Evolve: The Art of Transformational Leadership & Facilitation

Are you in the midst of a transition, looking to cultivate your inner leader and build a sustainable community inspired by collaboration?

Many seek a new way of leading and experiencing community. The nature of people has changed, requiring a different way to create healthy communities that understand and respond to the current needs of the people. 

Evolve introduces leaders of all kinds to a transformational toolbox, whether they are leaders in their families and communities, coaches, teachers, facilitators, or leading teams in different modalities, and sectors. Facilitation skills and processes within the toolbox will help deepen one’s leadership ability through shared leadership practices. Shared leadership supports the knowing that no one person has all the answers, evolving the leader-follower model into a co-leadership model where all can support and learn from each other.

This program is co-facilitated by members of Edge’s core team with some special guests. Most importantly, your gifts, needs, insights, and wisdom will co-create the group program experience as it unfolds.

Experience Transformational Leadership:

It’s all experiential – Together we will actively:

• Create safe, inclusive space and strong sense of community.
• Move our heart-fueled passions out into action and service to the world.
• Lead from a place of presence, intuition and authenticity. 
• Gain insight on our personal & collective journeys by tuning into how nature can inform us.
• Build resilience through self-care, honouring our personal boundaries.
• Lead with more joy and energy; and less stress and resistance. 
• Build a support system with other leaders and allies.
• Engage the hidden talents, creativity, and abilities of our communities.
• Practice heart-centered communication and active listening.
• Embrace “planned spontaneity,” flexible programming to take advantage of special opportunities that may arise.
• Experience how rituals and ceremonies can initiate and anchor our learnings.
• Debrief experiences, considering “What happened?”, “Why it matters,” and “What next?”, taking the learning one step further.

For twenty-five years, the Edge has hosted transformational retreats and programs in nature for a variety of groups and individuals. These experiences led the Edge to co-creating the Way of the Circle, a flexible and universal framework for shared leadership that provides the foundation for their retreats and programs. The Way of the Circle focuses on fundamental principles and elements that are the building blocks of authentic leadership, as inspired by nature.

Some words from our guests :

• "Classes and workshops are really wonderful, but in terms of connection and integration and relationship building, retreats are so, so rich in depth and intimacy. Being in a studio all the time, which is INCREDIBLE, its also really missing a huge piece to the puzzle, one that is intimately intertwined to yoga, and thats nature. To be able to slow down and feel Mama Natures embrace, thats life changing. And that a really beautiful thing to witness in your participants.  One of my most favourite aspects of the whole experience: working with [Edge host] Tim. It was just SOOOO great having him there for the weekend. I felt so, so supported and taken care of and it took any feelings of unease or hesitation or doubt out of running a retreat. He was there. Gently, quietly, but present and all in. And I learned A LOT about leading. For me, I can feel insecure and introverted and it was SUCH a great reminder to simply show up for people. Exactly as I am, but be there for them in the best way I know how."
  -Shannon MacLaggan, Anupaya
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• “The experiential activities and reflective exercises that were a part of the Ignite program were among the most well-planned and most effectively delivered teachings that I have had the privilege of participating in. Todd & the staff at Northern Edge Algonquin are not only gracious hosts of the highest caliber, they are truly experts in their field who are able to inspire deeper thinking and creative responses that will help me to build experiential tourism outcomes in our community.”
  -Debra Soule, Economic Development Officer – City of Kawartha Lakes
• “A unique mosaic of experiences that invited each of us to consider what’s possible within our own offerings when you pull together like-minded hearts and souls who appreciate a great story meant to be shared with others.”
  -Jennifer Garland, The Mane Intent Inc.
• "I feel so grateful to write a second review for this unique and authentic facility, its programs, its values and its spiritual grounding. Once again, the physical setting was so ideal for this [Heart Blossom] retreat. We drummed, danced, dined like kings and played in the water to reconnect with our inner selves and our collective power to support and care for one another. All the superlative adjectives in the world would barely scratch the surface of how special this place is in so many ways. Make time for it, if it calls to you. You won't be disappointed."
  -Tanya Marwitz, August 2018
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