Some contemporary leaders are learning about organizational complexity through study of battlefield decision making, where decisions literally have life-and-death consequences. This article chronicles one such leadership development exercise, a battlefield staff ride at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the site of the crucial U.S. Civil War battle. The author rode along with a team of executive development professionals, traveling to Gettysburg and walking the battlefield to learn about decisions made in 1863 as an innovative framework to think more clearly about management education in organizations. This is the story of how leadership lessons from history can be carried into present-day corporate life.
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