The New York Cards

A convenient truth

New power
in business and self improvement

Context
2009 is a special year. The year of Barack Obama becoming the new president of the USA and the year of celebrating 400 years since Henry Hudson sailed up the Hudson river. Now we know how great the influence has been of Henry Hudson's journey in 1609. It has changed the world for ever with the start of the epicentre of global commerce, politics, arts and ideas, which New York, as a state and a city, has become, and still is. There is 400 year history of American-Dutch business roots and relations.
Recent research shows that the ancestors of Barack Obama, the family Blossom, fled out of Britain in 1609 for religious freedom to Leiden in The Netherlands. The route for freedom goes through The Netherlands.
We all will watch and be part of the history Obama is going to write as the first black president. President Obama is than the eighth president with an ancestor in Leiden. Also the presidents Grant, Coolidge, Taylor, Roosevelt and both Bush have a 'Leidse Pilgrim' as ancestor.
There are 53 New York Cards.
With The New York Cards you will make a journey through time, which you can do physically, environmentally, spiritually and commercially.
You can review the richness of the history and look forward to the future. You can explore the connections to the Dutch heritage places. You can create an agenda for optimism and vision.

The cards
The New York Cards are self improvement cards for individuals and teams.
Every card is inspirational for business related aspects and ideas. They show developments and inspire people to find creative ways for doing their business and for working. They honor the intentions of American and Dutch ancestors and the present generation.
On the front of the cards there are photo's or impressions of typically Dutch locations in the area along the Hudson from Albany to New York.
On the back you will find the theme of the card with examples, stories and questions.
You can play with the future based on successful experiences from American-Dutch people past and present.
The cards are going to be presented in a box together with the instruction booklet.

Target group
The New York Cards are interesting for
• People who are interested in the power of roots and history
• Business people
• Barnes and Noble and other bookstore customers
• Visitors of special Hudson 400 events
• Managers, professionals and trainers to play the game for finding roots in businesses and management
• MBA and management students
• American and Dutch people with interest in long term business relationships
• American Dutch companies: a client relations' gift.

Ways to use the cards
Ways you can work with The New York Cards are:
• Going through the cards and reading them.
• To see them as a tour guide: use the photo's/impressions to choose where you would like to go to during time off, a weekend or a vacation.
• Just click a card at random and find out what your ideas are for your future.

For management teams: use the cards as a creative way to think of new strategies.
During a kick off, work conference or strategy meeting.
• Choose from your business plans the subject you would like to work on with each other. Choose the person (in the team) who is the process coach.
Depending on the number of team members: make small groups (2, 3 or maximum 4 persons). Every group chooses a New York Card.
The groups work out the questions on the card and come up with actions, connected with the business subjects to be worked on.
The team shares the information with the other groups and makes an agenda to follow up on the chosen actions.
• Make two stacks of cards. One stack of cards you are already working on or with. One stack of cards are the ones you would like to develop work with in the future.
From the second stack, choose one card you feel you need to work on most, or you would like most to work on. Then pick one card from the first stack. Find out how this card can support the success with the card you already have chosen.
Make two groups. One group comes up with ideas and actions for the most needed or liked most card. The other group comes up with ideas and actions for success and support.
The team shares the information with the groups and makes an agenda to follow up on the chosen actions.
• Make your year calendar by choosing the themes for a month or quarter and start your meeting with that card as an inspiration for the ideas and actions you make steering for that period.
• Find out what your unique and personal way is to develop your business and internal and external relationships with the help of The New York Cards.

Creators
© Thea Groeneveld, author, and advisor Hanny Veenendaal, two ladies from the Old Church (Ouderkerk a/d Amstel) upon the Amstel River (Amsterdam's Hudson River) connected with New Amsterdam/York.

For special programs contact:
Thea Groeneveld
info@geuzingegroeneveld.nl