Retreats That Work
Designing and Conducting Effective Offsites for Groups and Organizations
Chapter One
So You're Thinking
of Holding a Retreat
Chances are you were in a meeting today. Much of the daily work
of organizations takes place in meetings. But what if your organization
needs to examine fundamental issues or make a major change in its strategy
or operations? Since the structure of standard meetings doesn't encourage
the deep focus and thoughtful approach that such decisions require, maybe
you're thinking of convening an offsite retreat. We've summarized some of the
differences between retreats and meetings in Table 1.1 at the end of this chapter.
Meanwhile, here are some things to consider.
Your memo announcing, "We're having a retreat," will likely trigger a variety
of reactions among the staff. Some will love the idea of dedicating time to
talk about new ideas and maybe hang out with more senior leaders. Others will
dread the very same things. Some will recall successful retreats ... read full excerpt from Retreats That Work: Designing and Conducting Effective Offsites for Groups and Organizations ebook
