ELE brings leaders together across companies and industries to work through the messy stuff: decisions, risk, handoffs, execution drag, and what it takes to move from idea to action.

UPCOMING CALENDAR

LATEST IDEA EXCHANGE

RECENT INSIGHTS

WHO WE ARE

About ELE

Schedule a Local Meetup

Companies In Our Network

Contact ELE

Figure out if ELE is for you. Straight answers on what ELE is, who it’s built for, and how contributing members actually work together. Still have a question? Contact us.

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

In his bestselling book From Values to Action, Harry Kraemer showed how self-reflection, balance, true self-confidence, and genuine humility are the traits of today's most effective leaders. In Becoming the Best, his highly anticipated follow-up, Kraemer reveals how, in practical terms, anyone can apply these principles to become a values-based leader and to help create values-based organizations.

&nbsp;

Drawing on his own experiences as the former CEO and chairman of Baxter International, as well as those of other notable leaders and organizations, Kraemer lays out a pathway for understanding the principles and putting them into practice, showing specifically, how to:

&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>Use self-reflection to become your "best self" as you lead yourself and others more effectively</li>
 	<li>Create a "best team" that understands and appreciates what they're doing, and why</li>
 	<li>Forge "best partnerships" through win/win collaboration with vendors and customers that enhance the end user's experience Support the mission, vision, and values of the organization to generate returns that distinguish a "best investment"</li>
 	<li>Make a difference in the world beyond the organization by becoming a "best citizen"</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Becoming the Best: Build a World-Class Organization Through Values-Based Leadership

team-building

julian.malnak

effective leadership

best practices

harry.kraemer

Professional Growth

Leadership Skills

values-based leadership

world-class organization

corporate values

leadership principles

stakeholder engagement

values-based organizations

values to action

In this highly-anticipated book, Harry Kraemer argues that today's business environment demands values-based leaders who, in "doing the right thing," deliver outstanding and lasting results. The journey to becoming a values-based leader starts with self-reflection. He asks, "If you are not self-reflective, how can you know yourself? If you do not know yourself, how can you lead yourself? If you cannot lead yourself, how can you lead others?" Kraemer identifies self-reflection as the first of four principles that guide leaders to make choices that honor their values and candidly recounts how these principles helped him navigate some of the toughest challenges he faced in his career.

Login