2023 Fall AEC Leadership Retreat

Monday, October 9 - Friday, October 13, 2023 Lake Swan Camp. Melrose, Florida.

Answers are easy, attitude is hard, and the "features" we develop managing Technology often become "bugs" when leading Teams. How do we show up as the best version of ourselves and lead others? By slowing down and learning to Reflect, Respect, and Respond. It's about building Resilience.

Who Should Attend?

The AEC Leadership Retreat is for people who to manage teams, projects and technology. We're business leaders, influencers and decision makers who want to improve their soft skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

Why Focus On AEC?

High Stress <> Low Control is a frequent experience when leading teams that design, engineer and construct buildings and other infrastructure. Deadlines are tight, reputations at risk, and budgets are on the line. Stresses lead to more stresses and the flight / fight / freeze reaction compounds. How do we step back, acknowledge the stress, take a moment to listen, empathize, and prepare an acknowledged response? When we stop racing from decision to decision. We'll learn to slow down in order to Reflect, Respect, Respond, and build Resilience.

What's Our Experience?

We believe good leaders are mentally prepared, emotionally present and socially attuned. We'll work on all three through thoughtful leadership sessions, physical activity and nutritious meals. This year's facilitators include:

Randy Benn / Director, International Coaching Federation / Leadership
Jerry Teixeira / Owner, Body Weight Strength / Executive Fitness
Charles Semail / President, Chef Charles Catering / Retreat Catering
Bony Dawood / CEO, Dawood Engineering / Goals, Growth and Purpose
Phil Read / CEO, ReadThomas / Founder, AEC Leadership Retreat

Where Do We Meet?

The AEC Leadership Retreat is an "Unconference". No one will be impressed expensive suits, ties and watches - so go ahead and leave those at home. :) We aren't going to be trapped in hotel conference rooms either. No lanyards. No PowerPoint. No FUMO marketing and sales pitches. No flashing lights, loud music, and no alcohol. Nurture amid nature; earth, water, wind and sun. Campfires and crickets. T-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes are perfectly fine. We're getting back to basics.

Lake Swan Camp in Melrose, Florida is rustic, honest, and welcoming. Everyone has their own cabin or motel style room (yes, there's air-conditioning :). The camp borders a clear, spring-fed lake with a clean sandy bottom. Fall weather is pleasant enough for outdoor activities, quiet walks and group discussions. The lake is warm enough to swim, fish, relax, and even go for a paddle before dinner. Expect highs in the low-80s and evening lows in mid-60s. Yes, there's wifi! But we'll do our best to unplug and be present!

Overall Schedule

We won't be stuck indoors. Expect the daily sessions and discussions to move from indoor to outdoor throughout the day. We'll take notes and capture ideas using pen, paper and journals. Evening fireside discussions allow everyone to reflect and share what's been learned. It might seem like a long day - but we're not rushing from session to session. Each day is well-paced, and relaxed.

Here's our daily schedule:

Monday:

12-5pm: Arrive
6-7pm: Dinner
7-8.30pm: Introductions, Housekeeping and Goals

Tuesday:

6-7am: Wake up and watch the sunrise :)
7-8am: Breakfast
8am: Depart for Off-site Team Building Activity
4pm: Return from Off-site Team Building Activity
6-7pm: Dinner
7-8.30pm: Session

Wednesday - Thursday:

6-8am: Wake up and watch the sunrise :)
8-9am: Breakfast
9am-10.30am: Session 1
10.30am-noon: Session 2
12-1pm: Lunch
1-4pm: Open Discussions and Journal
4.30-6pm: Session 3
6-7pm: Dinner
7-8.30pm: Session 4

Friday:

6-8am: Wake up and watch the sunrise :)
8-9am: Breakfast
9-10.30: Wrap Up and Feedback
11am: Depart Noon

Professional Leadership Coaching.

We'll learn to lead ourselves and in doing so become better leaders of others. With formal training and experience in Law, Psychology and Leadership Randy Benn serves as our retreat coach. Developing Resilience and showing up as the best versions prepares us to become better leaders via sessions that focus on key themes such as:

Not all classrooms have walls. Morning and evening sessions create useful bookends for open afternoons that allow for quiet reflection, personal discovery, and thoughtful discussions with industry peers. Meet down by the lake, go for a walk, or take a canoe or paddle board out for a peaceful paddle around Lake Rosa. Bring your pen and journal to capture important discoveries.

Executive Fitness - No Gym Required.

In the time it takes to drive to the gym, you could be finished working out. Body weight lifting is perfect for busy executives and weary road warriors. JT will share with us his personal journey and how after the birth of his second child (about 8 years ago), he realized he wasn't keeping fit. Yet he didn't have time for the gym. Sounds familiar, right?

JT was kind enough to sit down for a chat earlier this spring. He's personable, patient, and can design a regimen from beginner to advanced. He's also loves the satisfaction of coaching older clients who'd like to get back in shape without all of the complexity of going to the gym.

Using nothing more than your own body weight, JT will teach us how to slow down, avoid injury and develop a full range of body lifting exercises that builds strength, balance and confidence. Body lifting is perfect for home, hotel and office. All in less than 20 minutes a day - no gym required.

In Service of Others.

Wonderful meals, exquisitely prepared. Of course there's vegetarian and other options. Chef Charles Semail joyfully returns to cater this year's event! With over 40 years culinary experience, Charles expects us to be pleasantly surprised at each gathering. Here's a video introducing Chef Charles ahead of last year's event. Curious? Here's this year's menu!

Meals are served family style ("please pass the potatoes" :) amid group seating that creates relaxed conversation. As someone remarked last year, "We're eating Instagramable meals on camp plates!

Offsite Team Building

We'll kick off the week with a one day, 9-mile canoe trip down the beautiful Santa Fe River. We'll start at the rustic Santa Fe Canoe Outpost and finish at cool, and crystal clear Ginnie Springs.

The Santa Fe River is calm and slow-moving and suitable for paddle board, kayak or canoe. We'll explore many cool springs during morning, lunch and afternoon breaks. During each break we'll take the opportunity to catch up and discuss the leadership themes and goals for the week. Here’s video highlights from last year’s canoe trip.

Questions? Please email me or ask in the comments section below.

Kind regards -

Phil Read - CEO Read | Thomas / phil@readthomas.com