Communication is Key to "Retreat" Success by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

How many times have you attended an organizational retreat or workshop and wondered what exactly was accomplished? It happens every day in business. Organizations spend a lot of money as well as valuable people hours on professional development and training efforts, without seeing much return. One of the biggest reasons there is so little payoff is that leaders don’t communicate both before, during and after the event to clarify goals and maximize the benefits.

J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo, Esq., is the Director of the NJ Division on Civil Rights. Recently, his team conducted a full-day staff retreat entitled, “Your Rights. Our Commitment,” focusing on the 60th anniversary of the Division and identifying specific goals for the future. It was a pep rally and a training session all in one.

Before the retreat, Vespa-Papaleo communicated with every attendee via e-mail exactly what the agenda and the goals were for the retreat. This avoided his people asking the question, “Why are we wasting a day doing this when we can be in the office being productive?”

But it was what Vespa-Papaleo did AFTER the retreat that was particularly impressive. Within 24 hours he sent a bulleted two-age e-mail to all attendees summarizing key points that were agreed to and accomplished. It also identified specific actions to be taken. Further, he thanked employees by name for their tangible contributions to the retreat and the entire team for having a positive and productive attitude about the event. Finally, he asked employees to provide written feedback regarding how the retreat could be improved for the future.

According to Vespa-Papaleo, “It is critical to communicate and follow up. It is a waste of time and money if you don’t take this step. It doesn’t get you anywhere to have a retreat just to have a retreat. The best retreats are the ones where people find things to criticize and offer solutions.”

What else can you do to get the most out of your next “off site” event? Consider the following:

--Like the Division on Civil Rights, you must clearly identify why the retreat is being held. As the organizer, ask yourself some questions. What exactly are we trying to accomplish? How will we measure our success when the event is over? Who really needs to be there? These things need to be communicated in writing before the event. Don’t assume people know, because they don’t.

--Back up your written communication with the way you open up the retreat. Your introductory comments should reinforce the goals for the event. Also, make it clear how

--Make sure the feedback vehicle is easy to use. Avoid detailed surveys. Go with a few open-ended questions such as; “What did you especially like about the retreat?” “What one thing would have made the retreat more valuable?” “What specific benefit will you take away from the retreat and how will you put it to use?” The feedback tool can’t be seen as a pain in the neck and timing matters a lot. Build in 10-15 minutes at the end of the retreat to fill out the “evaluation forms.” Don’t send them after the event, because people are no longer in the moment.

--Finally, it is critical that you actually use attendee feedback and communicate exactly how and in what way it is valuable to the organization. For example, in the follow-up e-mail after the retreat, outline what was agreed to and take a moment to list attended feedback that will be used to improve the team’s next retreat or event.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.