Later this month we will be hosting a brand-new Leadership Experience on the Mornington Peninsula outside Melbourne. As we have prepared this Experience, which is centred around The Revillaging Project, I have been thinking about just how unique, and powerful, these programs are.
Our first Leadership Experience was based at Arid Recovery, not long after Global Leadership Foundation was established. Over the years we have taken small groups of leaders (we usually limit numbers to no more than eight) to many other remote locations, from Central Australia to the Solomon Islands to the Flinders Ranges.
What these experiences all have in common is that they have been held in remote locations. I have long believed in the wisdom and appreciation that comes from spending time in such places. As I wrote in a blog post over a decade ago, my affinity for the desert, in particular, stretches back to having spent my early childhood in Woomera, wandering with my sister on the gibber plains and clay pans near our home.
When I am in such places, I feel grounded and connected, both to the land and to what it offers. My mind seems clearer and less cluttered, providing innovative ideas and broader perspectives. I’ve come to know that this is a common experience, both for those who live on such country and for those who take part in our Experiences.
For this reason, we want our participants to be able to see the horizon, both literally and metaphorically. We want them to see the curvature of the earth. Just as a wide landscape or seascape opens the sky, so it widens a person’s perspective. As you can see more of the world, you can see more of yourself.
Visiting isolated locations is also the quickest way to help leaders find clarity of thought. It’s a chance to balance their three thinking ‘centres’: the head, the heart and body.
What is interesting about our newest leadership experience is that it is definitely not remote, given its location on the edge of the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area. However, we know it brings the same opportunity to those who will join us.
In the Revillaging Leadership experience, we genuinely ‘tap into’ the work and world of a group of people who are consciously making choices to provide environmentally and socially sustainable ways of living and working, this time closer to urban environments.
We can also widen our perspectives through the stories of those who have lived in this country for millenia, along with those who are currently working to recreate the bountiful food sources that have existed here for centuries. Experiencing the process of renewal and regeneration of the wetlands, along with similar practices on the land and ways to encourage native species (not seen for many years) back into this space, are part of this journey.
As with all our previous Experiences, participants will have time to critically and thoughtfully look at themselves and uncover ways in which they can evolve their leadership practice and make a difference to others. In this newest context, leaders will still have an opportunity to consider what is currently ‘top of mind’ with a wider perspective.
A common reflection from those who have joined us in the past is that their day-to-day challenges seem to pale into insignificance in comparison with those faced by people who aim to preserve culture and country.
Throughout each journey, whether it’s before, during or after the trip, leaders are supported and coached by Global Leadership Foundation Fellows, who help the leaders translate their experiences into positive developments in their professional and personal lives.
All of this enables leaders who take part in these experiences to return home with a much clearer focus and understanding of their leadership role and what is important to them. It is incredibly rewarding, both for the leaders and for those of us who have the pleasure of working with them.
Gayle
Our next Leadership Experience will take place from March 27 to 30, at the Revillaging Project on the Mornington Peninsula outside Melbourne. Read more and reserve one of the very limited places on the event page here.