“Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

In recent years much has been written about the effect of classical music on learning.

Studies of the neurobiology of music have shown that music stimulates specific regions of the brain, specifically those responsible for motor control, timing, and language. Additional benefits include lowered blood pressure, slower heart beat and enhancement to memory. Considering the pleasure of listening to really good music, do we really need any more reasons to indulge out auditory senses?

Delegates to the Cambridge HR Summit will have the benefits of all the biological benefits as well as the sheer enjoyment of listening to a world-renowned choir. At lunch time, the Choral Scholars of Kings College, Cambridge - Collegium Regale will perform for our pleasure (and, of course, to enhance the learning experience.) This is the group which, in 1968 spun off The King’s Singers, so if you’d like to experience something akin to the lunch time treat on September 20th, have a look at The King’s Singers website – and have your speakers on.

We’ve been a little self-indulgent when planning this conference. Its great to be able to add the special touches you love when you’re creating something for others. This choir is one of those thrills. Once heard in person, never forgotten.

On a lighter note:

“Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

March 09, 2007

Spies Like Us

We're really excited to have Dame Stella Rimington as our keynote speaker for this conference. I heard her speak at Henley Management College some years ago and she left a lasting impression. She was instrumental in creating fundamental change in MI5 which has enabled that organisation to cope with some of the extreme challenges it now faces. At the same time as being bowled over by her achievements, I was struck by the fact that she really speaks to everyone in the audience. She describes aspects of her working life which we all 'got'.

So, we've given Dame Stella a bit of an introduction to whet your appetite for her talk:

What do the War Room and the Board Room have in common?

As the former head of MI5 and a non-executive director of Marks & Spencer, Dame Stella Rimington is well placed to make the connections. She was the first woman to hold the post of Director General of the Security Service, and the first person to be publicly named while in office. She navigated MI5 through the Cold War and a myriad of terrorist threats in the 1990s. Her policy of greater openness meant that the Service's responsibilities became clearer to the public. And as a recent non-executive board member of M&S, she really understands the importance of having the right leadership for the times.

Want to learn her secrets? The woman known as ‘the housewife spy’ will talk about leadership, change, and communication in organisational cultures in Cambridge on 20 September 2007.

So how is HR like espionage? I’ll leave that one with you!

January 13, 2007

Creating an unforgettable conference

Have you ever been to conference and come away exhausted, drained and with a brain that hurts from having too much information pushed at it? Too many vendors selling, too much rushing from one session to the next in 5 minutes (and dashing to the loo in 4 of them), no time to think, no time to stop and breathe. Yes, it can be exhilarating, but how much do we remember at the end of the day - other than the fact that we're exhausted and have knowledge overload.

Late last year, we started talking about the fact that Cambridge doesn't have a really top class HR conference. It really should. Its the perfect location - 50 minutes from London by train, easy access from the rest of East Anglia and the Midlands.
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Not only that, the University provides ideal venues for this sort of event, and we have the expertise on tap. We decided to create something special in Cambridge for HR Directors and Managing Directors of top class organisations.

We all aspire to creating passionate customers. We'd like to create passionate conference delegates as well.

So, how does this grab you as a great mix of learning, experience and reflection?

* A conference that provides an unforgettable experience at the same time as imparting valuable knowledge to senior executives;
* A venue that embodies centuries of learning at the same time as providing the latest in conference venues (yes ... airconditioning, the latest AV equipment, good sized, airy seminar rooms, beautiful gardens and the rest);
* Break-out coffee areas for group discussions in between workshops so delegates can have further conversations with facilitators and each other inbetween sessions;
* No fixed coffee break times - its on tap all day so the networking and discussion can flow;
* Pre-select three workshops from a wide range of current relevant topics;
* A keynote speaker who really rocks. This lady is hugely impressive;
* In between workshops we'll arrange a gentle guided walk through the college buildings, some of which date back to 1428;
* Lunch will be served overlooking one of the most beautiful secluded courtyard gardens in Cambridge;
* After the conference close, delegates will be able to experience a chauffeured punt down the river Cam in true Cambridge style;
* Finally, for those who want to end the day in true Cambridge style, a dinner in the glorious Old Hall at Magdalene College is available.

All of this is already in place. We're looking forward to building on this event in a way that will create passionate conference delegates. If you want to be kept up to date with the conference progress, please sign up to receive this blog by e-mail. We'll be writing updates from time to time on different aspects of the conference.