History
Jerry Barnum, a legend within leadership development
The Barnum Experience Compression Laboratory (ECL) began in 1959 when RCA Laboratories engaged Jerry and his associates to bring his ground breaking, innovative learning experience to meet the needs among the senior scientists and executives. Over the years studies and further research continued successfully with RCA (now the Sarnoff Corporation) and other organizations.
Today, though we are more global in our experience and thinking, we are dealing with the same issues as 40-50-60 years ago. Change, Communication, Individual and Organizational Development, Diversity, Innovation, Teamwork and Cooperation, Efficiency, etc.
Human behavior has not seen much change over the last 60 years either. ECL works with how to integrate behaviors effectively into the continuing traditions and challenges organizations manage everyday.
60 years later, the ECL continues to impact individuals and organizations throughout the globe.
Jerry Barnum and his wife Ginnie
Why Norway?
The Casual Connection of Coincidence
Jerry Barnum talked about the “casual connection of coincidence”. He was a man who believed in the opportunities of a chance encounter. Whether it was to understand the job of a taxi driver and how that job impacted his life or --- whether it was to form a relationship with a brief encounter that could impact many organizations and many individuals. That was the situation when he met Gunnar Gran in a New York airport lounge in 1950.
At that time Gunnar Gran was Managing Director of Industrikonsulent A/S (IKO A/S). Gunnar became interested in the advanced form of management development Jerry created and named, Directed Energy
which was a highly interactive and action oriented training with a focus on “learning while doing".
Barnum team facilitators together with Jerry's wife Ginnie, on the bench outside Randsvangen, Norway in memory of Jerry Barnum
That encounter led to an invitation for Jerry to hold a "Directed Energy Round Table", in Bergen in 1951 which he continued through the 1960’s. In 1969 the Norwegian Productivity Institute (NPI) sponsored the first Barnum Experience Compression Laboratory (ECL) in Norway. Today, the Barnum ECL continues to impact the personal and professional lives of individuals and contribute to the lasting success of organizations – some continue to work with Barnum for over 55 years. Sadly, Jerry passed away January 1988 after returning from Norway where he had been facilitating two ECL programs and a reunion.
Jerry, his wife, Ginnie and all Barnum facilitators came to love Norway and because of this -- Norway continues to be the European base and programs are made up of a widely culturally diverse group of participants. That is how Barnum came to …and continues in Norway.
Why Does Barnum ECL Work?
What is different about the this program?
Jerry Barnum did not believe one could learn to become effective by using techniques or by attending a seminar. Starting in the 1960’s Jerry was a leader in the concept of interactive learning or – Learning by Doing. The ECL is a highly interactive process as participants manage the case study of an organization through years of transition.
The anonymity feature of the Barnum ECL™ creates a unique environment for participants to receive feedback without any of the pre-judgments we often normally make, even unconsciously, when we know the education, job or organization of a person. Meaningful and timely feedback from various sources, video and 360 feedback create the opportunity for lasting and growing personal and professional development.
