What the community is saying about the Thought Leader Gatherings experience.
“Many thanks for last Friday's TLG. The entire experience left me with a very good feeling, starting with your adept, heartful facilitation, the beauty of the space, your wonderful crew--so willing and capable; and the participants--so open and interesting, engaged in the business world yet actively pursuing and working with spirit. This is important work you're doing. Thanks for the wonderful time. I loved it.”
Eric Utne, Earth Councils
“The Thought Leader Gatherings help leaders expand their capacity...to learn, to contribute, to lead. In times when stress, fear and scarcity cause us to contract, strengthening this muscle is mission critical for individuals and organizations.”
Cheryl Persigehl, Organizational Effectiveness Consultant
“Participating in a Thought Leaders Gathering every other month recharges my soul. Even fully charged souls can get run down sometimes when there’s so much consensus out there for the status quo. Being in this community circle refreshes me and reminds me which reality is real.”
John Renesch, business-turned-futurist, author, Getting to the Better Future
"You are both – in your individuality and leadership and what you have built and are building – a MODEL for many and a GIFT to this planet and to our community. Thank you always for creating such a safe and wonderful space for any and all who come to Heartland to be and express who they are. It’s quite rich and we need to all help make this not so rare. : - )"
With admiration, your comrade, Lori Crever, Wells Fargo
"The magic of the TLG is more than the conversation starter. Craig and Patricia Neal and their collaborators have created a process that allows their always fascinating participants to get into deep dialogue and have a profound experience with each session."
Michael Ray, John G. McCoy-Banc One Corporation Professor of Creativity and Innovation and of Marketing (Emeritus) at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business
"The Thought Leader Gatherings (TLG) provide an interaction with mature, experienced, and imaginative professionals drawn from a wide slice of our society. The design equips them to frame penetrating questions, and their openness enables them to productively absorb the wisdom of their fellow participants. The TLG environment encourages fresh thinking and honest dialogue, opening doors on new possibilities for the participants. In sum, an enjoyable, energizing, and productive break from the routine of work.."
Chuck Denny, former CEO of ADC Telecommunications
"I joined the Thought Leader Gathering to learn more about the issues and challenges facing other individuals and organizations as they manage change. One of the most significant aspects of the meetings has been the exposure to a highly successful group of business executives from a diverse range of industries and personal perspectives. This exposure and interaction has been most valuable to me."
Andy Barrengos, VP, Woodruff-Sawyer
"A great benefit of the Thought Leader Gatherings, from my experience, is to develop the ability to discover the intelligence and energy of collective genius. The waiting for seeing into something from the epiphany of spirit speaking through the group is a discipline that produces remarkable insight and knowing. Additionally, the intimacy of support in a group is a rare and therapeutic experience for leaders who often are set up for isolation. The competitive atmosphere of getting ahead and "looking good" seldom allows for the quality of feedback, witnessing, and nurturance that a leadership circle provides.
These two benefits: the process for collective intelligence, and the experience of intimate witnessing in community over a personal growth horizon; are significant reprogramming for the traditional hierarchical and heroic model of leadership. Isolation, both creatively and socially, is the nemesis of the connected consciousness needed at this time. The TLGs are a way to end that and discover the initiatory ritual that has supported great warriors and leaders for eons."
Peter Block, Partner, Designed Learning
author of "The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters", "Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest", and "The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work"
"The Thought Leader Gathering was the biggest listening I could imagine, for the biggest questions I need to be asking, and without the TLG listening, I would not be asking the questions."
Barb Waugh, Ph.D., co-founder, World eInclusion, Hewlett-Packard Company; author, Soul in the Computer
"Leadership is not rocket science it is much more difficult. The Thought Leader Gatherings have given me the opportunity to find the "simplicity on the other side of complexity" in growing as a person who happens to be a leader. So as to not underestimate the power of conversation, we sponsor eight regular attendees."
John Gisler, President and CEO, Twin City Co-ops Federal Credit Union
"The Thought Leader Gatherings (TLG) provide us with what we so desperately need--time to think together with colleagues. The TLGs give us quality time to think with peers, to explore what we're learning, what we're trying to accomplish and what we hope to contribute. Having the time to contemplate these questions makes us more productive and more capable of contributing to our organization and our community. A rare and absolutely necessary forum."
Margaret Wheatley, author of "Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future" & "Leadership and the New Science"
"For 14 years, Heartland has stayed on the pioneering edge of new thinking about leadership. Heartland's gift is their ability to generate communities of practice and learning that honor the full intelligence and wisdom of the leaders they serve, while gently nudging us all to step up to more meaning, purpose and heart in our work and lives. Thank you, Patricia and Craig, for paving the way.
Wendy Morris, Director, Creative Leadership Studio, www.wendymorris.org
