Part 1: Who Are Retreats For?
A retreat planner. What is that exactly? What do you do? How does this work?
Do you own a venue?
I’m looking for a goal planning session for my small business, but I want to have a mix of goal planning and relaxation. Is that something you can help with?
I’m not sure what my budget is.
What is your planning process like?
These are all comments and questions I get from people during their initial consultations. I’m here today as part of a short, three-part blog series to answer some of these questions so you can have all of the information you need before booking your complimentary consultation.
PART 1: WHO ARE RETREATS FOR?
Many businesses have annual goal planning sessions. Some have annual employee recognition days. Some choose to give annual bonuses or recognize their employees in other ways.
I’d like you to think about a time you went on a vacation with a group of friends. Take yourself back to that place. What did you do? What type of conversations did you have? Are you still friends with these people? If you are still friends with them, are there times this vacation comes up in conversation?
Chances are this experience with your friends provided you with a shared experience that you could call upon in your memory. You may have shared laughs, intimate thoughts or had conversations about your future you wouldn’t normally have during a 1-hour dinner conversation on a Monday night.
Now think about what might happen if you shared some type of experience like this with your co-workers, employees, or board members? If you stepped away from the shared office or your home offices and came together to laugh, talk, and envision the future.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a retreat is defined as, “a period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study or instruction under a director.” Imagine if once or twice per year, you took this time to step away. To remove yourself from the daily grind and focus on your inner-self.
Now bodes the question of WHO should step away for a retreat? Who should host them? Who should attend them? Should you do them as a group? Individually? With your employees? Board members? Friends?
Here are a few groups of people that could benefit from a retreat, and how it might look.
Small Businesses or Committees Hosting annual goal-planning sessions
Groups of “like-minded” individuals (photographers, entrepreneurs, CEOs, small business owners, etc.)
Coaches (life, business, money coaches) & their clients
Wellness professionals (yoga teachers & their students)
Whether you run a small business or are part of a committee, you know that time is precious, and it is often difficult to get people in the same room. Many of us are working behind the screens in our homes, and lack the connection we once had in a pre-COVID office setting.
Perhaps you are a small business owner in the wellness-related or medical fields who have weathered the storms during the past few years. While you have been forced to stay in your office setting, it is likely that your team could benefit from connecting with each other in an off-site setting.
The chance to connect in a non-workplace setting forces your team to just be. It allows people the chance to open up, connect with each other, relax, laugh, and create shared experiences. More often than not, you will accomplish more with your team in these few hours or days than you would accomplish during weeks of small, interrupted, uninspired meetings.
Here are a few simple ideas for an off-site retreat with your team. We fully believe that there should be time set aside for work, and time set aside for play.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Movement of your body (yoga, hiking, or some other form of exercise)
Quieting / introspection of the mind (meditation)
Time in nature (hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, cross-country skiing, etc.)
Organized, impactful business planning
This means the presentations/workshops are prepared ahead of time. All speakers have a specific amount of time and content prepared.
Life and/or business coaching
Interactive workshops or breakout sessions (especially if it’s a group of 10+)
Creative workshops (floral arranging, cooking, etc.)
Some type of fun, group meal
So there you have it. If any of this sounds like something your business needs - we love dreaming, creating, and planning. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation and tell us all about your retreat goals.
Stay tuned to part two of our three-part blog series, “HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER?” coming next week!