The Thunderbird Global Business Dialogue rivaled or outdid the Clinton Global Initiative or the World Economic Forum. I just spent two days at this AMAZING event put on by Thunderbird School of Global Management (where I’m on the adjunct faculty).

Speakers included BP CEO Bob Dudley, former Intel CEO Craig Barrett and political pollster Mark Penn. I took pages of notes, but a couple of sessions – and comments – really stood out.

• Craig Barrett: “The world will always accept talent with open arms.” And, “A small deed done is better than a great deed planned.”
  
• T-Bird professor Kishore Dash introducing session on India, pointing out that India’s growth has been slow, market-driven, disorganized, and without much government help. He said the contrast to China’s rapid, government-supported growth may mean substantial advantages for India.
• Global sustainability is more and more a mindset and companies are getting better at finding a competitive advantage in doing the right thing.
• Mark Penn: “We can’t forecast the future until we understand the present.” Penn also pointed out that the strategists who figure out how to use disruptive technology (such as new social media) stand a better chance of winning.
  

  Parag Saxena (right) talks to conference participants at the Thunderbird Global Business Dialogue - Nov. 10 and 11, 2011 in Glendale, AZ

Nearly 1,200 people from 48 countries attended, including T-Birds from almost every class in the school’s 60-year history. Just in casual conversations, I met people from China, Dubai, Belgium, Germany, and India. Kudos to all at Thunderbird who helped stage the Dialogue, which was fitting of a school that’s ranked No. 1 in the world for international business.