Executive Retreat
Kielder Conference & Training Centre, Northumberland
Who is this for?
- Directors and senior executives whose work and life is hectic.
- People who’ll appreciate facilitated, reflective thinking time away from the office.
- Those stimulated by a small group of selected, like-minded individuals in an atmosphere that's deliberately quite different.
What happens there?
- Alan Ross facilitates the retreat, using ARK Associates’ unique techniques for Thinking…Listening…Communicating
- Discussions are in plenary and 1:1 sessions, with plenty of time for personal reflection in an idyllic location.
- Delegates discuss new ideas and share thinking about their own way forward.
- Delegates make clear decisions about what to change in their lives and work.
- Alan also offers an introduction to yoga, relaxation, breathing and meditation techniques suitable for the workplace – hugely popular with delegates.
Why should you attend?
- You'll have time and space to think – much more than is usual at work.
- You'll explore and learn a range of techniques – for stopping, thinking, listening and communicating - that you can take back and implement straight away in your own life and work.
- Are you facing challenging issues? The group will help you think them through – just ask previous delegates about the benefits of facilitated thinking like this!
Who attends?
Many previous delegates act as referees for the retreat. We’ll put you in touch with one or two if you want to hear their thoughts. Some come back more than once.
Cheryl Black – Director, O2
Steve Blake – Director, Sunderland Marine
Alison Burn – Partner, Ward Hadaway
Mary Coyle – CEO, Aspire
John Cuthbert – CEO, Northumbrian Water
John Dalgety – former Chairman, Center Parcs
Andrew Dixon – CEO, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative
Lesley Fairclough – Partner, Ward Hadaway
Matthew Grant – Director, Northumbrian Water
Alan Hall – CEO, Engineering Employers’ Federation
David Harker – CEO, Durham County Cricket Club
Mark Henderson – CEO, Northumberland County Council
Carole Howells – CEO, Newcastle Council for Voluntary Service
Mark Johnson – HR Director, Manchester Airports Group
Steve Lambert – Director, TDR Group
John Litherland – CEO, Northumberland Strategic Partnership
Susan McDonnell – former Director, Adit NE
Bill McGawley – MD, TDR Group
Austin McNamara – CEO, Connexions Northumberland
Richard Macalister – Director, Wise Speke
Jamie Martin - Managing Partner, Ward Hadaway
Tony Noble – MD, Petty Wood & Co
Kevin O’Connor – Office Managing Partner, Baker Tilly
Roger O’Donnell – Partner, Ward Hadaway
Stephen Oliver – MD, Union Pub Company
Alan Puddick – Director, Henry Williams
Caroline Slater – Cabin Crew Manager, British Airways
Fiona Slater – MD, Slaters Electricals
Vicki Smith – Director, Accelerate
Deborah Spence – Associate, Ward Hadaway
Caroline Theobald – CEO, Bridge Club
Tim Toomey – Partner, Ward Hadaway
Ian Young – Director, TDR Group
What results can you expect?
You'll take clear decisions about your future plans and how you'll achieve them. Delegate comments include:
"The best quality thinking I have done for years – thank you"
"A lifeline to me at this point in my job.....delegates input made it fantastic"
"Timing of the course great….plenty of time to think"
"I will go away with a number of things to do, both personally and with my team"
"Thank you for showing how different things can be"
"Very rewarding experience"
"Very unwound now!"
"I went home feeling very relaxed, yet focused on the way forward"
"My thinking got much clearer, thanks"
"Very valuable experience, enabling me to clear my mind"
"Tangible actions defined"
"Other delegates were excellent"
"The formula definitely worked for me"
"Great venue, excellent delegates, plenty of benefits and ideas"
"Venue was terrific – a great place to be"
"Very good retreat - thank you"
"Delegates were an excellent match for me"
"I am confident I will change how I do things in my personal and professional life- thank you!!"
"Felt luxurious – I learned to relax in a business friendly way for the first time"
"The Retreat was the most wonderful and thought provoking experience. I have come back to work feeling thoroughly refreshed, with renewed vigour and armed with tactics to get more out of each working day."
"I have had an enriching life-affirming experience which will make me more effective in all aspects of my life"
"The main thing for me was giving me the space, time and the challenging and supportive environment to examine some real issues for me"
What does it cost?
£950 plus VAT per delegate, fully inclusive of accommodation and meals.
Venue
Kielder Conference & Training Centre, Northumberland, tel 01434 250294 www.kielder.org is a perfect retreat venue for quiet reflection and thinking.
Facilitator
Alan Ross has been coaching individual executives and senior teams for over 12 years. His company, ARK Associates, also undertakes consultancy projects for private and public sector organisations. Alan’s previous experience was in large food and drink companies, where he spent 10 years as a sales and marketing director.
ARK clients include ACAS, Atkins Group, Barratts, BT, Dickinson Dees, Durham County Cricket Club, HBOS, Newcastle, Sunderland and Northumberland Councils, Sanofi-Aventis, Scottish & Newcastle, Scottish Water, Siemens and many SMEs. More information at www.arkassociates.com
More information and bookings
Contact Alan Ross on 07774 413482 or alan@arkassociates.com
Want your own company retreat?
This retreat can also be arranged and run separately for executive groups who want their own facilitated retreat, either at Kielder or a venue of your choice.
