Eli Newberger and Tina Packer direct CEO Roundable Annual Retreat at Babson College January 19 - 20, 2012

JANUARY 2012   CEOs are challenged to "Tell The Story" in lessons from Shakespeare and Jazzetreat during CEO Roundtable®'s 2-Day Retreat with Tina Packer and Eli Newberger, hosted by Loren G. Carlson "Can we function as businesses without understanding relationships and our humanity?" Tina Packer, Founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company, asked 50 business leaders during CEO Roundtable's 2-day retreat at the Babson College Executive Conference Center in Wellesley. "We want the company to succeed, but it is more likely to succeed because of relationships. And, those relationships build when we open ourselves to them - "unfold" ourselves [Hamlet, Act I, Scene 1] - as Shakespeare implores," she said. "We think we are fully conscious [present], but really only five percent of us is fully-conscious at a given time," she explained. "CEOs must be able to present their 'whole selves" and manifest themselves more presently to the people they lead. And then the people they lead will want to follow them, to be where they are." Presenting the "whole self" is part of the actor's craft. And, theatre can teach CEOs how to be more conscious and more present. It is a spiritual experience involving the whole human being, a process actors employ to develop their characters, Tina explained. They draw from the depths of their own lives andsouls what is in the unconscious and then "pull it up" to the conscious, even tapping into the experiences they don't want to talk about or the things they want to keep hidden, the things that are their "ghosts." "The actor's job is to speak that which cannot be spoken," she continued, "what you would not normally talk about. But, in theatre, 'that which cannot be spoken' can be talked about when it is turned into a thing of beauty," which Tina said is precisely what Shakespeare did so well through beautiful language. Packer challenged the CEOs to turn what has been a huge challenge, even what is painfully excruciating - "the thing you don't want to talk about" - into a thing of beauty by sharing with the entire group the best and worst things that happened in business this past year; the best and worst things that happened personally in the last year; what their companies contribute to the world, and what they would not usually tell anyone else. Eli Newberger, acclaimed pediatrician and jazzmaster, told the group it is typically more challenging for men to talk about the "unspeakable" and their "ghosts" because men are wired not to expose their vulnerabilities. Men walk into a room, he explained, look at the other men and ask themselves, "Who can I take out?" However, women walk into a room and ask themselves if they will be well-received and if there are people there for them to talk to. "Men need to locate themselves in a dominance hierarchy," Newberger said. "They must keep other males at bay. But, women look for ways to build relationships because relationships for women are life-giving and life-sustaining." Rather than follow the "take them out" approach, which is a road to ruin, Shakespeare's plays suggest the need to find new models of interaction and, work to pursue the female within us, develop creativity and develop the relationships so critical to business success, Packer said. Through the morning, in a remarkably trusting and respectful environment, one by one, each CEO - men and women - shared the stories of their companies and of their lives. They spoke candidly of good relationships with their families, troubled relationships and the loss of those they loved, "recession fatigue," persistent self-doubt, exhaustion, fear, grappling with their own mortality, concern about the future and the world their children and grandchildren will live in intertwined with business successes and challenges in an effort to contribute to better health, financial stability and effective solutions to the world. As the stories progressed, the power, authenticity and humanity of their stories permeated the conference room. "To speak the unspeakable makes your soul bigger, deeper. People respond to that and want to be where you are," she noted. Tina observed that the CEOs were "very much present" as they told their stories and encouraged them to continue to be like the Elizabethans: "Speak from the whole of your body [from your depths, not just the throat and mouth] so when you say "I" your entire being is present." In the afternoon, the story-telling focused on the story as told in music. As Eli on tuba and Bo Winiker, trumpet, and Jimmy Mazzi, banjo wowed the CEOS with examples of jazz's passionate 12-bar blues format, Tina invited the group to write their own blues. As a prompt, she offered the pattern of "when...when...I think...I feel." The CEOs then experienced an afternoon of the stories of great jazz legends like Louis Armstrong, Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington and their music performed by Eli on tuba; Ted Casher on clarinet and tenor saxophone; Jimmy Mazzy on banjo and vocals; Bo on trumpet, and Bob Winter on piano. Gradually, through the afternoon and into the evening, the CEOs were invited to share their own "blues." Perhaps one CEO's personal blues lyrics captured the essence of the day: When I was a Young Man Blues When I was a young man, I thought I knew it all Yes, when I was a young man, I thought I knew it all But now that I'm a grown man, I learned I had to take the fall I think I've learned so many things By falling on my face Yes, I think I've learned so many things By falling on my face If you never trip and stumble, You'll never learn your place So listen to my story, Don't be 'fraid to take a chance Yes, listen to my story, Don't be 'fraid to take a chance 'Cause if you never try it, you'll never learn to dance The next morning, Tina and actor Nigel Gore performed three scenes from their newest work, "The Women of Will." Packer prepared the CEOs for these powerful scenes by providing background on the history of theatre. She explained that theatre allows us to witness people in the human predicament, know that we are not alone but are part of the human race, develop empathy, and see and hear the stories the community needs to hear in order to keep the community together as we try to understand human behavior. Theatre provides validation. It says "you're not in this alone." Theatre harkens to the past to get us to the future, she said, noting that when CEOS make speeches and presentations, they are being teachers, actors, putting on a mantle of power to persuade people to follow them, "to be where you are." "Being a CEO is successfully making something coherent out of a jumble" she said. It is the creative process of putting together financing, production, marketing, HR, R&D and all aspects of business through relationships with others. And, to build those relationships and to maximize them, we must be willing to be completely present as our whole selves and willing to share our stories...even our "ghosts." Tina asked the group, "Do we pay a price if we do not bring our whole selves to the relationship - business or otherwise?" As the retreat came to a close, the CEOs shared some of their "take aways." One CEO experiencing her first CEO Roundtable retreat, said, "Life is meaningless, except for the meaning you give it." A CEO, now attending his eleventh or twelfth CEO Roundtable retreat, said, "There is a level of safety, comfort, at the CEO Roundtable retreats that allows us to peal away the skin, put aside the armor to find ourselves and reveal ourselves." A CEO also attending his first CEO Roundtable retreat said, "I'm glad the retreat centered around the arts." Loren G. Carlson, Founder and Chairman of CEO Roundtable®, has always drawn upon the arts and humanities for the annual retreats. "CEOs don't need another business lesson, but they do need a time-out to get back in touch with their own humanity and explore anew the significance of their work." Since 1996, Loren has mentored and inspired greater-Boston area CEOs through professionally facilitated peer groups. "My mission for 16 years has been to increase the value of the members' companies and enrich the quality of their lives," Loren said. The CEOs in each peer group engage in candid, confidential monthly conversations focused on their challenges and concerns and then receive immediate feedback from their peers reflecting a high level of expertise, insight and mutual respect. Each year, Loren invites all Roundtable members to a thought-provoking 1-1/2 day retreat at Babson College's Executive Conference Center in Wellesley. In the past, these retreats, which have gained national interest, have drawn upon art, poetry and classic literature as spring boards and inspiration points to empower CEOs who are open to reflection and seeking wisdom to explore their own depths. "Steve Jobs said that the key to his success was marrying art with science," Loren said. "Perhaps we are marrying the humanities with the balance sheet." For more information about previous retreats and membership in CEO Roundtable®, visit www.ceo-roundtable.com or call Loren at 978-685-8743. CEO Roundtable, LLC 117 Bridle Path North Andover, MA 01845 978-685-8743 lgcarlson@CEO-Roundtable.com http://www.CEO-roundtable.com   CEO Roundtable on LinkedIn CEO Roundtable on Twitter CEO Roundtable's Blog   To ensure that you receive future emails, please add Loren G. Carlson and lgcarlson@CEO-Roundtable.com to your address book or safe sender list. 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