Q&A with Rich Harwood: The Annual Public Innovators Summit
Monday, June 19, 2006
(The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation)With only nine weeks to go, plans for the
inaugural Annual
Public Innovators Summit are quickly
shaping up, and there's a growing list of
leading-edge thinkers and community leaders
from around the country who have signed up to
join us in Utah Aug. 18-20.
For those of
you invited, please make sure you register in
the next week if possible to secure your spot.
That way, we can send out welcome materials to
you in plenty of time.
If you didn't
receive an invitation but are interested in
attending, please e-mail
us as soon as possible to let us
know.
Below is a new Q&A with Rich
about the Summit:
Q. Why are you hosting the Summit?
A. Because people tell me they’re in search of spaces where they can think deeply about fundamental ways to create change and authentic hope in their public work. Oftentimes we get caught up in activities and silos, and we’re not making the progress we want. The Summit will focus on the essence of challenges in public life. It will be exhilarating, rewarding, and fun.
Q. Why is the Summit being co-presented with Fast Company magazine?
A. Fast Company is about ideas and “how smart people work.” It focuses on innovation and social entrepreneurs. There’s tremendous overlap in our work.
Q. Who’s coming?
A. People who want to create change and find new pathways for taking action. There will be nonprofit leaders, faith leaders, foundation executives, business leaders. I’ve always believed that we need diverse groups of people to be able to genuinely see and understand the challenges we face – and to act effectively. We’ll place a premium on seeing things from different angles.
Q. What’s the format for the Summit?
A. First off, it’s not a conference. We won’t have guest speakers or presentations. It’ll be more of a guided conversation. We want to provide enough focus to give the conversation direction, and we’ll leave enough room for creativity and innovation to emerge. The conversations will modeled on approaches The Harwood Institute has become known for.
Q. Since the Summit is in Utah, will there be time for outdoor activities?
A. Definitely. Part of rejuvenating yourself is finding time for relaxation and physical exertion. There’s time set aside in the schedule for people to take advantage of the Zermatt Resort & Spa and its incredible surroundings. And I encourage people to either come early or stay after a day or so to take full advantage of the trip.
Q. What do I need to do to prepare?
A. Simply come ready to engage in a deep conversation and enjoy to an experience that will be refreshing and fun. We’ll send out a welcome packet before the Summit with background information, an agenda, and some thoughts to kick-start the conversations.
Q. What do you expect to come out of this?
A. My greatest hope is that the Summit becomes an annual event where leaders come to think through important challenges they’re facing, re-focus their efforts, and re-energize, and that the knowledge that comes out of the Summit will help accelerate the work that we’re all trying to do to improve public life and politics.
Over time, my hope is that we’ll see a new network of public innovators emerge who think and work together.
As a direct follow-up to this year’s Summit, we’ll be sending out insights and ideas that emerge from the conversations. These may take different forms – from a publication to pod casts.
Q. How do I register?
A. Register here via our special Summit Web page. There you can find all the information you need; at the bottom of the page is a link to an online registration form, where you can even pay online.
Be sure to contact the Zermatt Resort & Spa to make your hotel arrangements. Mention the Summit and you will receive a discount on lodging. You will also be required to make your own travel arrangements.
The Summit begins in the evening around dinner time Friday, Aug. 18 and will end after lunch Sunday, Aug. 20.