October 2023 - Starved Rock State Park

Rebuilding Trust

This will be the 2nd gathering of 2023. And following the tradition started last year, this second gathering will be a shorter more low key connection opportunity to be together, get time in nature, and connect. We will focus on the theme of rebuilding trust within an organization. A fair amount of companies within our community have had to face some tough decisions this year (layoffs, furloughs, changes to salaries and benefits, re-orgs and role changes, etc). When there is a large organizational change like that - it can affect the psychological safety and the trust felt within the company (and the relationship of folks with leaders in the company). In our time together, we will talk about ways to both build and RE-build trust in a company.

Agenda

Monday, October 2 2023

  • CHECK IN: Any time after 3p.m.

  • DINNER*: We’ll start gathering in a central location at 6pm, do some icebreaker activities and get to know each other, and have dinner together (included in registration).

  • COLLABORATION CHALLENGE: After dinner, we will have a collaborative challenge for our group. We will break into teams of 5 to solve a series of riddle, challenges, and puzzles designed by the Mystery League. The game will provide you with BOTH bragging rights and the chance to meet others in the collective.

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

  • BREAKFAST*: 9am Fresh fruit, bagels, muffins and coffee

  • 9:30: Kickoff in the LaSalle Room for the day’s facilitation

  • 12:30pm - Lunch provided (included in registration)

  • 1:00pm - Optional Hike in the state park (park fee included in registration)

  • 3:00pm - FREE TIME: Part of the intent of this camp is to have time to recharge and rest, so we’re leaving the afternoon open for you to nap, or read, or hang out with each other. Here is a list of things to do in the area if you are feeling ambitious.

  • DINNER: We’ll coordinate designated drivers/carpools and head over to dinner (included in registration) at around 6. 

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

  • OPTIONAL HIKE: We’ll gather at 9:30 for another hike - we’ll go for about an hour so we can be back in time to check out.

  • CHECK OUT: by 11 a.m.  


* Monday dinner, Tuesday breakfast and lunch, and dinner are all included.

What did we do?

Our Facilitator

Allison McMillan is a fractional VP of Engineering and Engineering Leadership Consultant with over 25 years of offsite planning and facilitation experience. She’s previously held leadership roles at QuotaPath, DEV, and GitHub. Allison has worn many hats in multiple industries as a community builder, managing director, and software engineer.

Allison started a podcast about being a parent in tech, Parent Driven Development, and is an internationally recognized keynote speaker. She is very involved in the Ruby community as a current board member and the former President of Ruby Central.

You can find more writing, speaking, and consulting information on her website: www.allisonmcmillan.com

Who is attending?

Available Hikes

River Bluff Trail Loop
Distance: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: easy
Tucked into Buffalo Rock State Park, River Bluff Trail Loop takes just under an hour to complete and has some beautiful views of the Illinois River.

River Trail, Bluff Trail and Illinois Canyon Loop
Distance: 6.8 miles
Difficulty: moderate
For more experienced hikers, this trail is the perfect workout to spend an afternoon along the banks of the Illinois River. This loop is best visited between March and September and takes about two and a half hours to complete.

Saint Louis Canyon Trail
Distance: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: easy
The Saint Louis Canyon Trail is a local favorite out-and-back trail in Starved Rock State Park. This trail takes just under an hour to complete and takes you through the Saint Louis Canyon and includes lots of stairs and waterfalls. This trail is best visited May through October.