Same Time Next Year for Your Business? Let's Hope Not!

The Benefits  and How To's of Now to WOW! Year-End Retreats!

I am currently working with several clients in preparing what has become their company's Year-End Strategic Planning Retreat.  No, not just another meeting to crank out  the annual business plan, rather an Annual Team Retreat to re-focus, re-energize and re-invent their organization for a brand new year. 

If your organization's only plans for the year-end are the "where and when of this year's  annual holiday party" perhaps a Now to WOW! TM Makeover is in order so it won't be "Same Time Next Year" for your business.

Just imagine in 1 day your team is charged up to increase profits, customer satisfaction and really Go Wild & Get GREAT! in 2008?  Envision a day of team celebration, collaboration and connection where the best minds and practices of your organization are shared and defeats and setbacks are put into humorous perspective and learning!   What if there was a way to produce a great and workable business plan in 1 day of fast and focused facilitation?    I think you would agree that it might be a better investment of time and money than planning this year's "Secret Santa" or days, maybe even weeks in continual business planning meetings. Meetings where everyone yaps about how great they are and in fact the business plan never gets done, or worse never gets implemented.

The following are 5 components of "Successful Now to WOW! Year End Team Retreats". Summer is almost over!  Get Planning to Go GREAT! in 2008.

1.  Pick a Theme for your Retreat!  Themes Build Teams!  This year I am planning an Amazing Race Planning Session for one organization, A Go Wild! Go GREAT in 2008 Safari and even an Iron Chef Business Planning Adventure for a Restaurant Group.  Everything from Agenda to Invitations to Decor, speak to the theme and build excitement and  a brand for the coming year's initiatives.

2.  A Strategic Agenda:  There is a science to the agenda for business planning retreats.  Did you know that when you plan the agenda, you need to consider 4 different personality styles, 3 different learning styles, gender and age communication differentials and natural body rhythms?  PS:  There's also a little thing called Haptic Learning---yes, raised in an era of TV Commercials, the agenda needs to be fast-paced, and interactive where literally there is a call to action every 8 minutes. 

3.  Fun Factor:     Show me a team that doesn't laugh together, and I'll show you a team that doesn't work together.  At Go Wild! Go GREAT! we use a variety of techniques to raise and renew energy levels with activities and humor on the hour following what we call  "1 hour chunks of serious business and brainpower".  Note:  1 hour of focused attention is considered the ideal time for concentrated and intensive work projects before we start to lose productivity.  Note to Self:   If you're under the gun to get a project done, set a timer for one hour and then take a 2 minute vacation.  Go back at it and you'll be amazed at how this simple rule increases both quality and quantity output.

4. Location, Location, Location.   Isn't it amazing how vacation and a change of scenery can refresh, re-energize and give you a new lease on life?   Look for interesting and unique locations for your team retreats away from the office and you don't need to spend a fortune!  A different off-site location can get your team to look at things differently and there's lots of affordable options.  For example,   I've rented Football Stadiums where we literally had an empty football stadium and use of the team's playback meeting room.  (Talk about the Big Picture and a natural tie-in with the importance of a year-end playback of best practices.).  I've rented historic houses (Check Out Vacation Rentals by Owner) or talk to a meeting planner.

5. Collection of Retreat Data & Memories;     The whole purpose of the retreat is to have a tangible map for next year and capture the organizational vision and benchmarks.  I recommend to my clients and myself use Mind-Mapper facilitation software where the group's input is immediately captured via lap-top and displayed with LCD projection. You can check out sample maps at www.mindmapper.com

Here's another creative option: I have commissioned local artists from the University to create a Living Mural of the Groups Journey from Now to WOW! during the actual retreat. Literally during the retreat day, an artist is transforming the group's accomplishments, vision, input and benchmarks for the coming year into a living "Work of Art Mural".   

This Colorful, Mural is then brought back after the retreat and posted at home base.  It becomes the team's visible business map for getting from Now to WOW!  PS:  It's not a business plan tucked in a drawer..Your team looks at it every day!  Remember Walt Disney's Wisdom. " Build the Castle First!  They need to see the Castle to build the dream."

Finally be sure to capture pictures of your team retreat in progress which you can then put with motivating music for a grand finale and a team memory of the journey.

Same Time-Next Year!?  You Bet, but if you follow these suggestions, guaranteed your organization will be on it's way from Now to WOW! tm and better!

For information on bringing Rosemary's Now to WOW! 1 day  Business Planning Retreats to your organization, write Rosemary@gowildgogreat.com.  Retreats are conducted in the U.S. Canada and Latin America.