Management Information

Planning a Productive Retreat


What value is there in leadership or team-building retreats? Just consider the following.

  • An executive committee of an association, deliberating on strategic planning issues, identified "who we are" in terms of their membership. By focusing on the challenges and opportunities represented by certain membership segments, the committee created specific strategic initiatives for the upcoming year.
  • A 17 person CPA firm structured their most recent annual meeting to encourage greater teamwork by addressing the issues of 1) misinformation between management and staff and 2) lack of clarity around the firm's goals, direction, and image. The results included improved productivity, enhanced esprit-de-corps, and most important, the understanding by every person of his or her role in supporting the firm's strategic business objectives.
  • Encouraged by the informal setting of a retreat, a team, behind schedule on an important project, finally brought out into the open its concerns about the leader's way of handling disagreements. By examining the different methods of managing conflicts, the team came up with a process that would encourage divergent thinking and, at the same time, focus on how to make well-thought out decisions regarding the project.
  • Leadership or team-building retreats for an executive committee, a board of directors or a project team can provide substantial return on investment for an organization or business, especially during times of change. Here's how to plan a productive retreat that ensures meaningful interaction, as well as, lasting results.

    Create a special environment.
    Participants need to feel relaxed and comfortable. The informal atmosphere lets them be themselves and interact in a more natural way. Don't just think meeting room. Think meeting place. It can be a resort, a historic inn, a conference center...in reality, any setting that allows for time out and getting away from the everyday routine.

    Determine success indicators.
    If a company doesn't have specific written objectives, it is wasting its money. In fact, Meeting Professionals International recently surveyed companies who had held retreats or off-site meetings within the past year. The survey found that more than half of these companies measured the results of the retreat against specific objectives to track their return on investment.

    Build in structure.
    The key to the structure of any retreat is a well thought -out agenda. Preparation before the meeting will enhance the 'buy-in' and eventual commitment to the results of the retreat.

    Provide an external influence.
    This person might be an expert in group facilitation, an expert in a particular area or technical specialty, or perhaps a futurist or strategic planner. This is not an area to skimp on. A professional can take your retreat from just another meeting to a winning endeavor.

    As the popularity of team-building and leadership retreats grows, businesses and organizations that take the time to plan their retreats properly will be way ahead of the game. As one participant of a recent retreat said, "We reached new heights in terms of where we're going, the kinds of goals and objectives we need, and the leadership direction we need to be headed in." That is the sign of a productive retreat.

    Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job ­ to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks ­ resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs ­ fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.


    MORE RESOURCES:

    SJSU students learning management skills at National Pro-Am
    San Jose Mercury News
    By Andrew Matheson Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel Rich Larson checks in with Kathryn Kirby, one of his San Jose State Hospitality Management students working at Pebble Beach this year during the AT&T Pro-Am. PEBBLE BEACH -- Many of the hospitality workers at ...

    and more »


    MiamiHerald.com

    Risk Management Needed for Energy Loan Guarantees, Report Says
    Bloomberg
    Potential losses from US energy loan programs are likely to be less than projected by the White House and Congress, according to an independent analysis that Democrats said validated support for clean-energy innovation. The Obama administration ordered ...
    DOE needs better risk managementiWatch News
    Post-Solyndra review urges better energy loan managementThe Hill (blog)

    all 259 news articles »


    Globe and Mail

    Apollo Global Management assets lift off in 2011, up 11%
    Pensions & Investments
    By Arleen Jacobius Apollo Global Management on Friday reported $75.3 billion in assets under management as of Dec 31, up 11% from a year earlier, according to the alternative investment firm's earnings report. Apollo Global had $35.4 billion in private ...
    Apollo Global Management, LLC Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter ...MarketWatch (press release)
    Financial Briefing BookWall Street Journal
    Apollo Fourth-Quarter Profit Falls 66% on Market SwingsBusinessWeek
    Reuters
    all 48 news articles »


    Ariz. tribe votes to take over Skywalk management
    CBS News
    A tribal spokesman says the Tribal Council voted Feb.7, 2012 to sever a contract with Las Vegas developer David Jin and take over management of the Skywalk. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher, File) MARICOPA COUNTY OUT; MAGS OUT; ...

    and more »


    Business Insider

    List Of Pepsi Managers Who Have Left The Company
    Business Insider
    It's not news that PepsiCo has suffered a lot of management churn in the last few years, and that sales of some brands have been hurt as the company has lost its focus. But it's not until you see the list of senior brand management names who have ...
    PepsiCo to Cut 8700 Jobs, Reduce Management Layers in Global Productivity DriveIndustryWeek
    PepsiCo Announces Strategic Investments to Drive GrowthMarketWatch (press release)
    PepsiCo Cuts Jobs, Plans Culture ChangeFINS

    all 590 news articles »


    Carrington Capital Management, American Home Mortgage Servicing Announce ...
    MarketWatch (press release)
    Resolution of Carrington Asset Holding, LLC, ET Al. Plaintiffs, v. American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., Defendant SANTA ANA, CA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Carrington Capital Management, LLC ("Carrington"), a subsidiary of Carrington ...

    and more »


    Advanced task managers on iOS
    CNET (blog)
    by Jason Parker February 10, 2012 12:00 PM PST Follow @jparkerCNET There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of to-do-list management apps in the iTunes App Store, but which one should you choose? I found a couple of new task management apps recently ...

    and more »


    Spend Management Experts Wins Supply & Demand Chain Executive Award
    MarketWatch (press release)
    ATLANTA, GA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Spend Management Experts today announced that founder and CEO John Haber has received the Supply & Demand Chain Executive's 2012 "Pros to Know" award in the provider category.

    and more »


    Moneycontrol.com

    Management Tip of the Day: Stop the whining!
    Moneycontrol.com
    The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (http:www.hbr.org). "We're all grown-ups here, right? Then why do teams still whine? It's part of the human condition to complain, ...

    and more »


    Waste Management Employee Who Works Tirelessly to Save Dogs Receives Top ...
    MarketWatch (press release)
    10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As part of its annual recognition of community service, Waste Management of Michigan/Ohio has selected Deanna West of Lake Orion, Michigan to receive its most prestigious community award as "Volunteer of the Year" ...

    and more »

    Google News

    home | site map
    © 2006