April 28 - May 3, 2011 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Questions?
Use this link to send us your question(s) about our 2011 Forum

A Quick Look
             About Our 2011 Forum
             About Our 2010 Forum - videotaped interviews with attendees
             (a class project by students of David Gillette at Cal Poly -
             San Luis Obispo)
             Should You Attend?
             Where Will We Be?
             Our Registration Announcement
             First Registration UPDATE - It Takes a Network
             Second Registration UPDATE - Remembering the Duke
             Third Registration UPDATE - Black Model T's Anyone
             Fourth Registration UPDATE - Imagine There's No Disneyland
       
Forum - Dates and Details
             Pre-Conference Sessions
                           April 28th (7:00am - 7:15pm) and
                           April 29th (7:00am - 4:15pm)
             Conference Sessions
                           April 29th (4:00pm - registration) - May 1st (12:00pm)
             Post-Conference Sessions
                           May 2nd (7:30am - 4:30pm) and
                           May 3rd (7:30am - 1:00pm)

Forum - Logistics
             Hotel Options, Local Transportation Options, Travel Planning
             Forum Meals
             Dress Code
             Citizenship

Forum - Materials
             Forum DVDs
             Brochure
             Poster (14MB)
             Flyer
             Forum Artist - Alexis Burkevics

About Our 2011 Forum

During his 4-day seminars, Dr. Deming often asked how companies “would make toast.”  His impression was a distinct focus on rework as part of the process; hence his answer, “first, they burn it, then they scrape it.”  In selecting this year's title (plus amazing artwork), our focus is the efforts of "better thinking and better acting" organizations to focus their collective efforts on the divergent thinking behind "opportunities to invest," as opposed to the convergent thinking behind "what problems to fix."  Hence, the primary focus is forward, on exploration, and not rearward, on fire-fighting and arson.   In addition to thinking, such a commitment thereby requires imagination, definition, and leadership; hence our subtitle.

As we have done many times before, we are working with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), our host site, and our many presenters to offer

           2 days of pre-conference sessions on
                          April 28th (7:00am - 7:15pm) and
                          April 29th (7:00am - 4:15pm)
           followed by 2 days of post-conference sessions on
                          May 2nd (7:30am - 4:30pm) and
                          May 3rd (7:30am - 1:00pm)

all offered at the PWR facility at 6633 Canoga Avenue in Caniga Park, without any fee to attend. Add to this schedule a weekend Conference (on April 29th (4:00pm) - May 1st (12:00pm), for a registration fee ($350 before March 28th) at the nearby Hilton Woodland Hills and the result is our annual 6-day Forum.

As designed, our 2011 Forum aims to promote an environment where compelling ideas and insights will evolve from an exposure to new thoughts, and inthinking colleagues. (And these ideas and insights may lead you in untold exciting directions in your work and life after the Forum.)
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Anyone interested in improving the effectiveness of individuals and or­ganizations will gain a deeper appreciation of leadership from this Forum. Past attendees reflect a wide variation in backgrounds - which is always a highlight of our event - and as such we have confidence that our program will continue to be valuable to anyone interested in "better thinking about thinking." If you, however, would like to get a "running start" on InThinking and other associated ideas, please inquire with Bill Bellows about attending an "InThinking Together " seminar offered throughout the year at a variety of locations across the U.S.
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Our Forum will take place in Los Angeles, California, USA, in the Canoga Park/Woodland Hills area of the San Fernando Valley. Pre-conference sessions (seminars and workshops) will take place on Thursday, April 15th, and Friday, April 16th at United Technologies' Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's offices at 6633 Canoga Avenue in Canoga Park (view the map). Conference activities will begin on Friday afternoon at 6:00pm and extend through Sunday at 12:00pm – all to be held at the nearby Hilton Woodland Hills at 6360 Canoga Avenue, Woodland Hills (view the map). The hotel is an easy walk from the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne site, where Forum attendees are welcome to park for free. The post-conference sessions on Monday, May 2nd, and Tuesday, May 3rd will also be held at this Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne site.
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Forum Hotel - Hilton Woodland Hills
Rooms at the Hilton Woodland Hills have been reserved for Forum attendees at the group rate of $99 per night on Thursday (April 28th), Friday (April 29th), Saturday (April 30th), and Sunday (May 1st) nights, and $149 for Wednesday (April 27th), Monday (May 2nd), and Tuesday (May 3rd) nights, plus 14.07% occupancy tax.  To make reservations at our group rate, go to our room reservation website to reserve a room before April 6th at the rates above. If you need to speak with someone at the Hilton, please call their offsite reservation number at 866-288-3310 and state that you are attending the “In2:InThinking” event.

Hotel Options (using Orbitz) Near Hilton Woodland Hills
As of March 15th, 2011, here are posted prices for local hotels, along with distance (miles) to the Hilton Woodland Hills. Follow this link to reserve these daily rates on Orbitz.

Additional Lodging Options
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like more information about other lodging options, things to do and see in Los Angeles (beaches, hiking, movie studios, shopping, etc.), or have any questions about anything else.

Local Transportation Options
From Bob Hope Airport in Burbank (BUR) to the Hilton Woodland Hills (18 miles) we suggest using a taxi, for which you can expect to pay $50-$60. Another option is a rental car, from either Bob Hope Airport or Los Angeles International Airport, for which you can expect to pay about $300 for one week or $30 per day.

From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the Hilton Woodland Hills (27 miles) we suggest the "Van Nuys Flyaway" bus service at LAX to get to (7610 Woodley Ave.) Van Nuys.   No reservations are needed and the buses arrive every 30 minutes. The fare is $7 for travel each way; $14 for a round trip.   Look for the bus at under the green overhead signs ("Buses and Long Distance Vans") at curbside at LAX.   And, be sure to get on the bus heading to Van Nuys and not Westwood nor Union Station. Look for the destination sign in the front of the bus, on the passenger side entrance. Upon arrival in Van Nuys, use a taxi to get to the Hilton, which is about 15 minutes (8.2 miles) away, due west.

For those attendees traveling to Los Angeles who would like to avoid the expense of a rental car, the pre- and post-conference sessions will be held at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, 2 blocks away from the Hilton Woodland Hills.

Travel Planning
The links below are offered to guide your travel planning:
             www.bookingbuddy.com
             www.relocat.com/lastminutetravel.htm
             www.orbitz.com
             www.cheaptickets.com
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Our registration fee is $400 per person, with a $50 discount for anyone registering on or before March 28th. We are proud to offer a rate that can only be achieved (and maintained for 4 years) through the cooperation of our long list of Forum "Partners InThinking." This fee covers the admission fee to the Conference at the Hilton Woodland Hills, with all Pre-Conference and Post-Conference sessions offered without fee to attend. For those attendees on a limited budget, please note that both Continental Breakfast and Lunch are provided for the Pre- and Post-Conference sessions.

Link below to register, either for the first time, or to add to your existing plans, if you've already registered once.

Beginning in 2007, we also offer a discounted registration price of $200 for students in home school, public schools, colleges, or universities who are not employed in full-time positions and, therefore, are in greater need of financial assistance among all of our student attendees. It is for these special need students that we have allocated limited funding, provided through private donations as well as through our annual Forum Raffle and Silent Auction events.

To assist us in our planning efforts, registration is required by anyone attending our Forum on any of the six days.

If you are in need of registering early or are in need of a letter of invitation for a visa application to attend our Forum, please contact our Forum Registration Team at registrar@in2in.org.
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Forum Meals - Day-by-Day Planning

The following meals are included (or not) with the registration fee for the Conference (weekend events) and through donations from Network members or Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne for the weekday Pre- and Post-Conference sessions;

Thursday, April 28th - Pre-Conference Sessions
Continental Breakfast (7:00-8:00am) - included
Lunch (12:00-1:15pm) - included
Dinner - not included

Friday, April 29th - Pre-Conference Sessions
Continental Breakfast (7:00-8:00am) - included
Lunch (12:00-1:15pm) - included

Friday, April 29th - Conference
Dinner (6:00-7:30pm) - included (dinner guests may be added at $40 per person)

Saturday, April 30th - Conference
Continental Breakfast (7:00-8:00am) - included
Lunch (11:30-1:00pm) - included
Dinner (6:00-7:15pm) - included (dinner guests may be added at $40 per person)

Sunday, May 1st - Conference
Continental Breakfast (7:00-8:00am) - included
Lunch - not included
Dinner - not included

Monday, May 2nd - Post-Conference Sessions
Continental Breakfast (7:30-8:00am) - included
Lunch (12:00-1:00pm) - included
Dinner - not included

Tuesday, May 3rd - Post-Conference Sessions
Continental Breakfast (7:30-8:00am) - included
Lunch (12:00-1:00pm) - included
Dinner - not included
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As you'll find in the link to our 2009 Forum Photo Gallery (or to a photo montage from our 2010 Forum), our dress code is business casual. But, don't be surprised to see soccer jerseys widely worn. Also, we appreciate that "east coast" business casual differs from "west coast" business casual; you are most welcome to wear either mode.
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The deadline for registering for Pre-Conference sessions is Monday, April 25th.

We are excited to announce that we we will offer 15 Pre-Conference sessions and 4 Post-Conference sessions, all designed and presented by Network members at no fee to attendees. Here are our Pre-Conference offerings for 2011;

Thursday, April 28th - Pre-Conference Sessions
Location: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's (PWR) facility at 6633 Canoga Avenue in Canoga Park (view the street map)

These 3-hour sessions, from 9:00-12:00pm, follow our Continental Breakfast, from 7:00-8:00am, and our "Beginning Together" welcoming session, from 8:00-8:45am (each title includes a hyperlink to find session details);
A - Alex Iglecia and Beth Iglecia - Embodying Imagination, Clarity, and
       Leadership
B - Bill Bellows and Tim Higgins - A Road Less Traveled:
       An InThinking Roadmap
C - Bob Dickman and Ken McLeod - Creativity, Conflict, and Courage

These 3-hour sessions, from 1:15-4:15pm, follow Lunch, from 12:00-1:15pm
D - Jay Barnes, Wes Furste, and Elizabeth Topp - Meaningful
       Business Design
E - Kathleen Allen - Finding Game-Changing Opportunities
F - Jon Bergstrom and Steve Byers - Exploring Opportunities for
       Change: Powerful Tools For Helping Your Team

These 2-hour sessions, from 5:15-7:15pm, follow our afternoon "Reflecting Together" session;
G - Felix Delgado - Applications of InThinking
H - Neil Jansen - Idealized Design: Beyond Problem Solving
 I - Cade Wilson - Cause(s) of Confusion: Beyond Root Cause Analysis
J - Mark Fitzsimmons - Business Lessons From Social Insects

Friday, April 29th - Pre-Conference Sessions
Location: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's facility at 6633 Canoga Avenue in Canoga Park (view the map)

Plans for Friday include 3 full-day (6-hour) sessions, and 2 half-day (3-hour) sessions. In each case, morning sessions will run from set 9:00-12:00pm, with a Lunch break, continuing from 1:15-4:15pm for the afternoon sessions. The morning sessions follow our Continental Breakfast, from 7:00-8:00am, and our "Beginning Together" welcoming session, from 8:00-8:45am (each title includes a hyperlink to find session details);

Full-day options;
K - Elaine Johnson - An Introduction to the Human Brain: Understand
       Your Brain, Improve Your Life
L - Micah Fierstein - Thinking Together, Learning Together, and
       Working Together: Moving From Awareness to Action
M - Joel & Michelle Levey - Mindful Leadership: Strategies for Change
       Resilience & Wisdom at Work

Parallel morning session:
N - Jengiz Gocer and Hugh McAllister - To Trust or Not to Trust

Parallel afternoon session:
O - Peter Stonefield and Ilene Val-Essen - Agile Leadership:
       Conflict Manager
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We are excited to announce that we we will offer 15 Pre-Conference sessions and 4 Post-Conference sessions, all designed and presented by Network members at no fee to attendees. Here are our Post-Conference offerings (each title includes a hyperlink to find session details);

Monday, May 2nd - Post-Conference Sessions
Location: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's facility at 6633 Canoga Avenue in Canoga Park (view the map)

P - David Langford - The F-Test: The Case Against Grading In2
      What To Do Differently
This 7-hour session, from 8:30-12:00pm, followed by lunch (12:00-1:00pm), and continuing from 1:00-4:30pm, follows our Continental Breakfast, from 7:30-8:00am, and our "Beginning Together" welcoming session, from 8:00-8:30am;

In parallel, we are offering a second session with Peter Stonefield, from 8:30-12:00pm
Q - Peter Stonefield - Agile Leadership: The Exploring "Innovator"


Tuesday, May 3rd - Post-Conference Sessions
Location: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's facility at 6633 Canoga Avenue in Canoga Park (view the map)

These 3.5-hour sessions, from 8:30-12:00pm, follow our Continental Breakfast, from 7:30-8:00am, and our "Beginning Together" welcoming session, from 8:00-8:30am; (Lunch follows, from 12:00-1:00pm)
R - Bill Bellows and Ariane David - Sustainable Thinking
       Transformation
S - Dale Deardorff and Robin Solomon - Exploring Opportunities with
       Parallel & Lateral Thinking Methods
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For the ninth year in a row, we have contracted with Kid Flix, the after-school video services team at Placerita Junior High School in nearby Valencia, to videotape our entire conference.  Once again, this footage will be converted into our final DVD package by Dave Nave & Associates.

Forum attendees who register to attend our weekend Conference at the Hilton can pre-order the 2011 Forum DVD with a non-refundable payment of $150 and receive the DVD set, with a discount (refund) of $25. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery after the Forum. The regular price is $150.

This offer is only valid for registered attendees of the weekend Conference who order on or before May 3, 2011. This order can be placed before the Forum when completing our online Forum registration process. You can also order at the Forum or by email by following this link.

Link here to order DVD sets for prior years.

Thanks for supporting the In2:InThinking Network
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