Two Day Kick-off Retreat

Our program is launched with a two-day retreat led by Diane Biondi Mukkala. The purpose of this retreat is to create an excitement for learning, build participants into a learning community, introduce Peter Senge’s Five Disciplines and learn how to envision and create possibilities through personal growth. At the retreat you will:

  • Reflect on your personal values and create a vision for yourself that will spark future action.
  • Develop a basic understanding of Peter Senge’s Five Disciplines: Personal Mastery, Shared Vision, Mental Models, Team Learning and Systems Thinking.
  • Learn about what makes a leader.
  • Become bonded into a learning community reflective of trust and openness.

“Laughter, friendships, building trust and sharing insights are a big part
of what happens, along with significant personal visioning work.”

Personal Mastery

This Personal Mastery session is conducted by Pat Everett, consultant with Insight, Inc.  During this session you will learn about yourself and others through the Insight Personality Instrument.  This will give you a new perspective on how to appreciate and capitalize on your own and others’ strengths and differences.

“This is a whole new way of understanding people.
I would recommend this workshop to family and friends.”

Team Learning

This class is facilitated at an outdoor team building center. Here SLI participants will use adventure-filled activities to solve problems, make decisions, offer encouragement and work as a team.

“The strongest part of the day was the overall teamwork and how it made each exercise easier to complete.”

Systems Thinking

Our Systems Thinking session is taught by Eric Budd, Improvement Coordinator at Peaker Services, Inc.  Eric has over 25 years experience in key business process improvement where he has worked closely with leaders and their organizations to integrate a culture of quality and improvement into their everyday operations. This interactive session will enhance your knowledge about these valuable concepts and how to apply them to better understand your organization and community, how they work and what it takes to improve them.

Shared Vision

During this learning session Diand Biondi Mukkala explores the role of individuals in building communities and addressing community needs.  You will gain knowledge about issues facing communities, how to address problems and use your talents to advance and sustain your community.

“For me it was the emphasis on dialogue rather than discussion.”

Mental Models

Our Mental Models session is taught by Taryn Petryk.  Participants dig deeper into their Mental Models to begin to understand how our social identities and cultural background affect leadership, communication, conflict, and community in diverse organizations.  Taryn provides a safe and inclusive space for you to reflect and explore your social identities, the socialization of identities and the impact that identities have personally, within an organization and in society.

“Very enlightening – learning how people are shaped to have the beliefs
they do and how those beliefs can be influenced was very important.”

Next Steps

You will participate in a series of activities to define what leadership and community have come to mean to you.  The session ends with a graduation ceremony to acknowledge this special learning community and your accomplishments.