Art Institute of Chicago

ELE Group, LLC

Design Charrette | The Art of Strategic Listening Art Institute of Chicago | In-person experience
In fast-moving organizations, better listening is not a soft skill. It is a strategic advantage.
This Charrette is fueled by real-world friction.  We are bringing the insights from the Art Institute of Chicago into a group activity to help you:

<ul>
 	<li data-path-to-node="10,1,0,0">Sense the Noise: Identify the "weak signals" in your matrix organization before they become execution drags.</li>
 	<li data-path-to-node="10,1,1,0">Decide with Clarity: Use peer-exchange to pressure-test your assumptions.</li>
 	<li data-path-to-node="10,1,2,0">Evolve the Strategy: Leave with one practical move to improve trust and alignment.</li>
</ul>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45162" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20260424_Action-Planning-Worksheet.jpg" alt="Design Charrette | The Art of Strategic Listening" width="1008" height="612" />
<blockquote>
Open to all attendees: Help shape the agenda by sharing your toughest roadblock.
<a href="https://forms.office.com/r/D5BfchV4Hn" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45002" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Submit-a-Challenge-7.png" alt="Submit a Challenge" width="236" height="97" /></a>
</blockquote>
Using art, observation, and live interactive discussion, this in-person exchange will help leaders:

<ul>
 	<li data-start="655" data-end="682">improve employee engagement</li>
 	<li data-start="685" data-end="722">spot weak signals in disruptive times</li>
 	<li data-start="725" data-end="785">hear multi-gen teams more effectively to improve performance</li>
 	<li data-start="788" data-end="847">listen across matrix organizations during periods of growth</li>
</ul>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-45180" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/About-ELE-Real-Business-Challenges.png" alt="Three-step ELE model showing Real Business Problems leading to Peer-Powered Decisions and Implementation." width="753" height="147" />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45276" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-AIC-Selfie-with-Art-Reflection.jpg" alt="A small group of attendees standing in front of a contemporary art piece at the Art Institute, gesturing and discussing their observations to build alignment and trust." width="1920" height="803" />
Together, the room will examine:

<ul>
 	<li data-start="884" data-end="911">where listening breaks down</li>
 	<li data-start="914" data-end="938">what signals matter most</li>
 	<li data-start="941" data-end="985">how flawed assumptions create execution drag</li>
 	<li data-start="988" data-end="1057">how stronger listening improves trust, alignment, and decision-making</li>
</ul>
Participants will leave with:

<ul>
 	<li data-start="1091" data-end="1114">better questions to ask</li>
 	<li data-start="1117" data-end="1163">sharper ways to notice what is said and unsaid</li>
 	<li data-start="1166" data-end="1211">practical insights they can apply immediately</li>
 	<li data-start="1214" data-end="1280">stronger approaches for identifying real business problems earlier</li>
</ul>
Agenda at a Glance
11:30 AM–12:30 PM Networking lunch
12:30 PM–1:15 PM Welcome, purpose, and participant introductions
1:15 PM–1:30 PM Why listening matters here
1:30 PM–2:00 PM Framing the business challenge with the Action Planning Worksheet
2:00 PM–4:00 PM Small-group working exchange on five leadership listening challenges:

<ol data-start="433" data-end="585">
 	<li data-section-id="y47uhk" data-start="433" data-end="462">Signals and sense-making</li>
 	<li data-section-id="1fgqjwe" data-start="463" data-end="498">Assumptions and interpretation</li>
 	<li data-section-id="6zhwua" data-start="499" data-end="527">Trust and team dialogue</li>
 	<li data-section-id="12d6to0" data-start="528" data-end="559">Decision-making and action</li>
 	<li data-section-id="o1w6z7" data-start="560" data-end="585">Seeing the whole scene</li>
</ol>
4:00 PM–4:45 PM Group debrief: opportunities and action planning
4:45 PM–5:00 PM Wrap-up and final reflections
Set inside the Art Institute of Chicago, this extended experience is designed for leaders who want to strengthen judgment, deepen peer exchange, and improve how they listen in the middle of change.
<img class="aligncenter" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Ryan-Learning-Center-banner.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="322" />

ELE’s Chicagoland cohort brings together senior Talent, Learning, HR, and workforce leaders for ongoing in-person exchange around real business and workforce challenges. Members use these experiences to compare approaches, pressure-test ideas, and build practical next steps with peers facing similar complexity.

<hr />

Hosted by the Executive Learning Exchange (ELE), this experience is part of ELE’s Chicagoland community for senior leaders navigating change, capability, and execution.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Design Charrette | The Art of Strategic Listening @  The Art Institute of Chicago

single-event

future of work

Talent Executives

Chicago Cohort

chicagoland

dirk.tussing

ele chicago cohort

deborah.lenchard

informal learning

mickey.mantas

in-person event

action learning

self-awareness

Culture Change

Engagement &amp; Culture

patricia.ouzounian

Personal Development

Listening Strategies

toyia.stewart

Active Listening

employee listening

self-reflection

2Q2025

listening culture

alaska.fu

Human Synergistics

Session Focus: Integrating Art and Interactivity to Enhance Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills in Professional Development Training

Experience <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd2drb404.na1.hs-sales-engage.com%2FCtc%2FRK%2B23284%2Fd2DRB404%2FJkM4YGXpW6N1X8z6lZ3kvW9g1qlX7tDTfSW4jd_rc7wXg_vW2Vd8GD8VtXPnW5htnXy43FtT8W7kGQm-2Sr7mtW6g2pQN7h6BW9W5SF4V26Hw0QJW1nSX1z6YGccTW4SVn-x6JlMmFW5nZYzs3lhPH_N3VjZhvj4FkSW7xk5-X925HVmW4myzF_6ttv5HW3K59bC5vHt8nV6qdMt96ZrH1VwcSW_92Vj14W4WrlGG7rt-V6W1m9fHX30B7nWW4gPLKY8Mc56QW69lGYh3Jtl2FW8y8HTK6WzkxjVJ3vr-3HXNjDVC8R5n2x-Y2lW9lMF4c81PD33W3blLZg7gYYWqN7-9ZfKsd30yW8WySKV6_4GfnW1j0Rn34mCwkpW7kXGrZ4-yq9MW8c3LXV7tHpL0W5H3sZZ3fr6FcW8q59B_81Sp8PW1dsMC05_RySMN8dRJn4nqWscW4DlWPZ5ypXdkN618_38tCkrSW4mJbkc4Q6h75N1WwWKQ5pTYGdjzWzx04&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctri%40ele.llc%7C3760941141504145f6b408ddd4166e94%7C41ae97ca63444d068b300ca2a2dee0da%7C0%7C0%7C638899914998072245%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qzzcv3KJCTzi%2BnazJNjqBK4DUVoVAw%2BgvP3ct%2BC0leA%3D&amp;reserved=0">Team Building Subarctic Survival Simulation | Human Synergistics</a> with the brightest minds in talent development.

Join senior talent development leaders for a bold, immersive afternoon where the art of learning meets the science of performance.

Hosted inside Chicago’s Quari Ice Factory—a striking space where creativity, ice, and industrial chic collide—this interactive professional development experience centers on the Subarctic Survival Simulation, one of Human Synergistics’ most popular and powerful team-building tools.

You’ll be dropped (figuratively!) into a scenario where you and your peers have just crash-landed on the remote shores of Laura Lake in subarctic Canada. Armed with only 15 salvaged items and the collective brainpower of your team, you’ll need to prioritize, problem-solve, and make high-stakes decisions to “stay alive.”

Reserve your spot today, and get ready to engage and learn in an entirely new way.

Why attend?

🧊 Step outside the box: Trade slides and scripts for scenario-based learning that drives behavior change.

🧠 Sharpen problem-solving skills: Explore how diverse perspectives unlock better decisions—under pressure.

🤝 Elevate collaboration: Experience firsthand how synergy (or lack thereof) impacts outcomes.

🎨 Infuse creativity into L&amp;D: Hosted at the creative epicenter of Quari Ice, this isn’t your average workshop.
<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
“Because wisdom cannot be told. Action/involvement is vital to how people learn. We learn by doing.” -- Elaine Bernard, Ph.D., Labor &amp; Worklife Program, Harvard Law School
</blockquote>
Whether you're building a new team, developing emerging leaders, or looking to energize your learning strategy, this session is designed to deliver fresh perspective, peer insights, and practical tools you can take back to your own learning ecosystem.

Learn more: <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd2drb404.na1.hs-sales-engage.com%2FCtc%2FRK%2B23284%2Fd2DRB404%2FJkM4YGXpW6N1X8z6lZ3kvW9g1qlX7tDTfSW4jd_rc7wXg_vW2Vd8GD8VtXPnW5htnXy43FtT8W7kGQm-2Sr7mtW6g2pQN7h6BW9W5SF4V26Hw0QJW1nSX1z6YGccTW4SVn-x6JlMmFW5nZYzs3lhPH_N3VjZhvj4FkSW7xk5-X925HVmW4myzF_6ttv5HW3K59bC5vHt8nV6qdMt96ZrH1VwcSW_92Vj14W4WrlGG7rt-V6W1m9fHX30B7nWW4gPLKY8Mc56QW69lGYh3Jtl2FW8y8HTK6WzkxjVJ3vr-3HXNjDVC8R5n2x-Y2lW9lMF4c81PD33W3blLZg7gYYWqN7-9ZfKsd30yW8WySKV6_4GfnW1j0Rn34mCwkpW7kXGrZ4-yq9MW8c3LXV7tHpL0W5H3sZZ3fr6FcW8q59B_81Sp8PW1dsMC05_RySMN8dRJn4nqWscW4DlWPZ5ypXdkN618_38tCkrSW4mJbkc4Q6h75N1WwWKQ5pTYGdjzWzx04&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctri%40ele.llc%7C3760941141504145f6b408ddd4166e94%7C41ae97ca63444d068b300ca2a2dee0da%7C0%7C0%7C638899914998098919%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Cz1gK38uMDYngDLUXD3OB2B%2BdcMndFToG8q2zIAG6cA%3D&amp;reserved=0">Team Building Subarctic Survival Simulation | Human Synergistics</a>

<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BKJjTYYTOPo?si=dyq2bUmxJLaKC_8g" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Our quarterly cohort exchanges use the following design elements:
<ol>
 	<li>Sharing practical case studies aligned to business needs</li>
 	<li>Identifying key issues and developing insights and solutions</li>
 	<li>Canvassing learning industry trends applied at ELE members’ workplace</li>
</ol>
ELE's Chicagoland cohort for DEI, Talent, and HR Executives is a year-long learning process through face-to-face collaboration and networking with senior HR Talent and DEI Leaders. Each member company is encouraged to bring two peers from their organization.

<hr />

ELE produces this Chicagoland CLO Group.

Subarctic Survival: Leadership Experience @ Quari Ice, Fulton Market

angie.zeigler

audrey.sullivan

critical thinking

Future of Work

angelica.janina.stilling

4Q2025

cathleen.cooke

problem-solving skills

Session Focus: Integrating Art and Interactivity to Enhance Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills in Professional Development Training

Join us for a unique professional development experience with the Executive Learning Exchange's "Learning Outside the Box for Upskilling" at The Art Institute of Chicago. This immersive event, set within the inspiring Ryan Learning Center – the museum’s hub for learning and creativity – offers a powerful blend of art engagement and interactive activities. Our sessions are designed to enrich your understanding of talent development by exploring:
<ul>
 	<li>Beyond External Metrics: We'll move beyond traditional assessments of success to delve into crucial internal measures of growth, such as embracing challenges and envisioning professional journeys.</li>
 	<li>The Power of "Yearning-Based Learning": Discover how understanding the deep motivations for belonging, mattering, contribution, and growth can drive individual and team engagement.</li>
 	<li>Art-Inspired Insights: Through interactive discussions and drawing inspiration from the art around us, you'll gain practical strategies to identify these yearnings in yourself and others.</li>
 	<li>Cultivating Continuous Development: Learn how to foster deeper connections and build a culture of ongoing growth and enhanced critical thinking, essential in today’s dynamic business landscape.</li>
</ul>
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since AIC is closed on Tuesday, April 29, the day of the ELE event, attendees will need to enter at 100 S Columbus. <a href="https://www.ele.llc/venues/artic">CLICK HERE</a> to see the map.

Don’t miss this chance to redefine traditional learning approaches by integrating the arts into executive training. This innovative method not only improves learning outcomes but also widens your strategic perspective, which is essential for leadership and decision-making. Connect with fellow talent leaders in an environment that stimulates your intellectual and creative abilities.

Reserve your spot today, and get ready to engage and learn in an entirely new way.

<img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-37925" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/EMPLOYEE-EXPERIENCE-Moments-That-Matter-Infographic-1024x576.jpg" alt="EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE Moments That Matter" width="1024" height="576" />

Our quarterly cohort exchanges use the following design elements:
<ol>
 	<li>Sharing practical case studies aligned to business needs</li>
 	<li>Identifying key issues and developing insights and solutions</li>
 	<li>Canvassing learning industry trends applied at ELE members’ workplace</li>
</ol>
<img class="aligncenter" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Ryan-Learning-Center-banner.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="322" />

ELE's Chicagoland cohort for DEI, Talent, and HR Executives is a year-long learning process through face-to-face collaboration and networking with senior HR Talent and DEI Leaders. Each member company is encouraged to bring two peers from their organization.

Learning Outside the Box for Upskilling @ The Art Institute of Chicago

jacki.davidoff

denise.banks

kelly.wojda

DEIB

Session Focus: Integrating Art and Interactivity to Enhance Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills in Professional Development Training

Join us for a unique professional development experience with the Executive Learning Exchange's "Learning Outside the Box for Upskilling" at The Art Institute of Chicago. This immersive event, set within the inspiring Ryan Learning Center – the museum’s hub for learning and creativity – offers a powerful blend of art engagement and interactive activities. Our sessions are designed to enrich your understanding of talent development by exploring:
<ul>
 	<li>Beyond External Metrics: We'll move beyond traditional assessments of success to delve into crucial internal measures of growth, such as embracing challenges and envisioning professional journeys.</li>
 	<li>The Power of "Yearning-Based Learning": Discover how understanding the deep motivations for belonging, mattering, contribution, and growth can drive individual and team engagement.</li>
 	<li>Art-Inspired Insights: Through interactive discussions and drawing inspiration from the art around us, you'll gain practical strategies to identify these yearnings in yourself and others.</li>
 	<li>Cultivating Continuous Development: Learn how to foster deeper connections and build a culture of ongoing growth and enhanced critical thinking, essential in today’s dynamic business landscape.</li>
</ul>
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since AIC is closed on Tuesday, April 29, the day of the ELE event, attendees will need to enter at 100 S Columbus. <a href="https://www.ele.llc/venues/artic">CLICK HERE</a> to see the map.

Don’t miss this chance to redefine traditional learning approaches by integrating the arts into executive training. This innovative method not only improves learning outcomes but also widens your strategic perspective, which is essential for leadership and decision-making. Connect with fellow talent leaders in an environment that stimulates your intellectual and creative abilities.

Reserve your spot today, and get ready to engage and learn in an entirely new way.

<img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-37925" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/EMPLOYEE-EXPERIENCE-Moments-That-Matter-Infographic-1024x576.jpg" alt="EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE Moments That Matter" width="1024" height="576" />

Our quarterly cohort exchanges use the following design elements:
<ol>
 	<li>Sharing practical case studies aligned to business needs</li>
 	<li>Identifying key issues and developing insights and solutions</li>
 	<li>Canvassing learning industry trends applied at ELE members’ workplace</li>
</ol>
<img class="aligncenter" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Ryan-Learning-Center-banner.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="322" />

ELE's Chicagoland cohort for DEI, Talent, and HR Executives is a year-long learning process through face-to-face collaboration and networking with senior HR Talent and DEI Leaders. Each member company is encouraged to bring two peers from their organization.

<hr />

ELE produces this Chicagoland CLO Group.

Learning Outside the Box for Upskilling @  The Art Institute of Chicago

Accenture

Drawing on the extensive experience of our 16,000 management consultants globally, Accenture Management Consulting helps clients identify and deliver value with pace, certainty, and strategic agility. Individuals work alongside top thinkers and leaders in industry and functions to make a real difference in the way the world’s leading organizations operate. Working across the spectrum of Management Consulting activities and initiatives, Accenture resources have more significant opportunities to broaden their career and tackle complex, stimulating challenges. Hiring, developing, and retaining talent while ensuring the right people are available at the right time in the proper role is critical to ensuring the success of our talent and our clients.
Our Management Consulting Development Program (MCDP) is explicitly geared at recent college graduates, who join as a new Business Analyst. MCDP is an intensive two to the three-year program that helps our Business Analysts develop the essential core skills to be relevant to clients and profitable as a management consultant.
Aimed at equipping talent with a “CEO Mindset,” MCDP takes a comprehensive approach to develop leadership skills. Throughout their time in the program, individuals are exposed to a spectrum of management consulting experiences across various specialty areas including Analytics, Customer Relationship Management, Finance &amp; Enterprise Performance, Operations, Risk Management, Strategy, Sustainability, and Talent &amp; Organization. They also participate in a full classroom as well as on-the-job competency development activities.
Individuals in MCDP are encouraged to hone their leadership skills through participation and leadership in defined Action Teams, which design and deliver several strategic initiatives both within geographic “hubs” and across North America.

<ul>
 	<li>Ensure support from all directions (leadership, HR, project managers, etc.)</li>
 	<li>Leverage feedback to continually improve</li>
 	<li>Tailor the experience to the individual to increase relevancy</li>
 	<li>Leverage analytics to refine the recruiting profile and recruiting sources</li>
</ul>

Accenture Case Study: "Unleashing the Power of the Ant Hill"

analytics

Strategy

Leadership

Sales &amp; Customer Service

people strategy

learning culture

consultative

upskilling

growth mindset

talent development

effective leadership

accelerated leadership development

karen.bychowski

customer service

A comprehensive approach to internal talent development can have a significant and measurable impact on the satisfaction of your employees and the bottom line of your company.
The problem is knowing where to start, what existing learning assets to leverage, and how to define a clear path for the program that shows the impact on Day One and throughout the employee life cycle.
Join Lynn Miller from Allen Communication Learning Services and our Learning Leader Panelists in an interactive conversation with session participants
Questions that participants will be asked to encourage their participation and contributions of ideas include:
<ul>
 	<li>How can development be accelerated throughout the life cycle of each employee?</li>
 	<li>What are examples of development assignments and learning programs aligned with business goals and demonstrate results?</li>
 	<li>What type of involvement from management accelerates the pipeline and impacts results?</li>
 	<li>Where are the tools, resources, support that will enable managers to coach their employees efficiently and effectively?</li>
 	<li>How can you build momentum with quick wins and marketing? </li>
</ul>
Hear how experts in the field of leadership & talent development approach demonstrating business impact and engage in a lively discussion.

How to Maximize Learning Assets, Optimize Your Talent & Demonstrate Impact—Begin on Day One!

integrated talent management

Integrated Talent Management

tracey.wik

marketing learning

coaching

brigette.richaerson

lynn.miller

Learn best practices from the Executive Learning Exchange’s powerful network of learning and talent development leaders.  This is our second printed collection of lessons learned focused on Unleashing Workforce Potential.  Each essay provides real-world tips and techniques that are sure to deliver immediate inspiration and guidance on the type of continuous learning that leads to business results.

Unleashing Workforce Potential : Accelerating EXTRAORDINARY Business Results (ELE Book 2)

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