Description: The efforts of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's InThinking Network to foster "better thinking about thinking" continues today, 16 years after it’s initiation. The phrase InThinking Roadmap followed from Rockwell International's concept of a "Technology Roadmap," wherein each division of Rockwell was responsible for defining both their short-term and long-term technology development plans. In seeing the vast opportunities for simultaneously advancing the thinking awareness skills of the entire enterprise, including employees, suppliers, and customers, PWR's InThinking Network was formed to lead a short-term and long-term thinking transformation, with a InThinking Roadmap as a means to create awareness of the thinking of Russell Ackoff, Edward de Bono, W. Edwards Deming, Tom Johnson, and Genichi Taguchi, to name a few of the thinking pioneers whose writings and teachings they have incorporated into their transformation efforts. With a process in place to create this awareness within individuals, specifically within individuals once they leave the confines of a seminar experience and return to their workplace positions, the role of a Sustainable Thinking Transformation is to not only maintain, but advance the fundamental aspects of thinking together and to build upon this foundation.

Target Audience: Anyone who is concerned about improving the effectiveness of individuals and organizations will gain from this seminar and leave with a new and deeper knowledge of the organizational environment, and connect to a growing network of participants across the U.S. and around the world.

Organizational Issues: Individual and group proficiency in the principles and examples of "thinking together” is fundamental to organizations that “work together, learn together, and think together.” In the new economy, the proficient utilization of thinking will be a necessary condition; fundamental to business competitiveness.

Objectives: Share a proposal for transforming individual and organizational thinking which is underway within Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Dates: Tuesday, May 3rd

Length: 3 hours (9:00-12:00pm)

Location: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne - 6633 Canoga Avenue, Canoga Park

Cost: None

Handouts: Sustainable Thinking Transformation (PPT slides)Sustainable Thinking Transformation (article)

Bill, with son Wilson

Biography: Bill is an Associate Fellow in the InThinking Network at United Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne business unit in Canoga Park.  Bill is known within Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and his previous employer, The Boeing Company, and for his efforts to provide insights to the advantages of thinking together, learning together, and working together. Audiences for his classes have also reached after-school program in elementary schools, graduate students at Northwestern University, public workshops at the University of Richmond in Virginia and California Polytechnic State University in California, as well as, corporate, university, and public classes across the United Kingdom. 

Away from work, Bill serves as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds in England, and as a board member of the W. Edwards Deming Institute, the Volunteers of America – Los Angeles chapter, and the American Youth Soccer Organization – Valencia, California section.  He is also a founding board member and current President of the In2:InThinking Network, a non-profit company dedicated to the pursuit of “better thinking about thinking,” for individuals and organizations.  Bill earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, USA.

Contact: Bill can be reached by e-mail at william.bellows@pwr.utc.com for additional information about this pre-conference session.

Biography: Ariane is a founding and managing partner of, and human systems development specialist with The Veritas Group, a consulting firm specializing in organizational development. She is a Senior Lecturer and member of the Executive College at California Lutheran University, and the Executive Director of the National University Center for Organizational Excellence. She has served as an advisor to numerous boards of directors and project based groups including the Senate Committee on Corporate Ethics.

Ariane’s specialties include systems thinking, organizational learning, organizational change, culture development, conflict transformation, strategic thinking, and executive/management development. She holds a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems and a B.S. in Physics. Her research and practical experience in the area of whistle-blowing has made her a recognized expert in this field. She is an acclaimed speaker and author.

Contact: Ariane can be reached by email at arioff@aol.com for additional information about this pre-conference session.

Website: www.veritas.com