The Gettysburg Leadership Experience brings executives to the Civil War battlefield to learn timeless lessons on leadership. Now you can experience what CEO's and their top teams have found so compelling and gain new insights and new ideas on

• How leaders can make the right calls amid murky, ill-defined conditions, incomplete information and high pressure
  
  
• The intricacies of decision-making in very large organizations, and how culture affects what's possible
  
  
• How successful leaders share their vision for success and reduce the possibility of misinterpretation
  
  
• How leaders develop imagination and courage in themselves and others
  
  
• Why character is a central element of leadership

Through on-the-ground study of the leadership challenges facing commanders in the largest battle ever fought in North America, participants learn practical, usable lessons-about team building, morale and courage, dealing with ambiguity, effective communication, and the execution of strategic intent-that will benefit their organizations today.

Modeled on the U.S. Army Staff Ride, a technique used to train officers in leadership and decision-making, the experience lets participants see and feel, as no history book or mere lecture can, the challenges that faced commanders during three pivotal days in our history. Our experienced team of leader-facilitators uses stories of key leadership moments to bring to life in vivid detail lessons of leadership in action. Executives leave excited about their opportunities to be better leaders and armed with battle-tested tools they can use immediately.

OVERVIEW

The Gettysburg Leadership Experience is not a study of military strategy, but an excellent opportunity to stimulate new thinking and a new understanding of leadership, teamwork and communication.

We begin with dinner at the Antrim House, an ante bellum farm mansion (now a corporate retreat) used as a temporary headquarters by the Union's General Meade on July 1, 1863. After dinner, our historian will put the battle in context with a quick overview of the major participants and what they were trying to accomplish.

We will tour the battlefield by foot and in a small bus, stopping at vantage points that overlook the fields and at various locations-such as McPherson's Ridge, Seminary Ridge and Culp's Hill-where important events in the story actually occurred. We eat lunch in a notable Gettysburg restaurant that was a private home in 1863, and then return to the battlefield to visit the Wheat Field, Little Round Top, the Virginia Memorial, the route of Pickett's Charge and the High Water Mark. On the second evening, we reconvene in the Antrim House for a discussion of lessons learned and how we might apply these principles today.

Because we have designed a highly interactive experience, participants learn from each other. To ensure quality learning, capacity is limited.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS SAY

"Our team's trip to Gettysburg will be one of the highlights of our year. After the program, everyone could identify the similarities between the decisions that were made leading up to the battle and running a 21st century company. We were completely engaged as a management team. It was a powerful experience and the discussions helped us understand and apply what we had learned. With the facilitation of your organization, we developed great insights into leadership that will help us run a better company. It was without a doubt the best team-building event that Bovis Lend Lease has ever experienced." Greg Myers, Senior Vice President Human Resources Bovis Lend Lease, New York, NY "Thanks for doing such a great job of energizing our senior leadership team. Your story telling humanized the Gettysburg experience and demonstrated the far-reaching consequences, both positive and negative, of varying leadership styles. The follow up session was instrumental in helping us to focus on creating and fine-tuning our own personal leadership philosophy." Dave Johnson, Vice President North American Manufacturing, General Mills

WHO WE ARE

Ed Ruggero is a widely published author and a noted speaker on leadership and leader development. A 1980 graduate of West Point, he served as an infantry officer in the United States Army. He is the author of ten books and co-author of Army Leadership, the official leadership doctrine of the service. Ed has spoken to audiences large and small around the world on leadership, and his story-telling talents bring to life the drama of 1863. www.edruggero.com

Academy Leadership is proud to bring the Gettysburg Leadership Experience to our alumni and subscribers. This is a unique opportunity for individuals to participate in an experience that has only been available to corporate teams. Our associate and keynote speaker, Ed Ruggero, will make the leadership lessons of the battlefield come to life as he tells the story of the character and courage of the leaders who fought on this hollowed battlefield. Reserve your spot today.