1. society
2. unrest and war

T he Gettysburg Leadership Experience is not a study of
military strategy, but an excellent opportunity to stimulate
new thinking and a new understanding of leadership,
teamwork and communication.
Through on-the-ground study of the leadership challenges facing
commanders in this pivotal battle of the American Civil War, participants
learn practical, usable lessons that will benefit their organizations today,
gaining new insights and new ideas on:
• How leaders can make the right calls amid murky, ill-defined
conditions, incomplete information and high pressure
• The intricacies of decision-making and communication in large
organizations, and how culture affects what’s possible
• How successful leaders share their vision for success, reduce the possibility
of misinterpretation, and get everyone pulling in the same direction
• How leaders develop imagination and courage in themselves and others
• Why character, a central element of leadership, is the key to building
trust on teams
Walking this ground teaches things one cannot learn in a conference room
because the experience, like leadership, is emotional as well as intellectual.
Our facilitators use stories of key leadership moments to bring critical lessons
to life in vivid detail. These lessons, in turn, render valuable insights into how
successful leaders operate today.
Sample Agenda*
3:00 PM
DAY ONE
Check in at Antrim 1844 Country House
6:00 - 7:00 PM
Welcome reception and strategic overview. Ed Ruggero will present the
historical background to the battle of Gettysburg - discussion sets the stage
for the battlefield visit the following day.
7:00 PM
Dinner in a private dining room: Discuss current leadership challenges
7:30 AM
DAY TWO
Full breakfast on the mansion veranda.
8:30 AM
Depart Antrim Country House for battlefield by bus.
9:00 - 10:00 AM
Day 1 (July 1, 1863) - The Improvised Battle
Leadership Moments:
• Conveying Leader’s Intent
• Taking Charge
• Relying on Subordinates to Assess and Make Critical Decisions
• Losing Sight of the Objective
• Syncronizing Assets
• Strategy vs. Execution
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Day 2 (July 2, 1863) - The Orchestrated Battle
Leadership Moments:
• Communicating Effectively
• Role of the Individual in Shaping Events
• Viewing the Tactical Battlefield
• Strategy vs. Execution
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Lunch in historic Gettysburg
1:00 - 3:30 PM
Day 3 (July 3, 1863) - Act of Desperation or Coordinated Attack?
Leadership Moments:
• Communicating Intent
• Activity Doesn’t Equate to Progress
• Leadership by Example
• Taking Responsibility
• Strategy vs. Execution
3:30 PM
The Aftermath
• Reflection at the National Cemetery
4:00 - 4:30 PM
Visit Gettysburg Museum
5:00 - 5:30 PM
En route to Antrim Country House
6:00 - 7:00 PM
Reception in mansion parlor
7:00 PM
Dinner in private dining room
7:30 AM
DAY THREE
Full breakfast on the mansion veranda
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Leadership Workshop to discuss the application of principles
learned on the battlefield to leadership challenges today and
how to develop a Personal Leadership Philosophy
11:00 AM
Hotel check-out and departure
*Agenda is customized to meet client needs
What Participants Are Saying:
“This was the best team-building exercise I’ve encountered in twenty-five years in this business — just
a superb opportunity for us to come together and do some deep thinking about who we are and
where we want to take our company. You made the leadership lessons of Gettysburg come alive
for us in fascinating ways, and helped us see immediately how this knowledge can help us become
better leaders today. You engaged us intellectually and — as you promised — emotionally, and did
it all in the context of a completely enjoyable few days. My team was energized and left Gettysburg better equipped to lead and to inspire. I’m looking forward to our next engagement.”
Pete Marchetto, CEO, Bovis Lend Lease
“Reading about great leaders like Colonel Joshua Chamberlain is instructive. But standing in the
wind on Little Round Top and listening to Ed weave the story of Chamberlain’s creativity and
courage was riveting and intense. My senior leadership team has brought that intensity back to the
office where they’re tackling our business and leadership challenges with fresh ideas and energy.
Thank you so much for delivering an excellent program that is paying off for our business.”
Roger Crandall, CEO MassMutual
Facilitator & Historian
Ed Ruggero is the author of eleven books and an international speaker on
leadership. A graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, Ed served
as an infantry officer in the US Army. His most recent book is The First Men
In: US Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day. Ed also leads a Normandy
Leadership Experience at the site of the Allied invasion of France in 1944;
and a Lexington and Concord Leadership Experience that visits the beginnings of the American Revolution outside Boston.
For More Information:
Dennis F. Haley
Academy Leadership
(610) 783-0630
dhaley@academyleadership.com
www.academyleadership.com • www.edruggero.com