TLCs & TLGs
TLGs (Thought Leader Gatherings) 1998-2012
TLCs (Transformational Leaders Collaboratory) 2012-2016
Twin Cities Minnesota and the San Francisco Bay Area
Early 1998 brought a partnership with Honeywell and Seagate Technology to design, launch, and convene the first of 215 sessions. The inaugural Thought Leader Gathering brought together 40 business and organizational pioneers. Meaningful conversation about things that matter is revolutionary and can transform lives and organizations.
Our invitation was simple yet a first for the times: “The Heartland Institute, in partnership with Seagate Technology and Honeywell Inc., invites you to the first in a series of three bimonthly morning Thought Leader Gathering circle dialogues. These spirited invitational gatherings will draw together corporate change agents and visionary leaders from area organizations in a collegial setting, to create a dialogue between peers of navigating the rapid changes taking place in our workplaces and contemplate the challenges that face our organizations as we enter the 21st century.
A note from 2016: Looking back from 1998 to today, after over 215 sessions, with over 2500 participants in Minnesota and California, we still use the core form that we began with, except that now 95% of each session utilizes a circle format. While many organizational meetings are still often held in rows of chairs or tables and chairs, we know that what we have been exploring in community over the past fifteen years has made an impact on the way people communicate, meet, gather, and make decisions.
At session #201, a high-level executive in a multinational organization marveled at how many of their meetings are held in circle, use a talking piece and utilize listening skills.