Forum Evolution – On-boarding

When a new member joins an existing Forum, the Forum itself becomes a new Forum. There is no differentiation between old and new members, rather everyone is a new member of this new Forum.

Because the benefits of the Forum program come from the interrelationships of the members of the group it is important that relationships and deep understandings by each member of each other be nurtured. This is the on-boarding process.

For the new member, an Orientation Session is conducted before attending the first group Forum meeting. The session introduces the new member to Forum Principles and Rules of Engagement. It also lays out what to expect in a typical meeting including Updates, Clearing-the-Air, the Parking Lot, and Presentation formats.

A general discussion on the make-up and culture of the Forum can include details on the expectations and levels of openness and vulnerability expected by each member.

With current Forums, one of the goals is to have all discussions “be in the 5%.”  Being in the 5% means the 5% of conversations that are the most impactful in one’s life, both on the top end (joyous celebrations) and on the bottom end (worst fears and concerns) that are typically not easily discussed with anyone else.

The first series of Forum meetings offer opportunities for new members and current members to share aspects of themselves that help others to better understand their own unique backgrounds. Often this happens in a Lifeline exercise where one can map their life from birth to present day highlighting significant life events (both highs and lows).

Alternatives to this exercise can focus on specific shared experiences. As alumni of the UC Berkeley and the Haas School of Business, one focused sharing exercise has been to describe the Haas experience.

The common thread among members is Haas, however each member holds their own unique experience around Haas. This includes their personal objective for pursuing the degree from Haas, the unique student experiences while at Haas, and the unique outcomes with a Haas degree.

The discussions have allowed members to develop a deeper relationship in this shared experience and greater sense of community as a Haas Alumni Forum.

Additional touch points to build relationships include setting up communication channels such as WhatsApp, or SLACK for use outside of Forum meetings. It is through these communication channels that the 90% conversations can be held.

Members often share travel, family events, food experiences, etc. that build stronger relationships and broaden the knowledge of what else is going on in other members’ lives. Other strategies to effectively on-board new members include setting up a “buddy system.”

The buddy system offers two members to become accountability partners on commitments made in Forum and on having the opportunity to have further dialogue in the 90%.

The Haas Alumni Forums program has incorporated best practices to address changing memberships. The Defining Leadership Principles of Haas continue to be the foundation and common bond for each member. On-boarding practices are benefitted by this common platform from which deeper relationships and community can be developed.

If you are seeking to find fellow Haas cohorts to be your personal Board of Directors, find more information about the program at: https://www.haasalumniforums.com and you too can benefit from being onboarded to a Forum.