The Gettysburg Leadership Experience
An Executive Leadership Retreat
Give your leadership team more than training. Give them an executive retreat where they connect, reflect, and sharpen how they lead.
Set against the historic backdrop of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Leadership Experience is an elite executive retreat designed for leaders and historians who value both exceptional learning and refined hospitality.
Participants stay at Antrim 1844, an elegantly restored 19th-century estate known for its five-star accommodations, peaceful countryside setting, and exceptional culinary experience featuring private, multi-course dinners.
In this historical, intimate and refined environment, executives step away from daily demands to reflect, engage in meaningful dialogue, and connect with fellow leaders.
As participants explore the Gettysburg battlefield together, the story of the battle brings to life powerful leadership lessons from one of the most consequential moments in American history.
Each evening, the group gathers for thoughtfully facilitated dinners where conversations are customized around the real leadership challenges participants are facing within their organizations. These discussions create space for honest dialogue, shared perspective, and deeper insight.
The experience culminates in a focused leadership workshop where participants translate the lessons of Gettysburg into practical application and begin developing their Personal Leadership Philosophy — The Leader's Compass.
The result is a powerful shift in how leaders think, decide, and act when facing today's complex business challenges.
"Gettysburg is not only a sacred part of our Country's historical past, but it is rich with tactical and strategic leadership lessons learned, both successful and not so. We not only walk you through the historical events, but also capture the leadership lessons, and through reflective dialogue, learn how they apply to our clients' businesses. Our clients have used this opportunity to improve the leadership skills of their C-Suite, to study and build their organization's strategic vision and culture, and to build their team with a foundation of trust and competence."
Tailored to Your Team's Leadership Challenges
Modern leaders are often called on to make difficult decisions when the situation is unclear, information is incomplete, and the pressure is real. The Gettysburg Leadership Experience brings your leadership team to one of history's most consequential decision-making environments to examine the lessons that emerged there. As participants walk the battlefield and study the choices made during the pivotal days of July 1–3, 1863, they gain perspective on how leaders made critical decisions when the stakes could not have been higher.
Along the way, participants explore how culture shapes what is possible inside organizations, how leaders communicate intent so others can act with confidence, and how courage and imagination emerge in both leaders and their teams. Perhaps most importantly, Gettysburg reminds us of a truth that still defines effective leadership today: character matters.
Each Gettysburg Leadership Experience is tailored for the participating organization. Before the program begins, we conduct a discovery conversation with key leaders to understand your strategic priorities and the leadership challenges your team is facing. This allows us to shape the discussions and reflections throughout the experience so the lessons uncovered at Gettysburg connect directly to the realities your leaders face every day.
The result is more than a meaningful historical experience; it is a leadership conversation that continues long after your team leaves the battlefield, with insights they can apply immediately within their organization.
What Leaders Learn on the Battlefield
Through on-the-ground study of the largest battle ever fought in North America, participants explore leadership moments from July 1–3, 1863, including:
- Conveying a leader's intent
- Taking charge under pressure
- Relying on subordinates to assess and make critical decisions
- Cutting through complexity with clear communication
- Balancing strategy and execution
- Leadership by example
- Taking responsibility for outcomes
Participants leave with:
- Clearer decision-making frameworks
- Stronger alignment across leadership teams
- A deeper understanding of culture and execution
- A defined Personal Leadership Philosophy — The Leader's Compass
Sample Executive Retreat Itinerary
Physical Activity
During our day on the field we will walk a total distance of less than two miles: one mile to retrace the final Confederate assault and shorter walks throughout the day. You always have the option of skipping these walks and riding the bus. The entire group will stay on the bus in the event of lightning.
Day One | Context & Connection
- Arrival at Antrim 1844
- Historical orientation from expert historian
- Private five-course executive dinner
- Guided discussion of current leadership challenges
Day Two | Leadership on the Battlefield
- Breakfast on the Mansion's Veranda
- Guided battlefield study of July 1–3, 1863
- Lunch in historic Gettysburg
- Reflection at the National Cemetery
- Gettysburg Museum visit
- Evening reception with historical re-enactor
- Private five-course executive dinner
Day Three | Application & Action
- Breakfast on the Mansion's Veranda
- Leadership workshop translating battlefield lessons to modern challenges
- Development of a Personal Leadership Philosophy
- Departure with clear commitments and aligned intent
Physical Activity
During our day on the field we will walk a total distance of less than two miles: one mile to retrace the final Confederate assault and shorter walks throughout the day. You always have the option of skipping these walks and riding the bus. The entire group will stay on the bus in the event of lightning.
Bring Your Team To Gettysburg
True leadership isn't something you learn from a handbook. It's shaped in actionable moments when the stakes are high and the path forward isn't clear. The Gettysburg Leadership Experience takes your team out of the boardroom, away from the chaotic pace of daily life, and onto hallowed ground where leaders grappled with some of history's most consequential and life-threatening decisions.
Walking the battlefield provides more than theoretical leadership discussion. By the end of these three days, your team will walk away with more than practical insights. They'll gain a shared perspective, deepened trust, and a clear understanding of how to move forward, leading in alignment together.
For many teams, the experience becomes a turning point which they'll reference long after returning to the office. Take this opportunity to invest in your leaders in a way that is both meaningful and memorable. Give them an experience they will carry with them for the rest of their careers.
