The art of leadership is best learned by doing and by observing real-life situations. These ten creative excursions will provide you and your team with practical insights essential for success both today and
future. 1. A Day Trip to The Sharper Image
The Sharper Image is a specialty retailer that is nationally and internationally renowned as a leading source of new, innovative, high-quality products that make life better and more enjoyable. Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Richard Thalheimer started this business 25 years ago with one goal in mind: to have fun! The Sharper Image is a company that thrives on special conveniences and innovative products that sit on cutting edge of technology. This day trip is fantastic for stimulating creativity and becoming a forward thinker!
2. A Day Trip to Gettysburg Battlefield
A visit to this historical Civil War battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, can be an empowering lesson in leadership. This day trip can be devoted to walking historic site while evaluating leadership decisions and structures that General Robert E. Lee struggled with over 140 years ago. Prior to this day trip, I recommend that those attending trip read book, “Leadership Lessons from Civil War” by Tom Wheeler. It is an extraordinary book that takes a close look at parallels between business and military strategy.
3. A Day Trip to ING Direct
With locations in New York City, NY, and Philadelphia, PA, ING Direct takes “dull” out of banking. The facade is made of glass. On inside are café tables and biscotti, Internet stations and mochas, and clients hanging out just for fun of it. This innovative company invests majority of its time, energy, and money in technology, marketing, and in making people feel proud about saving their money...and to make them feel that saving is a cool and hip thing to do. The website itself (www.ingdirect.com) is a wild and fun excursion, breaking away from traditional and stepping way out on edge. This day trip can create a lightning bolt effect for motivating your company to move to new levels of creativity and innovation.
4. Carnegie Hall and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra was conceived by cellist Julian Fifer and a group of fellow musicians in 1970s. The Orpheus process is highly unique, for this is an orchestra with no conductor. In absence of a conductor, individual musicians of Orpheus must rely on one another for innovation and team building. The self-governing and leadership abilities have not only made Orpheus a group of highly gifted musicians, but has built a world which teaches those who observe them to understand that a CEO never has or should have all of answers. Central to collaborative process of Orpheus is sharing and rotating of leadership roles. This unique approach unleashes talent, vision, creativity, and leadership of each and every member of group. Observe this group carefully, and ask your team “What is it about this group that is so compelling? How can we use their system for our success?”
5. A Week-End at Universal Studios (Orlando, FL; Hollywood, CA; Japan and Spain)
Are you having fun? I mean: ARE YOU REALLY HAVING FUN? If you are or are not, consider a journey through a week-end filled with fun, adventure, wonder, and WILD TIMES! Spend a few great days being a kid again with E.T. (the Extra-Terrestrial,) Men in Black, Jaws, Barney, and Nickelodeon. Why? In times when innovation is so crucial to success, we must challenge our teams to do things we think we cannot do, are off-beat, or are seemingly crazy and wild to rest of world. Outdoor challenges involving fun, laughter and raw adventure can spark problem solving and teamwork and can be a fantastic approach for reducing stress and incorporating fun and laughter into corporate setting.
