Association of Transformational Leaders
About ATL Midwest
The Association of Transformational Leaders (ATL) is a forum for individuals of significant influence in artistic, academic, social, political, corporate and humanitarian endeavors, devoted to doing transformational work in their respective fields. Our purpose is to get together with like-minded people, to initiate and sustain on-going dialogue and education that enhances our transformational leadership capabilities. These gatherings support us in serving humanity an aim to help us co-create a world that works for everyone; one world that is socially just, environmentally sustainable, and spiritually fulfilling.
Is ATL for You? Transformational leaders interested in up-leveling their work, have an opportunity to stay engaged in high-level information and processes while networking with other leaders who have made significant contributions in the world. ATL is open to high-functioning individuals that have been identified by their peers as having a history of facilitating transformation in their fields. Attendance is by invitation only.
About our Bi-annual Meetings
Since the first meeting in July 2008, the ATL Hosting committee has planned and held 17 gatherings of transformational leaders, held twice per year, on the second Thursdays in May and October, from 1:00pm to 8:00pm. This is still our current format, and most events are held at the beautiful Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Information on the upcoming meeting can be found HERE.
ATL Midwest Today
As we enter into 2018, the flow and structure of our gatherings has been honed to facilitate co-creation and collaboration. Gatherings are purposefully flexible and responsive to honor what is uniquely emerging through interactive experiences, new insights and meaningful conversations. Broad themes are chosen to allow its special value for you as an individual to come forward, and to keep us true to our mission of providing support to one another as transformational leaders in a wide variety of fields.
Members and attendees have found this support comes from the connections, the ideas, the spark of inspiration, and the deep dialogues from the hearts of those present. Even topics that might not jump out to you at first glance can carry deep and surprising relevance to our work, health, relationships and service to the world.
Our Vision
Our highest outcome is a person who can to come to the fullest expression of his or her creative self, in service to the vision of a world that works for everyone.
We provide speakers who can help inspire us to our fullest expression, as do the questions and deep dialogue created using World Café,** a method & inquiry process we use to share and connect around the theme presented.
After each speaker, we form small groups for reflection; this is where the “juice” is. As we engage in this deep inquiry, we invite all at the table to speak creatively and from their passion, knowing that we have created a safe and even sacred space, where each person knows they will truly be heard.
The whole process invites us to look at the ways we are (or are not) expressing ourselves fully, as it relates to the theme. As a result, we can decide what is next for us. What will we choose to share from this gathering and dialogue, outside of ATL? What was most meaningful to us, and how will we bring that into our work and into our lives after the gathering?
Events are designed to facilitate two things:
- Open & Expanded Conversation – to honor, reflect and help people connect with their own intuition and “direct perception of the truth, their own inner wisdom and heart-felt sense of things,” and to act on that as they are inspired.
- Being Present – to be “fully engaged in the here and now, the present moment, with all of our being,“ so that we support both the internal development of leaders and the external work of development as leaders.
Here is a poem from one of our members, part of an experiential exercise from one of our speakers from the October 2014 event which embodies this message and ideal. We were tasked with writing this poem in 90 seconds to help us get unstuck, starting with two words – “sacred space,” and starting each new line with the last word from the previous line.
Sacred space created from my heart
Heartfelt journey to know me, others, the oneness
Oneness is reality; all else is Illusion
Illusion is not satisfying
Satisfying a collective calling is nurturing
Nurturing self and others
Others help me find the way
~ATL Member
**For more information on World Café, visit http://www.theworldcafe.com
History
The ATL grew in response to an identified interest emerging from the success of the Transformational Leadership Council (TLC). The TLC was originally convened in July, 2004 by Jack Canfield when he called a couple dozen colleagues together who were engaged in doing transformational work on the planet. Since that time, membership has grown by invitation only, to approximately 120 individuals, and is strictly limited.
The TLC was founded so leaders of personal and organizational transformation could support each other in their contributions to the world. Members of the TLC are leaders in their field and are composed of CEOs, trainers, facilitators, thought leaders, authors, movie producers and directors, and coaches.
Members are focused on transformational leadership and deliver their work in the world through workshops, trainings, seminars, books, films, speaking engagements, coaching sessions, TV and radio shows, and special events. We meet twice a year to network, connect, and learn from each other in order to enhance our effectiveness and contribution in the world.
Whereas TLC membership is limited to individuals who are owners of a transformational company or who have made a contribution to the transformation industry, ATL is regionally organized and open to high-functioning individuals of influence who have a history of facilitating transformation in their fields.
The first regionally organized ATL event was held in Minneapolis on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at the home of Christopher and Sandy Hintz on Lake Minnetonka, from 3:00pm (delayed by storm) until approximately 9:30pm. 50 invitees and their guests enjoyed featured speaker, Stewart Emery, co-author of Success Built To Last (2007). Paul Scheele, founding member of the Transformational Leadership Council, emceed the event.
The second event was open to the original invitees, and each one was encouraged invite another transformational leader. It was held on Thursday, November 20th 2008. Janet Attwood was the featured guest speaker on The Passion Test (2008) and Roderick Kettlewell was the featured musician on piano who also spoke briefly on the transformational nature of music.
Since then, the ATL Hosting committee has planned and held 17 gatherings of transformational leaders, held twice per year, on the second Thursdays in May and October, from 1:00pm to 8:90pm. This is still our current format, and most events are held at the beautiful Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Membership & Organizing the ATL
The hosting committee is the central organizing body of the ATL. The first 6 members were hand selected by Paul Scheele to help co-create what the organization and its meetings would look, sound, and feel like. Additional members were added to the hosting committee as interest and responsibilities grew. Ten active members of the hosting committee organize the ATL meetings, getting together several times each year to review what worked well and what could be improved after each event, and to plan the next meeting.
Attendees for the first ATL meeting were determined by invitation of the hosting committee. Each of the ten hosting committee members was given five spots, and current members then invited others whom they identified as transformational leaders to come to a meeting. Many were then invited to be members. The invitation to attend was accompanied by a request for biographical information to go into the directory of attendees. Currently as we move into 2018, we are considering the possibilty of creating an updated directory, and will be sure to keep our members posted.
As we continue to grow, we’re expanding the ways in which we identify and invite potential members to join us so that our membership truly reflects our vision and mission. Look for updates to be posted soon, by clicking the Membership Details button below.