A Planned Retreat

A planned retreat is winning business tactic.

Partner or senior management retreats can be a powerful tactic in the success of a professional practice. But like every worthwhile undertaking - prior preparation is an absolute requirement and most importantly there needs to be agreed objectives. Unfortunately, in my experience, this is not always the case.

Key questions to be answered should be “what changes do we want to occur as a result of this retreat?” and "what factual information should we have at hand?” Perhaps even more important “how will the results of the retreat be recorded in order that they can be actioned?”

Leading the retreat
There is no doubt that most senior people will want to have an input. There can also be a tendency for the more outspoken or senior to dominate or in pushing a viewpoint perhaps not give consideration to another's view. I often find there are many with complaints but few with real ideas or suggestions for creating a better system or a better business.

Therefore I believe that the either appointing someone to facilitate the retreat from inside the practice - if they have that experience - or better still hiring and thoroughly briefing a professional facilitator is paramount. Indeed after the decision to "retreat" - this is the next most important decision.

If sessions are planned they are less likely to get out of control, and then from an external point of view maybe other firm's stories and successful experiences that can be brought to the table.

Using this approach means initially preparing a great deal of information to make the retreat more valuable – financials, past strategic plans, client surveys, and internal management minutes.

Then following that collation of information, the partners and the external facilitator should meet beforehand to confirm what the firm wants to improve and precisely how the retreat can be used to make that happen.

Real Results
A well run retreat should have data collected so that the discussion is based on an external reality not someone’s opinions.
For example – if a topic is profitability, ensure the group is informed precisely where the profits are coming from – which clients, which services?

If a topic is marketing or client service undertake research or interview your clients about the firm's strengths and weaknesses. Ask questions like:-

• “What do we have to do to deserve and earn more of your business and to obtain unbeatable referrals from you?"
• "What should we do more of, what should we do less of?"
• "What do think are our strengths and weaknesses?"
If a topic is team development, ask members of the team:-
• "What do they think we do well what we do poorly?
• "How could we improve - better communication, better systems etc?"

If a topic is strategic direction, have the partners been asked to prepare their thoughts in advance on:-
“Priorities and initiatives they believe need to be tabled and discussed that will best grow the firm?"

In this later case the use of a facilitator to address these issues with key players presenting the ideas anonymously at the retreat can often assist with balanced impersonal debate.

With the right planning and the right approach, partner retreats truly are an effective management tool.