Today our staff will be on retreat. Nothing fancy, just an opportunity to step back from the daily grind and think about our mission and objectives. We do this 2-3 times per year and while some members of the staff get nervous about the idea of prayer, dialogue and reflection, it's always worth it.

Aficionados of Patrick Lencioni know that an executive retreat can benefit a team in several ways. Retreats can:

Create bonding.

Reveal personality.

Promote reflection.

Allow disagreement.

Invite fun.

Generate emotion.

While I don't believe that lives will be changed today as a result of our 3 hours on retreat, I do believe that our corporate culture is gradually shifting towards our overall mission. Over time, our process of retreating allows staff members to be themselves, try new things and see issues from angles of coworkers whom they might not ordinarily interact with. Maybe it's time your team got away for a day of retreat?

Resources for the Road
7 Deadly Sins of Executive Retreats
Executive Retreats Online
Seton Hall University: Executive Retreat Program