Clinical Operations February Five Minute Favor

Do you want to be a better Clinical Operations leader in 2014? Do you have valuable ClinOps advice and perspective to share with others in this group? No matter what level you are at in your career, helping others is a great way to demonstrate leadership.

Where will we meet?
Do you like beer? The February Bay Area ClinOps Toolkit meetup will provide you access to great beer (and yummy food and non-alcoholic beverages). Let's meet at Harry's Hofbrau in Redwood City. They have counter-service and a huge bar space so people can drop in after work and do drinks, dinner, or both.

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What's in it for you?
The February meetup will celebrate the concept of the "Five Minute Favor". I read this article in Forbes last year (http://www.forbes.com/sites/kareanderson/2013/07/17/pay-it-forward-with-the-five-minute-favor/) and I was really inspired. We are all so lucky to live in the Bay Area where there is a concentration of high-level ClinOps talent and the generous spirit of exchange.

What exactly is the game plan?
I've designed an experiment to help us all practice the "Five Minute Favor". Bring with you 5 notecards and your business cards. Write on each notecard one Clinical Operations thing you have been struggling with or need advice on. All 5 notecards can be the same or you can mix it up and ask up to 5 different questions. So, for example, I might write "How can I get people to comment on the ClinOps Toolkit blog or join in the discussion at LinkedIn? I am struggling with this." or "What is the biggest predictor as to whether a newly initiated study site will actually enroll the target number of patients?"

ClinOps Toolkit volunteers will assign every participant to a group of 6 and give you a pen. You will exchange your notecard with the other 5 people. You will have five minutes total to read their question and respond on their card in writing with your suggestions. That is 60 seconds for each person, it will be quick! If for some miraculous reason you finish the exercise in less than 5 minutes, you can use the time to get to know your group a little better (oh and there might be a prize for finishing first!).

If you arrive without your requested "favors" I will have supplies available so you can prepare. No favors, no beer. The exercise will be more successful if everyone participates.

When are we doing this?
I actually need some help with the 2014 calendar. If you are able to volunteer a few hours this month please contact me at nadia@clinopstoolkit.com. I need to map out when all the Bay Area Clinical Operations related meetups are and I could use some help. I do not want to schedule an event opposite any of the other valuable groups/organization. Also, if you want a copy of this list just email me and I'll send it over. There are tons of relevant opportunities to network all over the Bay Area outside of our ClinOps Toolkit meetups.

So, the date is TBD and I am totally open to suggestions. I picked 19-Feb as a placeholder.

Any other gimmicks to get me to participate?
Well, I am glad you asked. I am buying the first round! So the 3 people that RSVP first get a $5 food/beverage credit on me. The first 3 people to arrive at the event will also get a $5 credit.

The first 6 people who complete their 5 minute favor exercise at the event will get a special surprise gift. For those of you who like to game the system, let me break this down for you: you could earn 2 free beers and a special surprise gift (all of which will be totally transferable if you want to pass on the prize to another ClinOps Pro).

Interested in sponsoring?
I don't have any sponsors identified for this event yet (contact me at sponsors@clinopstoolkit.com if you or someone you know wants to get more involved in supporting our growing community of ClinOps Pros).