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Let us know which data center you'd like to visit and how to reach you, and one of team members will be in touch shortly.
By: Kelley Edwards, Vice President of Data Center Operations, DataBank
How many of us have attended an offsite meeting with optimism and excitement, only to have that momentum fizzle out weeks later. Offsite gatherings offer the chance to address pressing issues, build strong team connections, and step out of the routine. There are many factors that contribute to having everyone walking away with a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie, good memories, and optimism towards the future. Then why do so many of them go wrong? Without thoughtful planning and effective follow-up, even the best intentioned offsite can fall flat.
As the new year begins, many of us are gearing up to plan such a gathering. What is another year without a solid plan, right? A wise woman once told me, an offsite is only as good as the follow up afterwards. With that in mind, here is how to ensure your next team offsite is a success from start to finish.
Choose a venue outside your corporate offices. Why? Everyone needs to detach and focus. Holding your offsite at your corporate office or company location can lead to distractions. A simple walk to the break room or chance meeting with an employee could pull focus from the meeting and its objectives. If your budget allows, select a venue free of work-related distractions and interruptions, then set the intention to be present.
Build your agenda weeks before and make it a collaborative effort. Start by drafting your ideas and then invite team members to contribute topics and give everyone enough time to do so. Once the input is gathered, finalize the agenda a week before your event, complete with estimated times for discussion. Your agenda will also dictate how many days you will need.
An actionable agenda ensures every discussion topic concludes with specific actions, assigned owners, and deadlines. For example:
It is always good to keep an hour at the end for parking lot items and/or last-minute ideas. This buffer ensures that no pressing topic is left unaddressed.
This is dictated primarily by your budget. While everyone can’t host an offsite in Hawaii, the venue you choose plays a significant role in setting the tone. Remember the offsite is just not sitting in a room, it is bumping into one another in the lobby, at the bar and at the restaurant. Consider options to foster these informal interactions outside the formal agenda.
Aim for a setting that promotes both relaxation and focus — within your budget, of course. A peaceful setting with great service and comfortable amenities can go a long way towards creating a productive environment.
You know the saying “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” That means respecting your team’s time. I do not ask my team to travel on weekends when they could be spending quality time with their loved ones. Also, because travel fatigue is real, including delayed flights, time zone changes, and lost luggage. I give everyone a travel weekday in the agenda. Sharing travel schedules in advance can also streamline coordination, help everyone stay informed, and foster collaboration.
How many times have we all been to Top Golf, went bowling, or went to an adult type of arcade? If you have the time for a team building event, focus on events that encourage genuine interaction, reveal hidden talents or strengths, and create the potential for all team members’ true personalities to come out. You know that person in the office who has a strong personality and isn’t the best to work with? Maybe seeing him or her in a new light can bring that person closer to the team. Think about the desired outcome. Perhaps, select a relaxing boat ride with people who already get along, or be strategic and partner specific people in an Escape Room to nudge a better working relationship. A team building event should…well…build a team by fostering connection, trust, and collaboration.
Everyone — I mean everyone — will remember the food. Yes, I know we are at an offsite and expected to be around one another for 10+ hours but, I have learned to give people at least one optional meal in the day. Breakfast is easiest for me to make optional. You know who they are – the intermittent fasters. Not me, I love food. For lunch, I prefer not to eat in the conference room. Most hotels will reserve a table for you at their restaurant and some will even give you an advance menu for everyone to preselect their meal to speed up the ordering process. For dinner if you have a foodie in your group – delegate. Tell them what you want – ambience, type of food, short distance from the hotel, any food allergies or restrictions and let them do what they do best. Word to the wise, make sure it is within your budget.
Let’s say you do everything correctly. Your execution is flawless, everyone is raving about your offsite. Well then why did the initiative fail to deliver? An offsite is only as good as the follow up. (Sound familiar?) The next step is to execute the decisions made offsite. I use my agenda to build my action item list to:
To ensure alignment at the end of the offsite I review the list and get everyone’s agreement. I then incorporate the offsite action items into my weekly staff meetings.
Planning and following up on an offsite can be fraught with challenges. Here are some common pitfalls and tips to avoid them:
The people offsite were there for a reason: They are the people who will help drive your team and company forward. It is your responsibility to ensure the ideas and outcomes are executed. Ideas are great, execution is the differentiator.
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