The Executive Suite: How to Plan a Team Offsite That Actually Works

Thursday, September 24, 2015

How to Plan a Team Offsite That Actually Works

A successful team-building offsite can help employees develop new ways of communicating and collaborating. But many of these meetings are ineffective. To create an offsite that will have positive, enduring effects:

Create an agenda. For example, 1) We'll reflect on past performance to consider what the team has done well and what we could have done better, 2) Discuss current opportunities and challenges, and 3) Create strategic plans for the future.
Set ground rules. People should be able to speak up and constructively challenge one another without any fear of reprisal.
Plan activities that actually build the team. Cooking a meal together, for example, genuinely builds a sense of interdependence and collaboration, as does public service and volunteer projects.
Schedule follow-up. A subsequent offsite or check-in meeting can help ensure that the team stays focused on making progress and sustaining positive change.