1. 5/4/2015 5 Important Business Lessons You Can Learn On Vacation -­ Forbes
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LIFESTYLE 4/12/2015 @ 1:48PM 1,100 views
5 Important Business Lessons
You Can Learn On Vacation
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By taking a few days off from the grind, and stepping back into famous
moments in history, you can learn critical lessons that will help you solve key
challenges and drive your business to new heights of success. That is the
promise of New Haven Consulting Group, Inc., a company that organizes
“action learning events.”
“The Leadership Experience @ Gettsyburg” was launched in 2008.
Participants spend three days with period clad players and retired Army
Brigadier General Harold W. Nelson, walking the historic area and
discussing what happened, and what could have happened if things were
done differently. This fall the company will add “The Leadership Experience
@ Key West,” a program that will enable participants to see how an upstart
and inexperienced team from the United States in 1850 took on the leader in
marine technology and won.
Doug Gollan Contributor
I write about travel, from jets to hotels, shopping and dining.
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

2. 5/4/2015 5 Important Business Lessons You Can Learn On Vacation -­ Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2015/04/12/5-­important-­business-­lessons-­you-­can-­learn-­on-­vacation/print/ 2/3
The Battle of Gettysburg can teach business executives lessons that will help solve challenges of today. New Haven
Consulting Group is expanding its “action learning programs” this fall. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)
Recently I attended a lunch presentation by NHCG sponsored by The Luxury
Marketing Council. Later I spoke with the company’s Vice President George
Dumigan and asked him to share some highlights of of lessons one can learn
by going into his time machine.
1. Past success can contribute to future failure.
“(General) Lee came to Gettysburg with a string of victories under his belt.
Many people think his hubris caused him to make bad decisions, which lead
to his ultimate defeat.”
2. Political correctness may not always be the correct way to go.
“Until the appointment of General Grant the north was loosing the war.
Grant turned this around;; however, it was reported to President Lincoln that
Grant was an alcoholic and went into battle partially or fully drunk. On
hearing this Lincoln told his aide, find out the brand of alcohol he likes and
send him a case.”

3. 5/4/2015 5 Important Business Lessons You Can Learn On Vacation -­ Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2015/04/12/5-­important-­business-­lessons-­you-­can-­learn-­on-­vacation/print/ 3/3
This article is available online at: http://onforb.es/1FCdJUK 2015 Forbes.com LLC™ All Rights Reserved
3. Technology is dynamic. Don’t assume it is static. Resourceful people will
always be trying to build a better mousetrap.
“In 1850 British technology was supposedly the best in the world. This led
Queen Victoria to announce a sailing challenge to beat the best British
schooner in a race around the Isle of Wight. A gentleman in New York
hearing of the challenge approached (an American) ship builder to design a
ship to beat the British. The designer took on the challenge and also said;; ‘If
it doesn’t win the race you don’t owe me any money.’ The schooner sailed
across the Atlantic and beat the British around the Isle of Wight by over
seven hours. The lesson here is to value resourcefulness over resources.”
4. Never assume the people in your own company know what you want.
“On the first day of the battle at Gettysburg, General Reynolds (know for his
tendency to act decisively) was killed while leading a charge on the
Confederate forces. (Assuming other nearby divisions knew his intentions
and would support his charge) he never communicated to anyone what his
plans and vision were. Not knowing what to do, his troops were in complete
disarray and lost the first day at Gettysburg.”
5. Have humility in the face of victory.
“When the North won the Civil War, Lee did not know what would happen to
his troops. President Lincoln told General Grant to treat Lee with respect.
After surrendering at Appomattox, Lee was granted leave, and General Grant
told the soldiers of the South to take their horses, which were their own, and
go home (leading to a faster reconciliation).”