In the past couple of weeks I have facilitated two organizational retreats that covered approximately the same material. One was scheduled for four hours and the other was scheduled for seven. As I sort through my notes and consider what was accomplished during both sessions and the results were the same.
The difference in my mind was the work done in advance by the organizations. One group was very clear about what questions needed to be answered and what the deliverable was at the end of the retreat. The other was also focused but tried to cover a wider range of topics during the course of the retreat. Their outcome was to refresh an existing document.
I came away with an appreciation for clarity and focus. Group planning sessions are more productive when you take the following steps:
- Agree on an outcome before you start planning
- Ask for input from the participants. For example using an online survey, interviews or focus groups
- Filter the information and develop specific questions or decision-making opportunities for the group
- Have the support and commitment to the outcome from the organizational leadership
- Allow the group attendees to react to the information and provide suggestions, alternatives or agreement
- Capture off-the-subject items in a “parking lot” list and then return to those topics at the end of the session to decide if they still need to be discussed or assign a plan of action for each one
- Create agreement about the expectations for moving forward from the session
- Report back quickly and share meaningful updates/drafts for the group to review and approve
- Celebrate success
As a facilitator it is almost as much work to prepare a half-day as a full-day retreat. However, the best retreats seem to honor people’s time and energy levels. It is easier to keep the tempo high, the energy flowing and a small sense of urgency over three to four hours than seven or eight.
What has been most effective for your organization? How do you balance scheduling and planning? Would you consider paying more for the same result in less time?
What-if-concepts 