Leadership ”“ what it means and what it takes ”“ is never far from thought at the historic Thayer Hotel at West Point.
The 151-room hotel, built in 1926 and just unveiling its refurbished executive suites, is a stately brick venue perched over the Hudson River”™s western shore.
Maintaining and honoring its storied history is as important as keeping it moving vitally forward.
That approach not only echoes the best qualities of a leader but makes the hotel the perfect host for the Thayer Leadership Development Group, which offers programs for corporations and individuals from around the world.
Karen Kuhla, the director of education for the TLDG, said it”™s more than fitting.
“So much of what we do is grounded in where we are,” Kuhla said.
The Thayer, a separate entity physically residing on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, is owned by a group of partners who are all West Point graduates.
The ties to the academy, from the class flags that majestically flank a ballroom to the way the rooms are being named in honor of graduates of distinction, are atmospheric reference points.
Since its debut in 2010, the leadership group has offered 100 programs to some 90 companies, Kuhla said.
“We”™ve already had repeat business,” she said. Testimonials from executives at Proctor & Gamble, Mercedes-Benz and 7-Eleven are proudly shared.
The group also has been recognized in its field; Leadership Excellence magazine named the TLDG as one of the top 50 large consulting groups on its 2011 Best in Leadership Development list.
At the Thayer, groups of anywhere from six to 150 can be accommodated through the customized or open-enrollment programs.
“What”™s the right number is what the client is trying to accomplish,” Kuhla said, although noting for many programs that 30 to 50 is the “optimum” number.
And those attending programs find themselves in the midst of surroundings that combine contemporary amenities ”“ enjoy a post-meeting pause at the dramatic ZuluTime Rooftop Bar & Lounge ”“ with that sense of tradition.
“Everything we”™re doing, we”™re trying to provide a five-star service in a five-star location,” says Rick Minicozzi, the hotel”™s managing general partner and a 1986 West Point graduate.
The group draws on the lessons and methods that have trained leaders for more than 200 years. Nearly all faculty members are West Point graduates with experience both in the military and civilian sectors.
“They are living, breathing examples of our leadership principles,” said Kuhla, who came to the Thayer group from GE, where she led global leadership development programs. “They share the stories.”
The group teaches leadership and ethics based on the U.S. Army”™s leadership philosophy of “Be, Know, Do” coupled with the academy”™s own code, “Duty, Honor, Country.”
Whether a company is trying to develop a new strategy or simply reinvigorate its longtime methods, the TLDG can offer the proper training, Kuhla said.
“We don”™t have a ”˜Leadership 101”™ program,” she said. Instead, TLDG staff work closely with representatives from the incoming groups. “Together we create an experience that meets their intent.”
The TLDG takes a “4-Pronged Approach,” Kuhla said. This well-defined system includes the offering of applied academic sessions, which are both interactive and grounded in military practice; of experiential learning and team-building sessions that take advantage of the surroundings; of working with senior course advisers that are retired general officers and serve as coaches and mentors; and finally, of providing keynote speakers who are chosen for their ability to be both inspirational and motivational.
The work takes place throughout the Thayer, where meeting spaces fill some 15,000 square feet in total. All facilities are state-of-the-art with projection systems and high-speed Internet access.
Amenities on site also include executive suites with mahogany sleigh beds, separate living rooms and in several, private conference rooms. Participants also have access to a fitness center and restaurant with a terrace overlooking the Hudson.
For those looking for individual training, a number of open-enrollment programs are also offered. For example, “Women Leading From The Frontlines: Core Leadership Principles From The Army and West Point,” designed for mid- and senior-level females, will be presented in August.
Kuhla says that all, at first, might not embrace the strong association with the military but the TLDG strives to demonstrate how the lessons imparted indeed apply to corporate, nonprofit and educational environments.
“Candidly, some people are going to come in (asking) ”˜What can I learn from an Army officer?”™” she asked. “There are some clients who say ”˜We don”™t want all the war stories.”™”
Again, Kuhla said, all the wants of a client are discussed as a program is being developed. But, she added, participants do seem to take away the key, underlying elements that transcend any literal examples.
Everyone, she said, can benefit from learning about “leading in times of crisis.”
In today”™s challenging economy, companies are also coming to realize the importance of staff development as a way to retain top employees, pump up morale and increase productivity, she said.
“If you put money into your people, you will grow your business,” she said.
For more details on the Thayer Leadership Development Group, visit thayerleaderdevelopment.com or call (800) 247-5047, ext. 7969.
