When: Tuesday, August 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.

(Dial-in number: 1-605-475-4800 Code 391701#) 

Alternative Session on Wednesday, August 18 from 10:00 to 11:00 am.

(Same Dial-in number and Code)

Presenter:  Mo Fathelbab, president of Forum Resources Network, and author of Forum: The Secret Advantage of Successful Leaders

Reservations: Please click here to complete a very brief survey so that we know that you would like to receive more information.  All who respond will also receive a PowerPoint presentation to accompany the conference call briefing. 

Background: The HBS Club of Washington is pleased to invite you to join an Alumni Forum, a unique opportunity to make meaningful connections with and learn from a small group of your fellow alumni. HBS Alumni Forums were introduced successfully in Boston last year and are now being rolled out to other alumni clubs. 

Forums, also called Peer Exchange Groups, have been offered as a benefit of membership for decades by the Young Presidents’ Organization, the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and other executive groups and associations. 

The HBS Association of Boston launched a pilot program a year ago and now has five groups in operation.  Their president, Marc Zablatsky (MBA 1992) says with respect to his experience:

 “Most HBS alumni events (and I have attended many over the years) involve casually socializing with other alumni. In contrast, my recently launched HBS Boston alumni forum has been the most impactful HBS-related experience I have had since graduating, allowing for far deeper and meaningful conversation." 

John Macomber, an HBS graduate (MBA 1983) and Faculty member who is a YPO member has said:

 “My forum has helped me become a better manager, a better spouse, a better parent, and a better person.” 

We invite you to join us in creating similar transformative experiences for Washington-area HBS alumni.  We hope to have our initial Forums up and running by September.

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FAQ

What is an Alumni Forum?

An Alumni Forum is composed of 8-12 HBS alumni who have no personal or business connections that might inhibit open communication. The group commits to a shared set of meeting processes that diffuse the usual interpersonal issues or political obstacles that make many meetings a waste of time. In a forum, everyone is heard and everyone learns from the experience.

What is the nature of the Alumni Forum experience?  

Some people have said that being in a Forum is like having a personal board of directors or brain trust.  An Alumni Forum has some of the elements that HBS students experience in case study discussions and study groups.  The Forum makes it possible to develop the kind of meaningful relationships that are extremely difficult for people to achieve once they leave school.  It has been possible through years of experience to develop orientation priniciples and methods to help optimize the Forum experience.

What matters are discussed in an Alumni Forum?

Alumni Forums start with discussion of work-related issues, and members gain access to perspectives that inform their work lives.  But, personal issues are inevitably addressed as the group builds a trusting bond.  Alumni Forums can discuss anything that is of interest to them.  They typically deal with a broad gamut of matters (e.g. the effects of the economic crisis on your business, aging parents and other family challenges, or even such things as sudden success) - a forum offers you a safe, completely confidential environment for discussing the issues important to you.  

What is the role of confidentiality?

Confidentiality is important to building trust that facilitates meaningful discussion - it is a cardinal rule that all matters discussed in a Forum are confidential and not to be disclosed to people outside the group. Participants also learn communication skills that are useful in every aspect of their lives. 

How is the club managing and supporting Alumni Forums?

To help launch and maintain Alumni Forums, the club is working with Forum Resources Network (www.forumnet.net), a leading provider of forum learning services.

What is the cost and time commitment to be in an HBS Alumni Forum?

Each forum sets its own schedule, typically meeting for about three to four hours monthly and holding an annual retreat. The forum launches with a full-day orientation session which is scheduled and facilitated by FRN. Future meeting dates are set by mutual agreement during the orientation.

Each alumnus who joins a forum pays an annual fee of $1,200 plus a one-time initiation/orientation fee of $600 to FRN. For this fee, FRN provides a turnkey service to alumni clubs, forums and individual members including initial surveying of alumni, sorting into appropriate forums, professional facilitation of forum orientations and retreats, and on-going training and support.

Because FRN focuses exclusively on forum services, they are able to offer Alumni Forums at a fraction of the membership fees charges by YPO and other C-level organizations. Forum members also agree to share any ongoing food or meeting costs and to join the HBS Club of Washington DC.

How do Alumni Forums get started, and how are they perpetuated?

Alumni Forums are open to HBS Club members.  In joining a forum you make a one year commitment to participate in a monthly meeting and attend a weekend retreat.  Commitments are renewed on a year-to-year basis.  The forum experience has proved to be so valuable to group members that many YPO groups have been running for ten years or more, and the forum program is the most successful of YPO activities. 

How are Alumni Forums constituted?

FRN will gather information from people interested in the program, and will put together groups consisting of people who should be able to develop an effective Forum experience together.  In general, it is good to have a mix that will put together people who face similar types of challenges and who are likely to have differing perspectives so that there will be a fruitful exchange of ideas.

How can I learn more? 

1. Read about Alumni Forums on the HBS Clubs site: http://www.officerslounge.hbs.org/article.html?aid=491

2. Participate in an informational teleconference on Tuesday, August 10 from 2:00-3:00pm with Mo Fathelbab, president of Forum Resources Network, and author of Forum: The Secret Advantage of Successful Leaders.  

3. Call or email Bob Halperin (MBA 1982), Managing Director, Forum Resources Network Alumni Services at 781-248-4181 or rhalperin@forumnet.net.

4. Most importantly, click here to complete a brief survey in order to express interest in joining an Alumni Forum. This is an interest survey only. You will receive additional information before you need to decide if you definitely want to join, and, there will be a follow-up survey to gather more detailed information to help with the composition of groups.