The Art of Leadership Training Program
Dates TBA, July 2011
Sapphire Canyon, near Estes Park - Colorado

A 23-year tradition of inner and outer exploration
at a week long wilderness encampment


Simon&Tom


The Creative Edge of Leadership
Leadership is a quality both seductive and elusive. In the classic model, the leader stars in the movie, leads his charges into battle, and gets the prettiest girl. The leader says, "This way, men!" and none hesitate to follow. Most of us yearn to be that guy, but who is he really? What does it mean to be the leader?

Experience teaches us that "leader" is not a title conferred on a man for life. In some situations you lead, at other times, you follow. Following, tuning in, guiding quietly in the background may in fact be key attributes of soulful leadership. Above all, who can be a leader if he does not first know himself? How can this man lead others if he is uncertain of his own motives? What hope is there for society if immature men fight to be leaders,in order to prove to themselves something they really don't understand?

In our thinking, leadership is an art. It is a process of exploration: into our depths, into our family history, into the power of council and ritual, then out among our communities. As an art, leadership involves the courage to face the creative edge of uncertainty and to leap boldly into the unknown. As an art, leadership is a talent we all possess, one that we can develop and practice to free our creative power and therby truly serve our communities, our families and ourselves.

Stories of the Experience


"Because of these men, there was a framework set up to receive me as a young man who was full of ideals and passion. There was a net to be caught in, to be mentored and shown how to be a man, how to grow up and take ownership of my life."

     — Seth Braun, 29, Boulder, Colorado
     Musician, Healer, Entrepreneur

"There's so much that goes on. I showed up afraid, having a lot of judgment. I look back on that and realize that's how I walked through life, afraid, mistrustful, full of judgments. During the week the fear and judgment started to go away. I experienced the men for who they were. I started to open up. I got to look at a lot of pieces of who I am, the parts that have been protected by all this fear and judgment."

     — Dave Cottrell, 40, Conifer, Colorado
     Programmer, Real Estate Investor

"The Art of Leadership was among the most meaningful pieces I have ever done. I did the training five years ago, and since that time, every day, I have worn the necklace I received. Every day I put it on, and I touch and feel the power of that time. It never leaves me."

     — Marty Hellman, 52, Norwich, Connecticut
     Optometrist

"Before meeting these men, I had no sense for the value of my life, of all the years that had passed. I was afraid to live, afraid to die. Now I have been seen. I have been appreciated, blessed and honored. All of my shadows, the parts of myself I used to hate, I can now embrace as pieces in the tapestry of my beauty as an elder."

     — Bob Cote, 72, Berkshires, Massachusetts
     Substance Abuse Counselor


Crossing the Threshold
We will rendezvous together at a location in Boulder, Colorado, then caravan toward Estes Park. We will turn off the main road, up a steep slope, on our way to private land, surrounded by National Forest.

There you will cross a small creek, and enter another world. There will be the smell of burning sage, perhaps a soaring red tail hawk, or a raven, the chirping of a mountain squirrel, a distant drumbeat. You will be welcomed for the man you are, in your beauty, with your wounds, your history, your dreams, hopes, fears and longings.

There will be a circle of men. All will speak their names. Each will be honored. There will be the smell of a home cooked meal from the outdoor kitchen. You will form smaller groups of five or six men, each held by two experienced staff members. You will set up your tent among the aspen and spruce. You may take a hike along the rocky crags.

You will know you have arrived somewhere different, and yet deeply familiar. It is a place your ancestors knew, a place all men came from. You will feel what is right for you: frightened, exhilarated, nervous, joyful, alive, or maybe numb. Whatever it is, it will be right for you, and you will go from there.


Finding Allies
You will quickly learn, and may already know, that you are surrounded by allies. Nearly half of the men around you have completed this training themselves. They are there to guide and serve.

The facilitators have for 23 years, every summer, conducted the Art of Leadership together. It has not made them rich. They are not famous. They continue because this work is of primary importance to them. They have known the pain of man-hood in the modern world, and have dedicated themselves to helping other men heal, to foster their own growth, and encourage a practice of masculine leadership that comes from kindness, self-knowledge, humility, personal responsibility, and love.

They will take you through powerful rituals. They will listen intently as you tell your stories. They will share their wisdom gently, more interested in the questions behind your journey than in their own answers. They will eat meals with you, stretch with you each morning, and share a favorite poem or tell a meaningful story.

 

The staff will accept you as you are, and facilitate processes that serve you personally on your path to soulful leadership. Within hours a village of brothers will form, miraculously, genuinely, allowing connections that can last a lifetime.

Do You Hear the Call?
The Art of Leadership has, for 23 consecutive years, in the arms of wild nature, brought a collection of men together, most of them strangers, for the sake of exploring their manhood. It has directly touched some 300 men, who have touched hundreds more, who have touched thousands. Almost everyone who has come has done so out of faith, out of trust in a man who did the training, and believed it would serve his friend. These men heard the call, and took the risk to live their lives, at least for one week, as a bold, important mission - then see where it lead them next.

Men heard the call in many different ways:

 

— I was in my 40's and wanted a deeper understanding of my life: where I was going, and who was going with me.

— I couldn't understand why I was angry all the time. Anything that didn't go my way, I got pissed off at somebody. I wondered if there was an alternative.

— I was a young man, living in the city, among the violence and the chaos, and some older guys said, "Hey, you should check this out. We'll help you."

— I had lived a full life, retired many years ago, but felt there was another chapter yet for me. I wanted to explore the gifts I had yet to give.


And in 300 other unique and personal ways, men heard the call, and they responded. We invite you to take a listen. Listen to your heart. Is it time for a unique exploration you will never forget?

Teepee&Birds


Lead Facilitators
Tom Daly, Jeffrey Duvall, Keith Fairmont, and Mel Grusing.

In various combinations, these team members have led over 23 years of Leadership Training programs. Together they create and maintain a safe container of acceptance, exploration, and transition. You can view biographies of our staff here.

Guides
Several guides serve as assistant staff members in this training and are essential to the team. They come also to continue their personal development, focusing on their skills as students, elders and leaders. Many of the guides continue to return to Sapphire Canyon, to be of service to the program, and to help others bring out their own sense of leadership.

Dates
Dates TBA, July 2011

Enrollment
Attendance is kept low out of respect for the land and because we believe in personal attention and exquisite care for the needs of all participants. Our usual staff to participant ratio is one to two.

Location
Participants camp at Sapphire Canyon, in a secluded, privately owned, 180 acre tract, adjoining 3,000 acres of national forest.

The program includes a comprehensive training notebook with both pre-training preparation and post-training integration. Hearty, wholesome, home-cooked meals are provided daily.

George&Mel

 

Costs
We offer a sliding scale registration ranging from $1,400-2,800. We ask that you pay what you can afford and help with scholarships. We know that this program is worth the $2,800, but we want to assure that everyone who wishes to attend is not held back due to financial consideration.

A minimum non-refundable deposit of $250 is required to hold your reservation and assure you of a spot in this gathering. Meals are included. Space is limited to 20 participants.

The Colorado training is tent camping, a full gear list will be mailed to you upon recieving your registration.

Prior to your arrival at the training, you will receive a packet with complete details and a list of questions for you to consider.

Complete information regarding the 2011 program will be posted to this website by November, 2010. For more information or other inquiries please contact us
The Men's Leadership Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring realization of the authentic self.
We encourage and support soulful living in the service of a just, joyful, and sustainable world.
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