© Robin Schepper "Robin inspired us without intimidating, led our team without being patronizing and brought out the best we had to offer. She could detect abilities we never knew we had and gave us the confidence to move forward." – Emmy, Athens 2004

Retreats: Business Retreats

Most organizations approach retreats as a way to gather everyone from the office together to have a full day strategic planning session or to announce changes in an organization and solicit feedback from employees.  I believe these approaches often are not effective because the majority of the people at the retreat do not buy into the process and don’t understand their role in the process.  Retreats become one day yearly events and often the strategic plans developed from the retreats sit on the shelf and are not implemented into the daily work of each member of the team.

Step One: Identifying the Goals of the Retreat

Every organization has different needs sometimes it is team building, sometimes it is reorganization and sometimes it as basic as why are we all here working together and where do we want our organization to go.  Whatever the goal, a retreat can be designed to work towards that goal.

Step Two: Assessment: Where are we now?

"Leadership is an active, living process. It is rooted in character, forged by experience, and communicated by example." – John Baldoni

In one day retreats, it is helpful to know before the retreat what people think about the goal or the organization or the leadership so that it can be addressed at the retreat.  Going into a retreat blind can distract from the main goals because people want to be heard and this is the first time they can voice their opinion.  I recommend conducting confidential written and/or verbal questionnaire before the retreat to assess the state of affairs at an organization and understand potential opportunities and challenges.

At the retreat, I often summarize the results of the questionnaire without naming names as a springboard to creating a group vision for the organization.

Step Three: Organizational Vision

During my work at the Olympic Games in Greece from 2000-2004, I learned an important lesson. The power of vision.  Athletes would regularly visualize themselves winning the gold medal and say it aloud in the present tense as if it already happened. It was a powerful motivational tool for them.  That same tool can be used with individuals and with groups.  Vision is what propels you forward, it comes before strategy and tactics, it should drive all your decisions.  Your vision should be so clear that anyone else could recognize it and that everyone at your organization should be able to state what the vision is for your organization.

As part of the retreat, I work with organizations to create a clear vision that is specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timebound.  This vision is the foundation for any strategic planning, target audience definition, messaging, marketing and internal organizational development.

Step Four: Individual Visions

For any organization, support and buy in of the vision is important. As a follow-up to the organizational vision and one day retreat,  I also work with organizations to help the staff create their own personal visions so they can see how their vision ties into the overall vision of the organization.  This can be done in a series of individual coaching sessions or follow-up group meetings that focus on each individual. 

Step Five: Strategy and Tactics

“Vision without action is a daydream, Action without vision is a nightmare.” – Japanese proverb

Vision is the foundation, but accountability is the key to making it happen.  As an executive coach, I can continue to work with you and your organization to bring the vision to life.  Sometimes this may mean change or forging a new path. But when your actions are aligned with your vision, works flows so much easier.

For further information: Contact Robin Schepper at  202-248-8001 or robin@wayfinderinc.com