With that in mind, think about your team.
- Do you actively invest in it and how its members work together?
- Would your team more easily achieve business outcomes through better communication?
- If so, what could you do to facilitate those changes?
One method to harness your team’s true potential is to run an offsite. We look at why they’re so effective here, but also how you can plan one which unlocks the full power of your team.
The benefit of an offsite
The key advantage to offsites is that they offer the chance to focus with no distractions. It sounds obvious, but taking the time to concentrate solely on your team is so easily overlooked, even though the results can be hugely worthwhile.
That’s because taking time out means you can zone in exactly on what your team needs to improve – making them more productive. Those improvements will generally fall into four areas:
1) The introduction of high-performing characteristics
An offsite is the ideal place to lay foundations for the following 7 characteristics seen in the best, high-performing teams:
- Trust
- Vision and alignment
- Autonomy and empowerment
- Social glue and mutual understanding
- Healthy conflict
- Connectivity
- Learning
With all these characteristics, teams are able to combine individual brilliance into collective power. Introducing them effectively is hard to do in your office’s own four walls and without a concerted effort from a leader.
2) Working on weaknesses
Even the best teams aren’t perfect. For instance, it could be that communication has become an issue. Or, your team may currently lack targeted aims. At an offsite, you can address those issues constructively.
Plus, what’s useful about the out of office set up is that any tricky team dynamics can be anticipated in advance. ‘Healthy conflict’ is then possible – leading to practical approaches for addressing problems in the future.
3) Strengthening strengths
What’s also great about offsites is that they’re a fantastic way to reinforce strong points. They’re not just for reinventing the wheel. For instance, if your team already has good working relationships, you can use an offsite to accentuate that further.
4) Time to make a team, a team
Finally, getting everyone present in one room can be hard to achieve spontaneously, especially if you have team members dotted around the country or globe. An offsite is dedicated time, all together. So, they are great for working on that social glue that leads to cohesion – thanks to providing space outside of the office, in an environment that’s safe.
Planning an offsite
Given what there is to gain from an offsite, how do you plan a profitable day?
Keep it simple
Identify specific outcomes you want to achieve. They don’t have to be overly complicated. They can simply be to create a closer-knit team. From there, you can then develop a well-structured agenda that zones in on those outcomes only.
Remember to take it offsite
Technically speaking, an offsite doesn’t actually have to be offsite. It can be tempting to save money by using one of your company’s meeting rooms. However, leaving the office can be advantageous because any outside noise will be immediately minimised – if not eradicated completely.
Make it fun
Finally, offsites should be enjoyable. They’re not just a day that has to be spent in a room coming up with strategy ideas for the short, mid and long term. But that doesn’t automatically mean you must take your team paintballing or other painfully enforced “fun” activities. Something where people relax is key.
It doesn’t even have to be a whole day out of the office. It can simply be going out to dinner, wine tasting, or just a drink after work. Anywhere your team spends time with one another in a relaxed environment is beneficial. Any get together outside a formal meeting can have huge power if done well.
How Goldcrest Partners can help
It’s always surprising to us that, despite the powerful tool an offsite is, they’re so often anticipated with dread by attendees. That’s a massive shame as offsites then essentially become an expensive waste of time.
Yet, the benefits of an offsite are so compelling. And it’s something that we can help with at Goldcrest Partners. All you need to do is give us a clear idea of where your team is now and where you want it to be afterwards. From there, we can tailor an offsite to be a constructive use of everyone’s time.
We do that through:
Collaboration
When planning a team’s offsite, we work closely with leaders in a highly collaborative way. In doing so, we design your day in tandem with you – rather than for you.
Direction
We act as a much-needed sounding board in the run-up to the day. Together with you, we compile your aims and objectives. Our input helps you stay focussed on creating an agenda and an environment to achieve your aims. Importantly, while that means we may give pointers and direction, you’re still definitely the leader. We believe that is critical to the day’s success.
Support
With us there throughout your offsite, you can focus on being part of any discussions. You never need to worry about running your timetable to the clock or who the next speaker will be. Our support enables you and your team to gain as much from the day as possible.
Independence
Crucially, we remain objective and independent. Having us as a third party gives everyone the space to relax and enjoy themselves that bit more. Our help encourages a team to have productive discussions that enhance relationships.
Contact us today
We’re experienced in creating the best environment resulting in the best outcomes. With our expertise, you can develop a high-performing team that not only reaches its targets and goals, but beats them time and time again too. Call or enquire with Goldcrest Partners today so we can start planning an offsite with you.
