Written by: Jem Fuller, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
There’s no doubt, the investment of resources; time, energy and money, that goes into the planning, logistics and costs of a retreat (not to mention the opportunity cost of having your leaders ‘off the tools’ for any period of time) are significant. But is it worthwhile?
The answer is ‘Absolutely’ ‒ If it’s designed and facilitated well. The benefits of making the effort to get away include: removing participants from their normal paradigm which opens their creative thinking, rewarding past efforts and commitments with something special, creating the opportunity for the leadership team to bond more deeply and authentically, and removing the distractions of interruptions and the ever-present To-Do List.
When we physically relocate ourselves, especially to somewhere we’ve never been and somewhere immersed in natural beauty, we quite literally and psychologically gain new perspectives from which to view our day-to-day. We create the opportunity to look at the business that we are normally immersed in, from a distance. We see it in a new light. This can uncover blind spots and fresh ideas can emerge.
The treat of being ‘on retreat’, is always a welcome reward for your leaders, allowing them to slow down, put the ‘I’m away auto-reply’ on their emails, switch their phones to silent, and calm their minds. This physiological state is most conducive to big picture strategic design and future planning. It is also just simply healthy for them and their own wellbeing.
The content of the structured sessions of your retreat could include a celebration of the wins. An acknowledgement of what is working. An assessment of the culture and which elements you would like to keep, let go of, and/or create. The co-design of strategies to implement, specifically created to incentivise culturally aligned behaviours, could form some of this piece of work. Retreat is a great opportunity to also revisit the purpose or mission of the organisation, and to check in with the longer-term vision. Are these vital components of the culture still relevant, or do they need to be revisited with the broader group of people back home?
Another valuable outcome of your leaders being away together is the bonds they either form or strengthen. This is hard to measure, but easy to see in play, back in the workings of the business. A wonderful and relaxed way to facilitate connection is with an evening of sharing stories. Over or after dinner, taking turns to share the story of your life journey with the team, can be quite a profound and vulnerable experience.
Some fun activities that are not directly ‘work related’ also serve to release tension, provide some light-heartedness, and further connect the team. It is good to remind your senior leaders that although they each have different departments to manage and lead, they are on the same team and driving to combine and support each other to the same higher purpose.
Towards the end of the retreat, perhaps in the closing session, have the leaders agree on the communication that will be shared with all staff on return. It’s important that the teams back home know what came out of the retreat that will benefit them and the organisation. This communication should happen very soon after coming back from retreat. It’s also a good idea to have some accountability dates set in the calendar for the senior leader team to touch base and make sure they are implementing the things they said they would.
If this Leadership Retreat becomes an annual repeating event, it will also be an attractive feature to those future leaders in the organisation who are considering stepping up one day. Make sure they know about it. Don’t play it down or hide it away.
So, yes, it may be hard to measure the ROI on investing in this endeavour, but from my experience of designing and facilitating these retreats around the world for more than a decade, I can guarantee, if done well, running your Leadership Planning Retreat each year will be worth every penny and some ;)
Jem Fuller, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jem Fuller is a trusted advisor and coach to executive and senior leaders across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He brings a fresh perspective from his colourful life of adventures and experiences around the world; from barefoot backpacker, fire-dancer and tattooist, to kindergarten teacher, travel consultant and corporate leader (and many things in between!).
His company, Leaders in Life, has been taking leaders on programs to the remote Himalayan mountains of NW India, the jungles of Northern Bali and remote desert regions of NW Australia since 2014. Jem combines his studies in various ancient healing modalities, mind practises and human behaviour to create practical and relatable strategies for improving leadership and culture.
Jem is a TEDx speaker and the author of 'The Art of Conscious Communication for Thoughtful Men', and 'What Matters Most'. He is regarded as an expert in communication and resilience. Jem's mission: Making lives easier. You can watch his TEDx talk here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lxeRsIi1S0"
