A final blog before this years CIPD conference...

So, in an attempt to appease Mrs. B for my usual hectic schedule and the fact that a speakers/experts life is one rarely based at home. And in the knowledge that I’ll be away again at the CIPD Conference for most of next week I’ve taken a much-needed weekend off and am staying in a fantastic hotel in north Norfolk.

But before I sign off for the weekend I’d like to share with you, my fellow CIPDers a review of what we’ll be doing next week, so here’s a review from People Management magazine…

“Another innovation in the ACE Interactive Zone will be VBI or “Velour-Based Innovation” – the brainchild of author Cris Beswick and Perry Timms, head of talent and organisational development at The Big Lottery Fund. Sitting on a bright sofa, in Baddiel & Skinner Unplanned style, they will be encouraging crowd-based discussions and the sharing of expertise in an informal setting.”

I’d like to invite people who want to take part in a more informal, discussion based, ‘keynote conversation’ about the stuff that really matters to people on the front line of HR, OD & talent management in organizations. Come and join us on either or all of the three days the conference is running and take part in what is tipped to be a break from the norm not only for the CIPD but also from the usual keynote address.

Like Perry and I, your hosts, we’ll want you to be provocative, interactive, vocal, thought provoking, dare I say it; we want you to disagree as much as you might agree. What we’re looking for is the corporate yin & yang, for people to disagree as much as they agree, for people to have different opinions and perspectives as much as they have aligned ones. We want diversity of thought and experience about what works, what doesn’t, what should and what might in an effort to help push people away from their well trodden paths and support the philosophy of doing things differently!

Everyone wants the CIPD to give him or her something different, to change, to move with the times and innovate. Well they’ve delivered. They’ve proved their up for it by embracing VBI (Velour Based Innovation) so now all that’s left is for you their audience to put your money where your mouth is and attend VBI, where, like anything in business, you’ll get as much out of it as you put in!

Twitter if you’re going to attend using the tag #CIPD10

See you there and heckle me if you dare!

Cris Beswick