By Keeshawn Nicholson
On Monday, there came heavy snow but that was not the only storm that approached us that day. The February 2, 2015 brainstorming session hosted by the Emergent Media Center & Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry took place at Champlain College’s Lakeside Campus. The event called for business leaders, management professors, and students. Altogether, the attendees’ objectives were to play with game design principles and co-create an online platform for the world’s first “Nobel-level” prizes for businesses who are doing good in and for our world. Among these people, there was a common passion for wanting to see a positive change in the world, not only from a business perspective but from consumers, investors and communities. Because it is believed that business is one of the most dominant institutions in the world, it is only realistic to think that such a positive uplift in business social responsibility could create global thriving societies. This thought is what drove the Emergent Media Center’s Brainstorming Session and according to the attendees, the session was a success with it’s unique process for bringing forth ideas.
President Don Laackman, of Champlain College called the event very enjoyable and when asked to speak about the event stated “I love the process.. as uncomfortable as I am with it… it is a prototype in some ways for me as we launch the Champlain future’s initiative.”
Katherine Gullet, Fowler Center Operations Manager said she would not hesitate in recommending the event to others, especially other innovative people and when asked “How is the event going for you?” replied “I discovered a lot of sociably responsible games that I never knew about, games that have potential to influence good in the world.”
Lastly, we asked School of Business Professor Elaine Young, of Champlain College, what she though about the event and she replied “Brainstorming sessions are usually fun in the moment, until after when no one really puts plans into affect but I think this Brainstorming session has the chance of doing something really cool.”
The concrete hope is that these plans will go into affect because there were many great ideas from everyone who attended the brainstorming session. It was a one of a kind event where people could express any thought that came to mind in creating flourishing societies through business. For students this was also a great networking opportunity, a time to meet leaders from all over the country. With these Brainstorming sessions we hope to encourage good in today’s business world as well as influence future business and community leaders to make socially responsible decisions that will create thriving communities.