Conscious leadership is the ability to bring our whole self to all we do with extraordinary self-awareness. Conscious leaders understand how their inner world impacts their ability to respond with wisdom and compassion to the demands of their organization, the people they lead and the environment. Conscious leaders have growth mindsets. They see every interaction as an opportunity to learn. They recognize their part in creating the systems and circumstances they are trying to change.

We live and lead in an age of disruption that calls for agility, equanimity and wisdom. Our current mindsets are overwhelmed and underdeveloped.

Our conscious leadership curriculum is grounded in the neuroscience informed SyncUp4 Leadership model and the Internal Family Systems model. Internal Family Systems is recognized as one of the most powerful ways to work with the unconscious. 

Drawing from deep experience as researchers, consultants, educators and coaches we create a safe environment that allows you to self-inquire with depth, compassion, curiosity and courage.  

You will be working to uncover lifelong patterns and identify the unconscious parts of yourself that keep these patterns in place. You’ll learn to recognize and understand how these parts of yourself are burdened with negative beliefs, attitudes and feelings learned at different stages of life. 

You will apply your learnings to key relationships, to your professional environment, to your team/or clients, to your organization; to your present and your future goals.

The goal is to reconnect to your authentic core, vitality and inner knowing. This brings internal harmony and joy and greater capacity to respond to increasingly complex challenges. 

We invite you to an iterative dance of short lectures, self assessments, application exercises, guided meditation, journaling, discussions and time for mind-body integration. This is how you will harness the power of neuroplasticity to explore and rewire old patterns and habits into more agile responses. 

If becoming more conscious is important to you, if developing deeper self-awareness and a stronger connection to your whole self is important to you, we will expertly guide you for four days to identify, understand and unleash the burdens and stress that cloud your best self. 

Taking time out of your day-to-day activity for self-reflection is critical to uncovering your unique greatness. You will leave this retreat with new perspectives and practices, new friends on the consciousness journey and an expanded capacity to achieve more than you thought you could.

You will grow your self-compassion which directly affects your ability to maintain a growth mindset and learn from experience as you navigate an increasingly ambiguous and complex set of leadership challenges. Leaders with self-compassion support a climate that encourages innovation and healthy risk-taking. 

This retreat is designed to strengthen your connection to your authentic voice which liberates you and gives others permission to do the same. 

You will understand key relationships, especially those that excite fear and anxiety, from a new perspective. New information allows you to move through and beyond energy depleting patterns to a place of freedom with options for a better future. 

You’ll leave with more courage to drive clear-headed action in daily life. 

• We are researchers, educators and pioneers in the field of vertical development — an emerging, evidence-based set of best practices that focus on growing leadership agility.
• We make science practically useful in service of thriving organizations and a better world. Our SyncUp4 Model for building leadership capacity is grounded in Dr. Dan Siegel’s interpersonal neurobiology approach to mind-brain integration. Dr. Siegel is the author of Mindsight, The Whole Brain Child and Aware.
• We are pleased to collaborate with Dr. Richard Schwartz, the founder of the Internal Family Systems (IFS), to be among the first to bring this model to organizations. Watch this seven-minute video to learn more about this evidence-based approach to improving functioning and well-being. 
• We teach in the globally ranked MSOD program at Pepperdine University Graduate School of Business. Dr. Terri Egan is a professor of applied behavioral science at Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business. Suzanne Lahl, MSOD has led consciousness retreats globally and has coached executives and leaders for over three decades.
• We have developed evidence-based self assessments that expand consciousness. 
• We have authored peer reviewed articles on leadership and neuroscience informed mind-brain integration and vertical development.  
• We believe the most important resource we have under our control for navigating complexity in the workplace is conscious leadership. 
• We are part of a network of practitioners and academics committed to the art and science of expanding consciousness. 

• Executives and senior leaders curious about growth mindsets and creating conscious cultures. 
• Organization development and leadership development practitioners.
• Non-profit leaders and executives.
• Emerging leaders with big vision and capability.
• Entrepreneurs who seek a competitive edge.
• Teams with complex missions.
• Multi-sector collaborations focused on wicked social issues.
• Coaches focused on self–awareness, growth mindset, strategic thinking. 
• Small teams 

You’ll move from a morning of applied learning in an open and bright classroom to an afternoon of learning in nature.  Each day ends with time to integrate new awareness and insights followed by mindful movement or sound healing.

• Breakfast at 8:00
• Morning Session (9:00-12:00) 
• Lunch and break for renewal and integration (12:00-2:00)
• Afternoon Session (2:00-5:00) 
• Break and Dinner (5:00-7:00)
• Evening Session (7:00-9:00) 

Options to engage in coaching and small group learning will be available post the retreat.