🧭 Small groups. Big conversations.
10k Leaders is a growing network of small groups (we suggest 5-15 colleagues or your own leadership team) across the U.S., meeting regularly to work through The Executives Institute’s 24-month curriculum.
No fees. No bylaws. No bureaucracy.
There is no sign-up. No registration. The Institute provides free materials below to support your study group for each meeting. There is no cost to lead or join through the Institute.
One chapter a month.
Two years of honest conversations.
The fundamental Rules really come alive in a room of your peers —fellow leaders who carry the same weight, ask the same hard questions, and are willing to speak honestly about what’s actually working and what clearly isn’t.
Is there a cost to join or lead a 10k Leaders study group?
The Institute charges nothing. Free materials are provided for every meeting. A local study group leader may choose to charge a facilitation or hosting fee — that’s their decision — but there is no cost from the Institute itself.
How often do groups meet?
Most groups will meet monthly, studying one chapter at a time, while some may choose to meet weekly and take on the Rules one at a time. You set the pace. You set the schedule.
What exactly do the groups study?
The 24-month curriculum maps to the 100 Rules of The Executives Institute. Each month focuses on a theme, a set of Rules, and discussion questions. The format is conversational — not presentational. There’s no instructor, no slides, no test.
Can I contribute my insights beyond the local study group?
Yes — and you’re encouraged to. Submit your perspective to the Boardroom sections tied to each Rule. Strong insights are published, credited, and preserved as part of the national body of work.
What if there’s no group in my area?
Start one. Name it whatever you’d like. Invite the people in your community you’d want in the room. The Institute will support you with free materials from day one. Join the conversation at our LinkedIn page to gain traction in your community.
2026: Our goal is to facilitate at least 10 active study groups in every State over the coming years. The 10k Leaders movement is just beginning. ✦ indicates an active chapter.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota (1)
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
🧭 Month One Discussion —Foundations First
Ask yourself: “Are we building on clarity—or just momentum?”
This month’s study group discussion focuses on five foundational Rules that prevent early mistakes. This set of Rules forces us to slow down just enough to ask the right questions:
📌— Rule No. 1: Solve a real problem.
- Recommended Reading: The Lean Startup, by Eric Ries
📌— Rule No. 2: Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.
- Recommended Reading: The Mom Test, by Rob Fitzpatrick
📌— Rule No. 6: Your first idea is rarely your best.
- Recommended Reading: Originals, by Adam Grant
📌 — Rule No. 10: Never stop learning.
- Recommended Reading: Mindset, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.
📌— Rule No. 15: Work on the business, not just in it.
- Recommended Reading: The E-Myth Revisited, by Michael E. Gerber
Below is your printable pdf study guide for easy facilitation of your Month One discussion: Foundations First.
This guide is designed to keep your meeting 100% Q/A-driven, not a boring presentation. Anyone can lead the meeting. Put a group of serious leaders at the table, and they will carry the conversation. You’re biggest challenge is to keep them on topic!
- Build Your Group
- Schedule a Meeting
- Print and Follow the Study Guide
Your meetings can run 60-90 minutes or expand into a half-day working session, depending on how deeply your group chooses to explore each Rule.
As you move through the discussion, use the linked graphics below to access the deeper study of each Rule or visit the corresponding Boardroom to see insights shared by other leaders, along with additional questions and supporting materials.
And if a lesson, experience, or turning point comes to mind during your discussion, take a moment afterward to add your insight to the Rule or Boardroom. The Institute grows stronger every time a leader contributes something they’ve learned the hard way.
