The real point of an away day
Don't leave this off the agenda
Recently, I ran an away day for a fantastic team. We did some work on values, purpose and coping with change. Lots of great learning and insights.
At the end, I asked people to share what they had got out of the day.
"To be honest," said one person, "the best thing has just been spending the time together as a team."
Everyone nodded.
"Yes,” I said. “I get that a lot."
I do. And I think it's brilliant! In fact, it's often a big part of what I'm aiming for.
One of the most important elements in humans working well together is connection. We need to have a sense of who we're working with, and what we're working together to achieve.
It's not that everyone needs to be our best friend, but we need to have trust and respect for our colleagues. Without that work is pretty miserable and unproductive.
When we’re not working in the same space as people, we have fewer organic opportunities to build that connection. So when we are face-to-face, we need to make sure we are building connections and deepening relationships. So there has to be space and time for that.
In hybrid teams, we have less face-to-face time to work with. So how can you make sure you’re making the most of it?
First, don't skimp on the breaks.
If you're organising an away day or similar, it can be tempting to try and squeeze in as much as possible. There's a lot you need to get through, so it makes sense to cut lunch to half an hour, right? And we don't need a warm-up, or a mid-morning cup of coffee, do we? Best just to crack on with the agenda.
But this isn't the way to make the most of your face-to-face time. In fact, it is a surefire way to waste it.
If I'm facilitating, I will always suggest an hour for lunch. I encourage participants to eat together or to get outside and take a group walk - to use the time to socialise and enjoy each others' company.
Even more importantly, I make sure that the agenda offers the opportunity to build connections and trust within the group. Give everyone a chance to share their experiences and thoughts. Get people talking about what matters to them and why. Make sure everyone listens to each other.
This is what will build the trust, understanding and respect that will carry through to work when everyone is back at their desks.
FREE - Top tip for away days
If you'd like more of my insights into running a great away day - you can download my free Top Tips.
And if you are considering an external facilitator for your team day, I'd love to have a chat.
PS - I’m taking a bit of time off over the next few weeks, so this newsletter will be back in August.