Company Retreats

Let Us Help Plan Your Next Company Retreat

Company retreats and sales conferences allow you to focus on the real work: strategic planning, visioning, priority setting, role clarification and decision-making. We work closely with you to define the goals of the retreat and prioritize the issues. Together we discuss not only the business context for the event but also the human context.

In developing the meeting agenda, we incorporate interactive challenges - indoors or outdoors - that energize the group, illuminate the issues at hand, and provide a welcome break from sitting in chairs.

Our clients report tremendous satisfaction not only with the retreat results and the decision-making process, but also with the energy and enthusiasm that accompanies participants back to the workplace.

Action Planning

The focus of this session is to turn your goals or ideas into a plan of action. Working in small teams, groups create a plan with tangible and attainable milestones aimed toward achieving the end goal. Our facilitators help teams clearly define their goals, identify resources and stumbling blocks to success. Through guided discussions, focused exercises and group feedback sessions teams create their own solutions and leave the session energized - with a clear plan to accomplish their goals.

Creative Brainstorming

Although the term "brainstorming" often has the connotation of an unstructured, creative free-for-all, in fact, effective brainstorming is a delicate process that requires an experienced guide. If left alone, a group often leaves a "brainstorming session" frustrated - and without the great ideas they desperately need. Quite simply, our facilitators bring out the best in your group. We get participants' creative juices flowing with custom-tailored interactive exercises, which may be a physical challenge or a quick problem-solving exercise. Then we make sure everyone understands the question at hand and help to focus the group's creative energy. We encourage participants to take risks while generating ideas. Typically, the group leaves the session with far more great ideas than they imagined possible.

Active Forum

Active Forum offers an exciting multi-dimensional format for groups to tackle highly complex issues in a very short time. This process takes the intense energy of creative brainstorming and focuses it on specific problems. Once the core problem is presented, the action begins. Any individual can propose a solution or identify a related issue, thereby agreeing to lead a discussion about that idea. After all the ideas are posted, other members of the group join whichever discussion appeals to them most. People can migrate from one discussion to the other, cross-pollinating each discussion with fresh perspectives and challenging questions. We have found Active Forum particularly valuable for entrepreneurial companies and for groups that are stymied by entrenched thinking or static decision-making.

Planning Hints

Your meeting location. If you have already decided on the site, we can help choose meeting space appropriate for the team building program and are happy to talk to the site contact. If you have chosen your team building program, but are still looking for a site, we may be able to recommend some venues. Remember, we can go to the site of your choice, no matter where it is in the world.

Surprise or not? We have found that in most cases, the group participants prefer to have some advance notice as to what type of activity they will be participating in. You may choose to give them minimal information in order to keep them guessing or provide them with an information sheet (supplied by Adventure Associates) that describes the workshop.

What is included? We include all supplies and equipment needed to lead your corporate team building program. Our average facilitator to participant ratio is 1:12 and the facilitator's pre and post planning time is included except in some situations involving intensive needs assessment survey or interview work. As we lead programs throughout the U.S. and abroad, facilitator travel expenses may be an additional charge.

Meals and Snacks. Don't forget about meals and snacks - group members appreciate bottled water on a warm afternoon or a thermos of coffee to start off a chilly morning. If we are meeting at an outdoor venue, we may be able to recommend a caterer in your area who delivers box lunches and beverages.

Starting Time. Often if the start of the corporate team building program coincides with the end of a meal or business session, we have a greater chance of beginning on time and not losing individuals as they check voicemail or take a short break. Please allow extra time if you are transporting people from a hotel to a different location for the team building.

Corporate Retreat Case Study

Sales Conference Case Study