Announcing Design Leadership Retreats
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve teamed up with Mags Hanley to offer a new series of retreats for both emerging and established design leaders! If you already know you’re interested and would like to save your spot, you can do that here. In this post, I’ll be sharing a little bit more background information about why I’m taking this step and what you can expect from the retreats.
Why retreats can be so powerful
In my work as a transformation coach and consultant, I regularly help individuals and teams make big changes to the way they work. But there’s something special about getting out of your day-to-day setting during a retreat. When you’re able to step away from daily tasks and demands, it’s much easier to do big picture thinking and strategizing.
And retreats do much more than offer you a chance to look inwards. Being a design leader can often be lonely. You’ll rarely have peers from the same discipline within your organisation. Attending a retreat that’s specifically intended for design leaders will help you find a group of like-minded peers who speak the same language and face similar challenges in their roles.
Finally, the retreat setting lends itself to building meaningful connections. When I attend a conference or workshop, I always feel like the conversations with other attendees are the most interesting part. And since many of us haven’t been attending these types of events for the past several years, we need to connect more than ever. Because the retreat is a short, intensive experience, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to dive deep into conversations and expand your network. But you’ll also have plenty of time for quiet introspection if that’s what you prefer!
Why I’m so excited to be facilitating
I’m clearly convinced of the benefits of retreats for attendees, but why am I stepping into this role as facilitator for Design Leadership Retreats?
I mentioned earlier that I believe there’s something powerful about the retreat setting that allows transformation to take place at an accelerated pace, so on a professional level, it’s thrilling to be a part of that rapid evolution for attendees.
Looking back on my design leadership career, I didn’t have this type of support (though I desperately wanted it), so I’m inspired to create the type of learning I wish I’d had. You can learn from my mistakes and missteps!
And on a personal note, as I’ve been developing my own coaching practice, I participated in an onsite training with the Koelle Institute for Equus Coaching. Being part of facilitated time away with an inspiring group of peers has been transformational for me, and I want to provide a similar experience for others.
What you can expect
We’re currently offering two types of events: The Emerging Design Leaders Workshop and the Senior Women Design Leaders Retreat.
The workshop is a more structured, two-day session for emerging leaders of all genders to become more effective and define their individual leadership style.
The retreat is intended for women in senior leadership positions in design. It takes place over four days and offers a mix of structured sessions and downtime in a gorgeous setting with lots of restorative activities.
We’d love to have you join us! Learn more and save your spot here.
