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Rome

Overview

This is a journey through Rome for leaders facing one of the hardest questions in organizational life: How do you build a thriving culture?

Details

3 days | Max 14 participants | Once per year

The Choice of Rome

We chose Rome because nowhere else can you walk through two millennia of institutional design principles that still govern how the world operates.

The Romans achieved what every executive aspires to: they created institutions that functioned independently of any individual leader's presence or charisma. The Roman legal framework, codified under Justinian in 529-534 CE, provided stability across three continents and still governs business law across most of Europe. They embedded their operating principles so deeply—standardized processes, scalable infrastructure, systematic expansion—that the system continued functioning long after central leadership collapsed.

What distinguished Roman institution-building was their methodical approach to culture building. They didn't simply acquire territories; they transformed them into self-sustaining extensions of Roman culture and capability.

That’s the real challenge for modern leaders. Not just to build something great—but to build something that still works when you’re no longer in the room.

This journey is a study in culture building: how its designed, how they evolve, and how to lead in a way that lets others lead after you.

Curriculum Highlights

Infrastructural Thinking

The Baths of Caracalla functioned simultaneously as hygiene facilities, social clubs, educational institutions, entertainment venues, and cultural centers—all supported by extraordinary but invisible infrastructure. The complex's technical sophistication remained hidden from users, who experienced only seamless functionality and aesthetic pleasure.

Designing for Longevity

The Pantheon has served many roles over two thousand years—but its design has stayed the same. It works not because it’s static, but because its principles are flexible: a structure built on clarity, balance, and proportion. We use it to explore how strong design can outlast changing functions and shifting leadership.

Additive Design

The Roman Forum represents continuous institutional refinement over more than a millennium rather than a single architectural vision. Each generation added new structures while preserving existing monuments, creating a physical record of accumulated institutional wisdom. The Forum embodies "additive design"—growth through careful addition rather than replacement.

Succession Planning

At Hadrian's Mausoleum, we study more than a tomb—we examine institutionalized succession. Hadrian perfected Rome's adoptive succession system, choosing Antoninus Pius as heir, who then adopted Marcus Aurelius, creating nearly a century of stable leadership transitions. We use this mausoleum as an object lesson in understanding how real succession planning works: quiet, strategic, and often invisible from the outside.

Inquiry and Application

If you’re at a moment of change—and ready to explore it deeply—we’d love to talk. We seek leaders committed to personal and professional growth who will contribute to an exceptional group dynamic.

Photography by Juan Punzano