World Domination Over a Low Flame

In case you're wondering, I'm here in London for a business leaders meeting with colleagues from all over the world who just happen to work for the same parent company. We all represent the divisions that define our parent company across all parts of the globe so, needless to say, coming into this is rather daunting. Will I be smart enough? Will my business be broad enough to allow me to discuss portfolio diversification with my colleagues? Can I be as much as an alpha dog as I expect the other participants to be? Don't you know, this can easily become a competitive venue and chest beating will come into to play. So when we finally convened, I was taken aback. Who knew? I had many pleasant surprises.

This had to be the most balanced and fascinating group of people I've been cloistered with for one of these meetings...and trust me, I've attended a lot of these with countless alpha dogs. This group has passion and vision (if you'll allow these business cliches)--they embrace their business models. They easily discuss the warts of corporate management and ill planned segmenting of portfolios. And shit, they really do understand their business. I was inspired. After a deep discussion at lunch with the UK director for healthcare, I wanted to say to her, with genuine emotion, "You complete me!" For once, I am actually getting something substantial and useful from this meeting and what's more, I've met a group of people I can't wait to work with.

After the day's sessions today, we were shuttled offsite tonight for a team building exercise. It was lovely to finally leave the hotel and in casual groups, head across town. We ended up at Leith's Cookery School, an extension of a well known restaurant in London. Sequestered in a small alley, we headed up the steps into a vast, multi-station kitchen area. Outfitted in aprons and given a glass of wine to lube us up we were put into quartets, given a menu and all the ingredients, with an overview on technique. We took the menu, divided responsibilities in egalitarian fashion and proceeded to cook.

In my group was Simon, a group director from Britain--he handled the duck breasts with the onion apple chutney. Kim, a finance VP from Brussels made the dessert, a chocolate coulette with mandarin orange and anise reduction; Manfred, a IT VP from Frankfort, oversaw the pureed parsnips with creme fraiche and garlic. I made the spinach and cheese souffle.

I must say it was good fun, although we didn't finish all of the work. Once our handiwork was put into the oven, all the quartets were directed to a long wood table in the kitchen where we plopped our asses down and swilled very good French wine. The students of the academy, as is the penance of their undergrad hazing, plated our food offerings (beautifully) and did all the washing up. We just ate and drank and bullshitted till late. Such a perfect evening. And such wonderful company.

It's funny that this only day two of a five day course; week one of four weeks with these people throughout the course of this year. I do believe I've already secured a few long lasting friends.

(I took lots of pictures which you know will appear on the site when I return home on Saturday).