When leaders gather for the 2025 Operational Planning Retreat, it will be a continuation of the journey into Neighbourhood Life, exploring the essence of how we live and work together in the Schlegel Way. With long-time Schlegel Villages collaborator Nancy Fox guiding the reflections once again, more than 500 leaders will focus on how clarity, consistency, and collaboration strengthen our Neighbourhood teams and enhance the experience of every resident who calls a Village home.
“We don’t serve people by letting them be less than they can be,” Nancy once said, reminding all that the highest purpose is to help one another rise to our best.
This year’s retreat is about reducing complexity and getting crystal clear on the path toward 2026. When all team members understand roles, expectations, and standards, the foundation is laid for great performance, not simply good performance. That clarity fuels sustainability and allows teams to meet standards while maintaining the autonomy to be resident-centred and creative in how each person contributes to the idea of putting living first.
At the heart of this work is the belief that the neighbourhoods are where life happens. They are where relationships grow, and where care, joy, and community connect. These experiences are made possible by self-directed, cross-functional teams — groups that work together across disciplines to support residents through a relational model of support. It can be messy, it can be challenging, but it is also what sets Schlegel Villages apart.
The leadership team members’ time together in Niagara Fall this year is an opportunity to explore why this design is important and how each team member can help strengthen it. They’ll discuss leadership at the Neighbourhood level, where decision-making happens as close to residents as possible, and how to find the balance between accountability and autonomy, structure and creativity, which is in many ways what defines the Schlegel Way.
Ultimately, this retreat is about clarity of purpose and unity of effort. When everyone is aligned in the culture, confident in the standards, and connected through strong, collaborative teams, then every Village and every neighbourhood can offer the very best experience for those who call a Village home.
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