How to Plan an Effective Retreat

Source: Journal of Accountancy

In this article, Kevin Breard encourages firm leaders to plan and take effective retreats with their teams. Here are Breard's retreat suggestions:

• Summer is a good time for retreats. Tax season is over and outdoor activities are an option.
• If possible, include your entire office to maximize buy-in from the whole team, and to receive ideas you otherwise might not ever hear.
• Allow enough time – two-and-a-half to three days.
• Be willing to invest in nice accommodations to get your team members excited about participating in the retreat.
• Allow your staff members to lead the retreat, rather than bringing in an outside facilitator.
• Begin the retreat with a look at all that your firm has accomplished over the previous year.
• Include small-group time for discussion and brainstorming.
• Provide an opportunity for anonymous positive and negative feedback so that staff members can be honest and issues can be discussed.
• Lead a discussion of the firm's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Take a look at where your firm stands against other firms, utilizing a national MAP survey.
• When your team returns to the office, quickly put new ideas and goals into action and develop a system of follow-up to ensure follow-through.

For the complete article, read “Retreat to Move Forward.”

From Journal of Accountancy, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, September 2011, www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2011/Sep.