The schedule is subject to change.
Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center Experience
Description: Gain insight into the battle, the stories, and the personalities by starting your visit at the Gettysburg Museum with a viewing of the film A New Birth of Freedom. Next, we will visit the Gettysburg Cyclorama to be immersed in the sights and sounds of Pickett’s charge, then embark on a self-guided tour through the museum's interactive exhibits and artifact displays.
Evergreen Cemetery: Discussion on Abraham Lincoln's Famous Address
Presenters: Steven B. Wiley, Founder and President, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg; Jared Peatman, PhD, Historian; and Joe Mieczkowski, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide
Description: At the cemetery, we discuss the events that led Abraham Lincoln to Gettysburg in November 1863 to deliver what continues to be one of the most influential speeches in history. Participants will explore not only the content of the speech, but the effective communication strategies Lincoln employed that help us remember his famous address 150+ years later.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Articulate the communication techniques Lincoln use that caused the Gettysburg Address to remain one of the most famous speeches of both American and World history.
-
Explain what a “mid-course correction: is and the significance of Lincoln’s decision.
The Human Side of High Performance
Presenters: Steven B. Wiley, Founder and President, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg; Jared Peatman, PhD, Historian; Joe Mieczkowski, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide; and Judy Morley, PhD, Historian, Speaker, Entrepreneur, and Author
Description: Drawing on humor, cutting-edge research, and extensive audience participation, this session suggests that regardless of whether we are talking about sales, operations, or leadership, we are all in “the people business.” Steve Wiley begins by asking participants for their own definition of leadership then offers his own: the ability to create followship or followership — the ability to inspire those around you to follow your advice, your lead, your suggestions. He will then introduce the faculty members who briefly discuss the historical background of the Battle of Gettysburg, its major leaders, and the applicability of historical metaphor to modern leadership challenges.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Explain the importance of developing effective leaders at all levels of an organization and the impact this has on employee engagement and retention.
-
Develop and effectively articulate their own definitions of leadership.
-
Articulate why the Battle of Gettysburg is used as a historical metaphor when discussing leadership.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1, Executive Leadership
The High Ground: Positioning for Strategic Advantage
Presenter: Jared Peatman, PhD, Historian
Description: This case study uses the Union army’s seizure of the “high ground” at Gettysburg as a metaphor to examine positioning for strategic advantage and execution excellence. This session also covers the necessity of building strong leadership teams, communicating and understanding strategic vision, establishing expectations, and ensuring a focus on results, as evidenced by the excellent working relationship and constant communication up the Union chain of command.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Recognize the necessity of effective communication in building strong leadership teams.
-
Identify four strategies that allow organizations to stretch their resources and drive results.
-
Explain how one can think strategically while acting tactically.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1, Executive Leadership
Battlefield Experience I: McPherson’s Ridge
Presenter: Joe Mieczkowski, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide
Description: After discussing the concept of anticipatory leadership, we head to McPherson’s Ridge to stand in the footsteps of Brigadier General John Buford. From this location we will discuss how Buford anticipated the movements and actions of his adversary which allowed him to make the tactical decisions necessary to preserve the strategic success of the Army of the Potomac—an organization of more than 90,000 soldiers.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Articulate the importance of acting tactically in day-to-day operations while working toward the larger strategic objectives of the organization.
-
Describe how effective and sometimes constant communication between levels of management in a rapidly changing environment is crucial for organization success.
-
Explain the importance of proper resource allocation to maximize effectiveness.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1, Executive Leadership
Presenter: Jared Peatman, PhD, Historian
Description: Participants, first individually then in small groups, will identify what their personal and/or organizational high ground positions are (strategic or competitive advantage). Once they identify their high ground position, groups will discuss how they can implement anticipatory leadership strategies to secure or maintain those positions.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Articulate the importance of maintaining a high ground position for strategic success in terms of both positive and negative outcomes on an organization.
-
Identify and describe what their personal and/or organizational high ground position is.
-
Identify how they can implement anticipatory leadership strategies to get to or maintain that high ground.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 0, Personal Development
CAE: 0.5, Executive Leadership
Explore Gettysburg on your own! Please visit the travel page for local attractions.
Thursday, July 27
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Building Teams with the Military’s Most Elite
Presenter: Rear Admiral Scott Moore, USN Seal, Retired
Description: Admiral Moore led thousands of operations at all levels of Naval Special Warfare, including commander of SEAL Team 6, the world’s premier counter-terrorism force. Drawing on his 20+ years of experience Admiral Moore shares stories and methods for developing resilient teams committed to organizational accountability that must not fail.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Articulate the concept of your “leadership DNA” and how you can help to develop it in yourself and among your team.
-
Describe the importance of caring about team members and how that inspires them to embrace the strategic goals of the team/organization.
-
Discuss the importance of being committed to the members of your team but also to the larger organization.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1, Executive Leadership
9:45 am – 11:00 am
Chamberlain at Gettysburg: Transactional and Transformational Leadership
Presenter: Steven B. Wiley, Founder and President, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg
Description: We’ll explore how Joshua Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Maine Infantry, used his transformational leadership qualities to inspire and re-engage a group of mutineers (what we call “disengaged employees” today).
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Analyze ways to build and sustain teams using a blend of transactional and transformational leadership.
-
Develop the skills that drive employee engagement and retention.
-
Identify organizational vulnerabilities and the transactional and transformational leadership qualities they can employ to protect those vulnerabilities.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1, Executive Leadership
Battlefield Experience II: Little Round Top
Presenter: Joe Mieczkowski, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide
Description: After discussing transactional and transformational leadership, we head to the Pennsylvania Monument to see Little Round Top. From there, we will continue to discuss the actions of Joshua Chamberlain and his use of transactional and transformational leadership to re-engage a group of mutineers and defend the Union Army’s left flank against seemingly insurmountable odds.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Articulate the importance of addressing organizational vulnerabilities as evidenced by the Union Army’s left flank on the second day of the battle.
-
Explain the importance of re-engaging disengaged employees, especially when resources are limited, and the sometimes-drastic consequences of failing to do so.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1.25, Executive Leadership
Presenter: Steven B. Wiley, Founder and President, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg
Description: Participants, first individually then in small groups work to identify what their personal and/or organizational left flank (vulnerability) may be. Once they identify their left flank, groups will discuss how they can implement both transactional and transformational fixes to address that vulnerability.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Identify and clearly define a personal and/or organizational vulnerability.
-
Discuss which transactional and transformational leadership qualities are most effective to address that vulnerability.
-
Create and articulate an action plan on how they can implement the identified transactional and transformational leadership qualities.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 0, Personal Development
CAE: 0.5, Executive Leadership
Courageous Communication: Lee and Longstreet at Gettysburg
Presenter: Judy Morley, PhD, Historian, Speaker, Entrepreneur, and Author
Description: Using the mismanaged professional disagreement between James Longstreet and Robert E. Lee as its base, this session uncovers the signs that organizations may be in for a setback and illustrates communication strategies to manage conflict. We will uncover the signs that successful organizations may be in for a predictable surprise or reversal of fortune and illustrate communication strategies to manage a professional disagreement.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1, Executive Leadership
Battlefield Experience III: Pickett’s Charge
Presenter: Joe Mieczkowski, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide
Description: After discussing the failures in communication between General Longstreet and General Lee, we head to the Virginia monument to follow the fateful walk Confederate General George Pickett and his soldiers took on July 3,1863. As we walk across the same mile of open ground, we will discuss the individual experience of many of the soldiers on that day shared through recovered letters and diary entries. This solemn and reflective experience focuses on the consequences of ineffective communication up the chain of command.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Identify the sometimes-dire consequences of failing to communicate effectively and courageously, and the strategies you can implement to avoid them.
-
Articulate the importance of the Union’s success on the third day of battle in terms of the Civil War and in the reconstruction period that followed.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 1, Personal Development
CAE: 1.25, Executive Leadership
Review of Concepts and Action Plans
Presenter: Steven B. Wiley, Founder and President, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg
Description: We will reflect on what we have experienced in the program and be guided to apply those insights to our work. As an end product, everyone will come away with an action plan they can implement upon returning to their daily jobs.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
-
Articulate how they can implement those concepts and competencies into their everyday work life through actionable tasks.
-
Identify the habits and/or tendencies in their current roles that they may want to reduce or even eliminate from their schedule.
This session is eligible for the following credits:
CPE: 0, Personal Development
CAE: 0.5, Executive Leadership
Lincoln’s Life Lessons
Presenter: James Hayney
Description: Abraham Lincoln (portrayed by James Hayney) discusses his personal philosophy of leadership with anecdotes throughout his life to illustrate the concepts. Effective leadership is a dynamic process that requires continuous self-reflection, skill development, and adaptability. This session aims to empower participants to maximize their leadership potential by focusing on three key objectives: identifying personal leadership strengths, enhancing communication skills through storytelling, and developing comprehensive project management strategies. Additionally, you will explore the importance of developing contingency plans to handle unexpected challenges or project failure. Together, we will empower you to lead with confidence, inspire your teams, and navigate both triumphs and setbacks with resilience.
At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Identify personal leadership strengths and develop a plan to improve those identified as less than optimal.
- Articulate one's own communication style and structure and look for opportunities to improve message retention via anecdotes and storytelling.
- Develop a contingency plan to manage a project's failure in addition to implementation plans for its success.
Credit Designations:
This session is eligible for the following credits:
SFO: 0, External Domain
CPE: 0, Personal Development
CAE: 0, Executive Leadership
The conference concludes at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 29.
Unless otherwise noted, all sessions are Knowledge Level: Basic and Prerequisites/Advance Preparations: none