Overview

Magellan. Vasco de Gama. Henry the Navigator. Years before the rest of Europe began its “Age of Exploration,” these individuals set out for parts unknown. They were fueled by courage, curiosity, and a desire for greatness. What they discovered radically changed their own cultures and dramatically re-drew people’s conceptions of what the world might offer.   

What inspired them? What challenges did they face and how did they overcome them? In this experience, you’ll follow their footsteps to answer these questions. We’ll speak with historians and explore both the university town and the royal city that launched these unparalleled journeys of ambition and gain. In doing so, you’ll explore your own capacity to find inspiration and embrace challenges.   

Global exploration dramatically transformed the country’s cuisine. To fully experience that impact, our time together will include a tour of culinary backstreets of Lisbon as well as a class in preparing a complete Portuguese meal. A real-world example of how food becomes both a literal and metaphorical exploration—an immersion into the creativity born of global connection. 

This is more than a cultural journey—it is a leadership expedition into what it means to embrace risk, find inspiration in the unknown, and return transformed.   

Why Portugal 

Portugal is the birthplace of the Age of Exploration—a nation whose leaders and visionaries transformed the boundaries of the known world and redefined what was possible. Lisbon was the launching point for legendary explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan, whose journeys opened new global routes and reshaped economies and empires and where explorers fostered innovation in navigation, shipbuilding, and strategy. Coimbra, home to one of the world’s oldest universities, became an intellectual hub where knowledge of astronomy, cartography, and mathematics prepared explorers to lead with foresight and precision. 

Together, Lisbon and Coimbra illustrate the dual foundations of transformative leadership: the courage to step boldly into the unknown and the discipline to prepare with rigor and vision. These cities not only tell the story of Portugal’s explorers but also embody timeless lessons in resilience, innovation, and strategic leadership—making them the ideal setting for modern executives to rediscover their own capacity to chart new courses in times of uncertainty. 

Objectives 

Explore how the keywords exploration and discovery can re-awaken your instincts for journeying into parts unknown and bringing new rewards to your organization.  

• Learn about role models from history who demonstrated transformative leadership in turbulent times.  

• Place yourself in an unfamiliar environment to connect with other leaders and reconnect with your barometer for balancing risk and reward in your organizational role. 

• Apply cultural insights from global exchange through history, cuisine, and dialogue with local experts to expand perspective and inform inclusive, innovative leadership. 

Where Curiosity Charts the Course, and Leadership Journeys into the Unknown.