KO-OPERA Teambuilding and Kickoff meeting Serbia, Niš, November 26 th -27 th 2010

Welcome & about Ko-opera PLATO KO-OPERA meeting – Team building & Kickoff meeting Organized by  VOKA Gent – East Flanders  Regional Chamber of Economy Niš,  Serbian Chamber of Commerce  Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bulgaria – Sofia  Regional Chamber of Economy Craiova, Romania. KO-OPERA = Implement Plato concept Internationally Plato concept = learning network of entrepreneurs

Purpose of this kickoff (Question round: why are you here?) Become a Plato Learning Network Discover each other’s expectations Build a team Have fun Find opportunities Build a program

Program Friday Nov : Mentor & coordinator training 10.30: Welcome to kickoff Ko-opera (20’) 10.50: Presentation: Plato: learning network +testimony (20’) 11.10: Workshop 1: initiate worksheet (60’) 12.10: Outdoor 1: spiderweb (40’) 12.50: Debriefing (10’) 13.00: Lunch 14.00: Workshop 2: your strengths (60’) 15.00: Presentation: Plato: your business! (10’) 15.10: Workshop 3: find an opportunity (50’) (during walk) 16.00: Break 16.15: Workshop 4: company environment (75’) 17.30: Walk around 18.00: Break + feedback mentors/coordinators 19.00: Diner 20.00: Networking: find an international opportunity

Program Saterday Nov : Breakfast 09.00: Workshop 5: vision & ambition (90’) 10.30: Break 10.50: Presentation: Plato: stronger business together (10) 11.00: Workshop 6: learning objectives (80’) 12.20: Break & Lunch 13.30: Outdoor 2: shuttle run (30’) 14.00: Workshop 7: build a program (90’) 15.30: Plenary: propose the program 16.00: Closing drink

Working in parallel with 3 groups Plenary moments Workshops & outdoor sessions Exchange moments ? TRANSLATION

Who is who?  Milovan Kocić: RCE Niš President Serbia  Aleksandar Nikolić: National PLATO coordinator Serbia  Tereza Vladu: Regional PLATO coordinator Romania  Atanas Naydenov: Regional PLATO coordinator Bulgaria  Zoran Marković: Regional PLATO coordinator Serbia  Dragan Sojanovic: Yumis, Serbian Mentor  Dragan Sojanovic: Telekom, Serbian Mentor  Christian Dobre: SC IPA SA, Romanian Mentor  Catalin Vladut: Gabriel SC Polystart, Romanian Mentor  Jordanka Viyatchka: AVL Sofia, Bulgarian Mentor  Genoveva Bakardjieva: Bulgarian HRM & Development Association, Bulgarian Mentor  Wim Keygnaert: VOKA Gent PM Belgium  Patrick Belpaire: VOKA Gent Trainer Belgium

Tools: worksheet (formal) & thermometer (informal) Company name Company activity (mission) Your name Business card Company environment Stakeholders (blue) S&O (white) T&W (red) Your strengths (blue) Company Key figures (personnel, revenue) Your ambition Company Vision (yellow) Your Learning objectives (green) Opportunity

Worksheet

Break/Outdoor Coffee-break Outdoor activity: Spiderweb Shuttle run (Minefield) Short walk

Plato: Learning Network (20’)

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

Plato is a learning network  Learning networks = networks of entrepreneurs that meet regularly  Plato members decide themselves the topics they discuss during the meetings  Plato members can't be competitors – discussions remain confidential Goal  Stronger entrepreneurship together  Inspire each other with new ideas  Improve yourself through the feedback of collegues

Plato is a learning network How?  Fixed group of participants  Diversity of organisations  Structured and regulary meetings (10)  Exchange of experience with collegues  Focus on practical application  Openness & trust  GATA attitude (Give Away, Take Away)  Professional guidance Different roles  Participants  Mentors  Coördinator  Trainer

Plato experience Testimony

Workshop 1: Initiate worksheet (60’) Initiate worksheet  Company name + business card  Activity & relevant figures  Walk-around: Q&A (5’/pp)

Outdoor 1: spiderweb (40’) 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 min + 15 min debriefing

Outdoor 1: spiderweb debriefing (10’) Spider web How did you feel? What did you notice? Did you learn anything?

Lunch

Workshop 2: Strengths (60’) What can you offer to the group? What are your strengths? What do you have experience with?  Prepare the answers in groups of 2 persons (10’)  Blue cards  Stick cards on worksheet (left under!)  Present your partner’s strenght (10 * 3’)

Plato: your business! (10’)

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

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!

Workshop 3: Network opportunity (50’) Discover an opportunity: How can this learning network contribute to your daily practice?  Find information  Acquire competences  Cooperation  Advocacy  Support  Plenary (or during walk)  For each opportunity type: short explanation & discuss with your neighbour (5 x 3’)  If there is an opportunity, write it on a card (green)  Polling & question round (5 x 3’)  Take card with you and stick on your worksheet (right under!)

Workshop 4: Company environment (75’) 1. Think about the stakeholders. Who are they? What do they expect?  Prepare the answers in groups of 2 persons. (15’)  Blue cards 2a. Strengths (inside) & opportunities (outside) 2b. Weaknesses (inside) & threats (outside)  Prepare the answers in groups of 4 persons. (2x15’) (30’)  S&O= white cards, W&T = red cards  Stick answers on worksheets 3. Walk-around + Q&A (30’)

Diner & Networking

Workshop 5: vision & ambition (90’) Your vision for the company? (interview in 2015)  Prepare the answers in groups of 3 persons. (20’)  Yellow cards What is your ambition for the coming years?  Prepare the answers in same group of 3 persons. (20’)  Yellow cards  Stick answers on worksheets 3. Walk-around + Q&A (50’)

Plato: stronger business together (10)

Critical succes factors  Focus (objective, target group, progress)  Willingly competent (knowledge & available)  Formal (agenda, preparation, method)  Informal (networking, fun, trust)  Investment (time, appointments, engagement)

Workshop 6: learning objectives (80’) Suppose you're two years later in time.. What are your objectives with Plato? When will the Learning Network be a success for you? What would you like to learn from this network? (topics)  Prepare the answers in groups of 2 persons (20’)  Green cards  Stick cards on worksheet  Walk-around + Q&A (10x4’) (40’)  Rating (put 1 sticker on 3 topics of colleagues) (15’)

Lunch

Outdoor 2: schuttle run (30’) 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 7: build a program (90’) Build a program What, how, where and when? Practical agreements (invitations, be on time, catering, cancellation, mobiles) DatePlaceTopicApproach  Guided by the mentors  Start from rating of topics (in objectives)  Suggest topics & approach (min 5)  Suggest dates & place (guidelines)  Write schedule & agreements on flipchart  Report final results in a spreadsheet  Plenary: present results per country

Minefield Discover the road to the other side  Only the game leader knows the road through the mindfield  One team member examines a box  If the box is a bomb (game leader says “bhum”) the team member must return  Next member can try.  Until the team can find the road (X) Option Outdoor: minefield (30’) x xx x xxxxx x xxxxx xxxx x

Mentor/Coordinator preparation meeting  Guide = list of 7 workshop questions in presentation.  Every workshop will start in plenum. Patrick explains the workshop. What about translation?  Who takes which role during the workshop? How to?  Lead/facilitate (make the group reach a result)  Support (support participants, prepare outdoor..)  Report (report the results on PC)  Website = pool where you can find all relevant information. adres required for subscription (through Google). Password = koopera  Next international meeting: when (May), where (Romania), approach (B2B, informative & training moments)