On June 2, 2005, the General Mills Foundation teamed up with Eden Prairie-based managing consulting firm, the Prouty Project, to host a half-day consulting session for 100 non-profit leaders and law enforcement officials. The consulting session was part of a quarterly community program that the General Mills Foundation sponsors to help non-profit organizations enhance their leadership development and strategic planning processes. The consulting sessions bring leaders from various organizations in the Twin Cities together to discuss ways to challenge strategic thinking, leadership skills, team effectiveness, and to network with one another.

 

General Mills chose the Prouty Project for this quarter’s consulting session based on the company’s own positive experience using the firm’s experiential consulting practices. Kevin Wilde, chief learning officer at General Mills said that while previous consulting sessions have been very successful and have received rave reviews, the Prouty Project offered a new and interactive format.

                             

“The Prouty Project uses a learn-by-doing approach that is different from what we’ve done in previous sessions with the non-profit community,” said Wilde. “I went to the Prouty Project looking for something that was different, but beneficial and they delivered with their typical energy and creativity.”

 

The Prouty Project presented General Mills with the “VALDEZ Orienteering Simulation”, a team challenge adventure that mirrors the effort to clean up the spill of the Exxon VALDEZ oil tanker. Teams were challenged to cross acres of varied terrain to visit 20 random locations in 90 minutes, using mission briefs, maps, two-way radios, compasses, Global Positioning Systems, a laptop computer and Internet link, $200 cash and mountain bikes.

 

After some difficulties and some competition between groups, the teams discovered the best way to solve the mission was to join “brain powers” and share information. The teams then met for a debrief to share lessons learned and evaluate ways they could utilize the problem-solving techniques used during the VALDEZ in their typical business operations.

 

Steve Cramer, executive director for Project for Pride and Living, an organization that develops affordable housing and provides employment and training programs, has attended many consulting sessions at General Mills.  “The sessions provided by the General Mills Foundation are always extremely beneficial,” said Cramer. “This latest experience positioned us out of our normal work setting to solve a difficult problem that we could then later reflect on as it relates to our normal work-day. It is a more reflective experience that keeps coming back to you.”

 

The Prouty Project has used the VALDEZ as a launching pad and catalytic event for hundreds of organizations over the past 12 years, but most often is used with teams that already work together. It was interesting for the firm to experience the group dynamics of this particular consulting session with teams comprised of leaders from different organizations, many of whom met for the first time.

 

“Right away the teams did a great job working together,” said Pat Costello, team development expert with the Prouty Project. “This was a great opportunity for us to share the VALDEZ with the non-profit and law enforcement community and to help them discover new ways to lead their organizations.” 

Currently in its second year, the General Mills Leadership Forum continues to be a successful opportunity for leaders of organizations in the nonprofit sector to develop new skills. The foundation offers four seminars each year on topics such as improving leadership, personal productivity and communication skills.