there ever been an SME inside? On nov 16th, 1949, students occupied Gravensteen. Why?

Kickoff Day 1 morning: departure Day 1 afternoon: arrival & acquitance Day 1 evening: networking Day 2 morning: vision & ambition Day 2 afternoon: strenghts & objectives Day 2 evening: networking Day 3 morning: program Day 3 afternoon: business Day 3 evening: departure

ANNEX 1: Example Plato kick-off team building

Example Plato Kickoff teambuilding (2 days) Mentors: …………………………………………………………………… Coordinator: ………………………………………………………………. Trainer: …………………………………………………………………….. Date

Program Day 1 11.00h Check-in 11.15h Welcome (introduction) 12.30h Lunch 13.00h Workshop 1: initiate passport + speeddating 14.30h Outdoor 1: spiderweb + feedback 15.30h Pause 16.00h Workshop 2: vision & ambition 18.30h Pause 19.30h Dinner 21.00h Outdoor 2: mine field 22.00h End day 1

Program Day 2 08.00h Breakfast 09.00h Workshop 3: strengths & objectives 10.30h Pause 10.45h Outdoor 3: shuttle run 11.30h Workshop 4: build a program 12.30h End 13.00h Lunch

Welcome! Your mentors: ………………………………………………………………….. Your coordinator: ……………………………………………………………… Your trainer: …………………………………………………………………….

Expectations When does this 2-day pass for you? Note on a meta-plan card Poll + apply on flip-chart Purpose of this "Plato kick-off" Discover each other’s expectations Build a team Build a program Have fun

Plato Learning Network What? Fixed group of participants Diversity of organisations Structured and regulary meetings Exchange of experience with collegues Focus on practical application Openness & trust GATA attitude (Give Away, Take Away) Professional guidance Goal Stronger entrepreneurship together Inspire each other with new ideas Improve yourself through the feedback of collegues Different roles Participants Mentors Coördinator Trainer

Critical success factors Focus (objective, target group, progress) Informal (networking, fun, trust) Formal (agenda, preparation, method) Willing competent (known & available) Investment (time, appointments, engagement)

Tools: passport (formal) & thermometer (informal) Company name Business card Vision Company & Your ambition Your strengths Your objectives Company activity (mission) Company Key figures (personnel, revenue)

Passport

Outdoor 1: spiderweb 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, 30-45 min + 15 min debriefing

Outdoor 2: minefield Minefield - Groups of 2 - Go through a mine field (objects on the ground) - A blindfolded man, a leader off the field. - 3 minutes preparation. - Struck a mine? => Restart. - Exchange upon arrival ..

Outdoor 3: schuttle run 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 1: passport & speed date Initiate passport (30’) Company name + business card Activity & size company (numbers or graph) Walk-around Speed date (60’) 5 min/person (2 rows + exchange) Discover an opportunity: How can this learning network contribute to your daily practice? Find information Acquire competences Cooperation Advocacy Support Write the opportunity on a meta-plan card

Workshop 2: vision & ambition Method Prepare the answers in groups of 3 or 4 persons Stick answers on passports Walk-around + Q&A Part 1: Who are the stakeholders, and what do they expect? (max 3 cards, white) (30’) Stop, reduce, enhance, start? (4 cards, 2 red / 2 green) (30’) Pause Part 2: Your vision for the company? (interview in 2015) (max 5 cards, blue) (30’) Your ambition for this vision? (max 3 cards, white)

Workshop 3: Strengths & objectives Method Prepare the answers in groups of 3 or 4 persons Stick answers on passports Walk-around + Q&A What can you offer to the group? What are your strengths? What do you have experience with? (max 3 cards, green) (30’) What would you like to learn from this network? What are your objectives with Plato? Suppose you're two years later in time .. When will the Learning Network be a success for you? (max 3 cards, yellow) (30’)

Workshop 4: building a program What, how, where and when? Date Place Theme Approach

Workshop 4: building a program Cluster objectives & rate them Choose topics (max 10) & sort them Practical arrangements When? (E.g. 2nd Monday of every month) Where? (Visit each other’s companies?) Catering (Drinks & sandwiches) Invitation & preparation (E.G. by mail, 1 week before, document to read) Speakers Engagement rules (what if you can’t come, being on time, mobile phones

ANNEX 2: Plato Flanders: Best Practices

Milestones Preparation How to define & organise a Plato network? How to find, contact, select and convince major companies? How to find and select mentors? How to make a sensibilisation campaign for SME’s? How to select and (intake) interview SME’s? How to create SME teams? Startup How to organise teambuilding of mentors? How to organise a startup teambuilding with the participating SME’s? Operational How to conduct the network? (Workmeetings, Coaching, Plenary meetings) How to organise Public Relations activities? Followup How to followup the network? How to evaluate the project/network?

Structure, Proces, Stakeholders How is a Plato project organised? Organisationally Geographically How does a Plato project evolve? Preparation: Structure, Objectives, Recruitment & Promotion, Selection Start-up: Training Mentors + start-up SME teams Operational: Workgroup meetings, plenary meetings, individual guidance, communication Follow-up: Commitment, Resources, Observation, Reporting What are the tasks, responsibilities and areas of competence of all actors? Government Management Project leader Project assistant Sponsoring firms Mentors Participants Others..

2. Objectives Objectives of the project leader of the mentors of participants Instruments for evaluation and corrective action

3. Recruitment and promotional campaign Recruiting SMEs Brochure Mailing Organisations Municipal governments Banks and accountants Internet The press Information evenings Telephone promotion Personal visits Recruiting sponsoring firms and mentors Profile of sponsoring firms Profile of mentors Approaching sponsoring firms

4. Selection Selection of the project leader sponsoring firms mentors participants project assistant (Objective & Subjective criteria)

5. Training mentors & teambuilding SME’s Preparatory phase Content Resources Operational phase Teambuilding Exchanging experiences Coaching

6. Workgroup meetings Definition Preparation for the meeting (Project leader, Mentors, Participants) The meeting itself (Project leader, Mentors, Participants) Evaluation and progression to the informal part

7. Plenary meetings Definition Preparation for the meeting (Project leader; mentors, participants, speaker) The meeting itself (Project leader; mentors, participants, speaker)

8. Individual guidance Principle Practice Which questions? The goal of individual guidance The form of individual guidance Responsibilities of the actors

9. Communication Internal communication (operational & structural) External communication (operational & structural)

10. Commitment Preparatory phase: detection Participants Mentors Operational phase: measuring Quality measurement Quantity measurement Reporting Organisation/Government Director/Project leader Project leader/Sponsoring firm Project leader/Mentors Mentors/Participants

11. Resources Resources for the project leader (project & person related) the mentors the participants Project budget

12. Observation & follow-up Observation by Management Project leader Mentors Participants Follow-up & reporting

Q&A Question time… Financial details General Plato concept Plato Koopera implementation …

stronger business together Plato International stronger business together