Leadership Retreats

Most leadership retreats fail in the weeks before anyone arrives: in the decisions that were not made, the conversations that were not had, and the assumptions that were never examined. This article examines the four preparation failures that determine retreat outcomes before the session begins.

Most organizations default to a retreat when something is wrong at the top. The assumption that misalignment, eroded trust, or unclear direction calls for collective time away is understandable. It is also wrong more often than most facilitators will admit. This article examines the situations where a retreat is not the right answer, and what should happen instead.

Should your leadership team hire an external facilitator for your next retreat or run it internally? This guide cuts through the default assumptions and gives senior leaders in expert-driven organizations a practical framework for making the decision well.

Retreats demand one of the biggest investments of leadership time and energy. This article explains how poorly designed retreats waste that investment, and what it takes to make them catalytic instead of costly.

For many organizations, retreats have become routine. The problem is that most retreats are designed as events to get through rather than inflection points to be used. This is a wasted opportunity. Done with intention, retreats can be among the most important investments a leadership team makes.