Reflecting on Our First Global Elephant Rider Summit

elephant rider community summit

By Jeremy Dean, Founder of riders&elephants

At the heart of our first-ever Global Summit were six core emotions that guided every touchpoint and experience we designed: Inspired, Free, Generous, Surprised, Uncomfortable, and Brave. Over two and a half unforgettable days, 47 incredible Elephant Riders (our affectionate name for members of our community) from 8 countries came together in Queenstown, New Zealand, to connect, learn, and inspire one another.

For most of us, it was our first meeting face-to-face after years of virtual connection. The diversity of experiences, perspectives, and energy across the Summit was nothing short of electric. We had those who’ve been using The ECD for over five years, like Tubi Oyston—whose daughter has literally grown up with The ECD—and those, like Rhonda Howarth, who joined our community just months before the Summit. It was a profound joy to witness this collision of ideas, experiences, and stories.

This was truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life—both professionally and personally.

Highlights from the Summit

Pre-Summit: Games Night

We kicked things off with an evening of play, using 18 different card decks to connect and break the ice. For many of us, it was the first time meeting in person. We even had the honour of testing The Workplace Rituals Deck by Lotty Roberts and Larissa Garcia, which promises to be an extraordinary addition to our tools, and Katherine Riddoch and Tammy Tandel's Neuro Nudges. It was such a privilege to see decks designed by our own community members come to life.

Day 1: ECD Unconference at New Zealand High Country

The venues for Days 1 and 2 were surprises! Everyone boarded buses not knowing where they’d end up. Day 1 brought us to NZ High Country, perched on a hill overlooking Queenstown. There, we hosted our first-ever in-person ECD Unconference hosted by one of the first-ever ECD Certified Consultants, Jakub Jurkiewicz, a day full of experimentation and inspiration.

Some standout moments included:

The Reputation Deck: We experimented with this latest tool in development, sparking insightful conversations about reputation and relationships.
Mentor Panel Q&A: Our Elephant Rider Mentors—Lorissa Garcia, Steven Hargreaves, Denise Hartley-Wilkins, Kayleigh Woodkings, and Lotty Roberts—shared their incredible journeys with The ECD. Together, they brought over 700 ECD workshops' worth of experience to the table. Their reflections and gratitude at the end of the day are moments I’ll carry with me forever.

Day 2: Emotional Culture Crafting at Kinross

The buses whisked everyone away again, this time to Kinross in the Gibbston Valley, for another awe-inspiring day.

We kicked off the day with Katherine Riddoch, who guided us through an interactive Emotional Culture Crafting Workshop. Together, we defined the emotional culture of our own community while soaking up Katherine’s wisdom on tech-enabled facilitation, ChatGPT tips, and facilitating large groups with tools like the Oversized ECD Edition Cards and her “Flip Your Funky Feels” activity.

Other unforgettable moments included:

Playing with the ECD Beautiful Questions Deck prototype, which will officially launch in 2025.
Breakout energizers led by Andrea Hancox, Lotty Roberts, and Katherine Riddoch, focusing on breathing emotions, physiology, and sewing 1,000 Hearts.
A powerful keynote from Assistant Professor Michael Parke, who shared insights from our ongoing research partnership with Wharton. The academic rigor and practical outcomes of this work are game-changing—we’ll share more in the coming weeks!
ECD Hack Workshops led by our Mentors, where attendees reimagined and tailored The ECD to their unique contexts.

We wrapped up Dthe Summit with a reflection on R&E’s future and the incredible (and daunting) opportunities ahead.

Celebrating at Ayrburn

The Summit ended on a high note, with a dinner at the beautiful Ayburn with partners, friends, and family. It was the perfect way to close out one of the most emotionally rewarding and uplifting experiences I’ve ever been part of.

What Lies Ahead

While this Summit feels like the culmination of over five years of work, it’s also just the beginning. It’s another step on the path we’re walking together as a community, building our shared mission to rehumanise the workplace through emotions.

We’re tentatively planning our next Global Summit for 2027, but until then, I want to thank every one of you who joined us in Queenstown. Your energy, generosity, and stories have inspired me to keep pushing forward. I feel more motivated, optimistic, and inspired than ever before.

This Summit wasn’t just a gathering—it was a symbol of everything our community represents and stands for. I can’t wait to see what we create together next.