RETREATS: A POWERFUL BUSINESS TOOL

Two weeks ago my partners Candy Otte, Stacey Stark and I scheduled ourselves for our annual partner retreat.  According to the dictionary, a retreat is a place of privacy or safety. When you think of the work “retreat” you think of falling back, but a retreat is a powerful way to move forward.

Retreats can be very helping to advance your business. They are an important part of bringing together key people in your company, at a well-planned destination, so that you can build camaraderie, enhance leadership, and give your team the extra push that they may be need.  After our partner retreat, we then conduct a full staff retreat.  Sure this takes time and is expensive, but it is well worth it.  It is amazing how it can clarify your business goals, put everyone on the same page, and help to refocus on working “on your business not just in your business.”  Every year, I come back with fresh perspectives and new insights, totally reinvigorated. An annual business retreat works great for me, and it might for you, as well.

Here are some tips on how to pull off the ideal business retreat:

•  Hold your business retreat at least one hour away from the office. The last thing you want is it to be interrupted with calls and clients that “just need a second.”  If you are not there, then you can stay focused. The idea of a retreat is to leave the office behind.  

• By being away from the office and staying overnight you won’t lose the focus by going home to hear the problem of the day from the spouse or kids. To get the most bang for your buck on a business retreat, you really need to make it an overnight event. This helps keep everyone from staring at their watch all day, assuming that when 5 p.m. hits, they get to jet. Overnight retreats let people relax and not rush the experience.

• Aim to have all your meals together as a group. This will be a great time for bonding and personal insights to occur. And when people feel more connected and more trusting of each other, they will work together way better.

If you have never taken time to walk away and work on planning your business, consider giving it a try.