Past Dialogues - 2006

Since The Presidio Dialogues began in late 2000, conversation starters have graciously donated their time and knowledge for which The Presidio Dialogues is very grateful. The names of these people are in bold below.

November 28, 2006

Discovering the Roots of Genuine Security

Continue this conversation at TPD's Blog.

Has the War on Terror helped us feel safer or is it a metaphor for the state of our collective consciousness? Do we feel more secure today than we did five or six years ago? If consciousness is causal and our outward circumstance reflects our inner consciousness, what unexamined fears might we be harboring? Have we been living in a culture of fear long before 9-11 and the terrorists took over the headlines? What can we do as individuals to transform this culture? Conversation Starters Kim Cranston, board chair of Global Security Institute, dedicated to strengthening international cooperation and security based on the rule of law with a particular focus on nuclear arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament; Diane Dreher, Ph.D., author of several books including The Tao of Inner Peace which translates ancient Eastern philosophy into a plan for contemporary Western living; Professor of English, Santa Clara University

October 24, 2006

Working With Spirit

This event is co-sponsored with the Social Venture Network.

How does one stay in touch with one's spirituality while engaged in day-to-day work activities? Every working day presents challenges to our composure, ethics and compassion. What practices, methods or insights help keep us grounded in our higher selves, oriented to our center, and bringing forth expressions of the divine in all our dealings? Conversation Starters Chip Conley, founder, Joie de Vivre Hospitality, largest boutique hotel operator in California, includes 28 hotels, 8 restaurants and bars, and 3 day spas; author, Marketing That Matters (forthcoming); Margot Fraser, founder and former owner of Birkenstock Footprint Sandals, Inc., the original importer of Birkenstock footwear in the United States; and Yosi Amram, founder and CEO of two companies, now an executive coach, currently working on his PhD in clinical psychology focusing on spiritual intelligence.

September 26, 2006
The Power of Dreams and Their Impact on Our World

This event was co-sponsored with The Pachamama Alliance.

Indigenous people around the world value dreaming far more than the industrialized West appears to do. For some tribes in the Amazon, the "dream of the north" - the industrialized nations' quest for perpetual growth, short term gratification and voracious consumption - is destroying their land, their traditions and along with it, their wisdom.

How is it that the north has become so desensitized, so asleep that we no longer dream creatively, losing access to cultural vitality, with devastating results? What will it take to rekindle honor for the wisdom of dreaming in the culture of the north? What is in the way of awakening this dreamer? Shall we, rather than destroying the planet, create collectively a new "dream of the north", one that allows for sustainable life for everyone? Conversation Starters Stanley Krippner, professor of psychology at Saybrook Graduate School; former director, Kent State University Child Study Center; co-author of Extraordinary Dreams; has published cross-cultural studies on spiritual content in dreams; Bill Twist and Lynne Twist, co-founders, The Pachamama Alliance, hosts of Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium which focuses on the link between three of humanity's most critical concerns: environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment.

August 22, 2006
Media Responsibility: An Inquiry into Mainstream News

Is media contributing to an informed society or merely a repackager of gossip and publicity releases? What can "we the people" do so information that really matters gets to us without massive filtering and spin? How do we regain power over our media and re-gain reliance on its content? What responsibility do we have in obtaining accurate, timely and meaningful news? Conversation Starters Susan Blake, former KRON-TV anchor for "Midday," "Daybreak" and "BayTV Morning" news programs; traveled extensively to the Middle East, Far East, Southeast Asia, Central and South America; Jay Harris, publisher, Mother Jones' magazine; vice chair, Independent Press Association; member, steering committee, Magazine Publishers of America Independent Magazine Advisory Group; board of advisors, Free Speech TV

July 25, 2006
Presence, Power and Connection

What qualities of consciousness contribute to being a powerful presence, whether in a large group or with a friend? There are some kinds of activities that can only happen when you are really "there". What's the difference between being powerfully present and "acting as if"? How does one best connect with others, self-to-self rather than personality-to-personality? Conversation Starters Ric Giardina, founder and creative director of The Spirit Employed Company; author, Your Authentic Self: Be Yourself at Work and Become a Life Balance Master; Lee Glickstein, founder, Speaking Circles International and Be Heard Now! Training; author, Be Heard Now! Tap into Your Inner Speaker and Communicate with Ease; Nicole Schapiro, President of Nicole Schapiro & Associates, author, Negotiating for Your Life"

June 27, 2006
Invisible Wisdom: The Value of Diverse Groups

Despite ample evidence of the pragmatic value of diverse people working together, what prevents us from automatically recognizing and valuing many points of view? It's no surprise people tend to prefer working with those who are like themselves, those who agree with us, when we know intellectually that diversity adds wisdom....especially when it comes to work and business. What outmoded thinking prevents us from realizing the "wisdom of crowds"? Conversation Starters Dorsey Blake, Pastor, The Church for The Fellowship of All Peoples, the nation's first interfaith, multiracial church, co-founded by Howard Thurman in 1944; Lewis Brown Griggs, Founder, Griggs Productions, pioneered diversity training in over 5,000 corporations, educational institutions, government agencies and non-profit organizations since 1983; Tina Rasmussen, Founder, President, Diversity Mosaic LLC, author, Diversity: The ASTD Trainer's SourceBook and the forthcoming Diversity Mosaic: The Complete Resource for Establishing a Successful Diversity Initiative

May 23, 2006
The Art of Light-Handed Convening

What habits do we need to let go of in order to have true dialogue? When does facilitation draw attention to the process or the moderator rather than furthering the inquiry? How does dialogue emerge from among a group of strangers, and what conditions are the most evocative for true inquiry? What role does individual ego play? Conversation Starters: Mary Berry Human Resources Manager, Wells Fargo Audit Services; creates conversations that allow people to succeed beyond their own expectations; Cheryl Esposito, Principal, Alexsa Consulting & Leadership Coaching; founder, Center for World Leadership; develops leaders worldwide; John Renesch, Co-Founder, Host and former convener, The Presidio Dialogues; author, businessman-turned-futurist, international keynote speaker

April 25, 2006
Twelve Steps to Sanity: How Organizations and Societies Can Achieve Sobriety

Given the powerful results people experience with 12 Step programs in recovering from personal addictions, what benefits might await organizations and societies that utilize the same principles? What non-substance addictions do many of us, including our organizations, harbor...addictions that we don't hear about too often? What role, if any, does admitting powerlessness and surrendering to a Higher Power have in creating fiscal, organizational and social "sobriety"? Conversation Starters: John Renesch (Host), author, Getting to the Better Future and "Habits That Kill"; Kate Riley, PhD, MFT, Clinical Psychologist, Kaiser Permanente, specializes in Addiction and Dual Diagnosis Treatment

March 28, 2006
Sustaining Success in Life, Work and Organizations

What distinguishes those people who sustain success from those who are unable to do so? Why do some people get caught up in failure while others are empowered by falling short of lofty goals? Two of the co-authors of a forthcoming book on this subject will be among the Conversation Starters for this inquiry. Conversation Starters: Stewart Emery, co-author of Success Built to Last; considered one of the fathers of the Human Potential Movement; first CEO of est, co-founder of Actualizations; best-selling author of You Don’t Have to Rehearse to be Yourself and The Owner’s Manual For Your Life; Debbe Kennedy, founder, Global Dialogue Center and Leadership Solutions Companies, award-winning consultancy since 1990; distinguished leadership career with IBM Corporation; author of "Action Dialogues: Meaningful Conversations to Accelerate Change" and numerous books, including Breakthrough!; Mark Thompson, co-author of Success Built to Last; experienced senior executive, board member, management coach, entrepreneur and investor for some of the largest and fastest growing companies; Chairman, Executive Powertools and author/producer of more than 20 audiobooks

February 28, 2006
Portfolios of Principle: Socially Responsible Investing Comes of Age

Now that returns for socially responsible investing (SRI) are competitive, what motivates people to invest with their consciences, putting their money where their hearts are? Who is the SRI investor: the hippy of yesterday, the cultural creatives of today, the activist youth of tomorrow? What results and new wrinkles have appeared since the movement of funds toward SRI ventures, and will that be enough to create the hoped for impact? Conversation Starters: Tim Freundlich, Director of Strategic Development, Calvert Social Investment Foundation, administers assets of more than $100mm, comprised of a combination of investments and grants from some 2,000 individual and institutional sources; Jessica Fullmer, Founder, Sustainable Business Institute, one of the foremost organizations dedicated to the education of influential corporate decision-makers on issues concerning sustainability and sustainable business practices; Blaine Townsend, Vice President, Trillium Asset Management Corp, the nation’s oldest and largest independent investment advisor concentrating solely on socially responsible investing

January 24, 2006
The Feminine and Leadership: Not Just Reserved for Women

Many agree that leadership is sorely needed in the world today. And most agree that there's already too much of the traditional masculine, intimidating and forceful variety. Whether instilled in men or women, what is needed now is the more systemic, enduring, longer-term, holistic variety -- what we normally think of as the feminine aspect of leadership. In this dialogue, we'll explore how men as well as women can feel comfortable embracing the feminine in leadership, not simply in style, but in context as well.  Conversation Starters: Paula Goldman, International Museum of Women, Founder and Director of Imagining Ourselves: A Global Generation of Women, a platform for young women to create positive change; Rhoda Nussbaum, MD, Founder of Women Physicians in Leadership for the Permanente Medical Group; former Women's Health Leader, Kaiser Permanente, Northern California; former Assistant-Physician-In-Chief, San Francisco Medical Center; Marilyn Steele, Ph.D., Jungian psychologist; President, Steele Rose Consulting, advancing women to leadership, bringing the transformative feminine to cultural consciousness