It’s no secret that West Point, the nation’s top military academy, excels at fostering teamwork, strategic thinking and leadership skills—all capabilities prized by the corporate world. So when Chief Executive heard about a new executive education program housed within the West Point campus, we took our team there to check it out.
“The program is built around the belief that the principles taught to West Point cadets—focus, duty, honor and drive—are applicable to business,” explained Dr. Nicole Shea, executive director of the Eisenhower Leadership Center at Highland Falls, N.Y., near West Point, in welcoming us. And indeed, our day began with classroom presentations by two former military o fficers—retired Colonel Dr. Jack Beach and retired Lieutenant Colonel Dr. James Modlin—both of whom had gone on from military service to lengthy careers as Fortune 500 executives.
Modlin o ffered insights on leading innovation, while Beach schooled our group on the psychology of leadership. Both faculty members supported their points with compelling lessons from military history.
After lunch overlooking the Hudson River, we changed into outdoor gear, divided ourselves into three teams and were briefed on the series of field exercises we were about to undertake by military training guru Lieutenant Colonel Hank Keirsey—who, tellingly, also serves as an advisor for the video game “Call of Duty.” If you’ve never spent an afternoon rappelling down a series of steep hills into a riverbed, jumping from rock to rock lugging a 30-pound boulder a mile upstream and hiking with it to the top of a mountain, it might be hard to understand how that could be a fun and e ffective exercise in team building. Yet all three of our teams emerged from the exercise oddly energized and with a new appreciation for our colleagues’ collective talents and abilities. So you’ll just have to take our word for it—or head to Eisenhower Leadership Center and find out for yourselves.
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
