The Courage Compass: Navigating Change Together

Facilitators: Anna Montgomery & Umama Mahmud 

Location: Mining Exchange Hotel Lobby & Grandview Restaurant (5:15pm Reservation)  

At the 2025 Staff Retreat, we reflect on our journey with Change Chemistry: from a small group embracing transformation to a resilient team that shapes change together. Through adapting, experimenting, and growing, we've built a culture of transparency and courage. We'll have a brief overview of our history. This retreat celebrates our achievements and looks forward to increased impact and organizational growth. 

Breakfast: Strengths, Roles & Goals (Gallup exploration) 

Facilitator: Anna Montgomery 

Location: Mining Exchange Hotel Lobby & BLK MGK Coffee Shop (Hotel Restaurant) 

Gallup Strengths & Roles Connection – Participants share how their top Gallup strengths uniquely support and enhance their roles within our organization. Everyone will have this available through the questionnaire sent out in the prior week. This session will encourage reflection on how individual talents contribute to team goals and foster accountability.  

Outdoor Reflection at Garden of the Gods – Courage exercise 

Facilitator: Anna Montgomery  

Location: Garden of the Gods 

Garden of the Gods Reflection Stations – We'll cover courage, trust, and collaboration in a workplace setting and ways it contributes to high performing teams. You'll find themed reflection points throughout Garden of the Gods focusing on Courage in Ourselves, Team, and Future. Each includes a notebook prompt for you to reflect on a related personal experience. 

Facilitators: Jason Pearson & Anna Montgomery 

Location: TBD Persephone Grae's Cafe & Juice Bar (Manitou Springs or Cripple Creek)

Jason will lead a session in Manitou Springs, or during the fall colors tour, using Gallup Strengths to examine team performance. Participants will discuss how their strengths combine to affect group outcomes, with attention to collaboration patterns, successes, and growth areas. Anna will summarize the key insights and themes, sharing them in a later discussion to guide future team development and accountability. 

Facilitator: Anna Montgomery 

Location: TBD (Manitou Springs or Cripple Creek)

In this session, you’ll use art materials to visually express your experiences with change at work and your hopes for our organization’s future. Afterward, participants can share their artwork and discuss their stories, promoting understanding of our different perspectives on change. 

Facilitator: Rui Resendes 

Location: Hotel Lobby

After the art activity, Rui will facilitate a discussion linking creative insights to our strategic direction. We'll explore how experiences of change can shape our teamwork, innovation, and adaptability, and reflect on what the future of work means for us.  

Facilitator: Umama Mahmud & Anna Montgomery 

Location:  Mining Exchange Hotel Vindicator Board Room 

Join us for a screening of Hidden Figures and a discussion on how the film’s themes relate to our organization. We’ll examine how courage, collaboration, and resilience can guide our teamwork and innovation, and discuss ways to support diversity and inclusion as we work toward shared success. 

Facilitator: Jenny MacKellar 

Location: Manitou Incline 

Jenny will organize and lead the optional sunrise hike, managing logistics and guiding the team on the trail. During the hike, please pause periodically to note how your change in altitude and perspective feels in your notebook to stay mindful and aware of any changes as you experience the morning together. 

Facilitator: Open Group Conversation 

Location: BLK MGK Coffee Shop (Hotel Restaurant)  

Join us for a casual breakfast discussion to reflect on our retreat experiences and connect them to organizational change. Everyone is welcome to share stories, challenges, and lessons on courage, adaptability, and teamwork. Your insights, whether you're new or experienced, will help us learn and grow together. 

Outdoor Team Activity – Part I (Hikers Meet) 

Facilitator: Open Group Activity 

Location: Seven Falls 

In this hands-on exercise, we'll take on a rope challenge designed to test and strengthen our ability to collaborate under pressure. Bound together as a group, participants must communicate, strategize, and solve the rope puzzle, relying on each other's strengths to succeed. This activity is a unique opportunity to practice trust, adaptability, and creative problem-solving in a supportive environment. Reflections from this session will be discussed briefly before lunch to connect lessons learned to our ongoing teamwork. 

Outdoor Picnic Lunch at Seven Falls