_{After a few years of remote work and virtual meetings, many organizations are recognizing that the talent in their teams are "Zoomed out" and receptive to productive in-person meetings when well planned. Some team members hired during the pandemic are meeting their colleagues and managers in person for the first time. How can you plan a great meeting that engages your team? Below are a few tips.} 

_{Having had the privilege to work at many client team meetings and sales/management conferences over the last 20 years, we have often been relied upon for some advice in planning and referring locations for events. These off-sites can have a variety of stated purposes, from building strategy to quarterly business review, often sprinkled with a dash of fun and “team building.”}

_{So, if you or a colleague are in charge of organizing the team’s next offsite, here are our top 8 Do’s and 4 Don’ts to consider:}

Do’s...

• Do choose a creative location.
  _{If your goal is to get undivided attention away from the office, choose a nice location. Whether it be an original school house or a place overlooking a lake or waterfall, select a spot with some independent appeal. This will be especially valued by attendees if your session involves being away from their families for an overnight stay.} 

_{The opportunity to walk in some green space at break times is refreshing and enhances creative thinking. We’ve seen team workshops at castles, ski chalets, Caribbean resorts, cooking schools, bed and breakfast Inns (and even a unique funeral home). There are endless options to suit your group and budget. One suggestion we share with clients is ask about seating. Seating comfort will enhance meeting engagement, reduce fatigue and increase interaction vs having team members look at their watches to see how soon they can leave. The longer the meeting the more important to prioritize comfortable swivel-tilt chairs over standard hard seated banquet chairs.}

• Do schedule for engagement.   

_{Plan interactive dialog vs. an information dump. Team meetings are an excellent opportunity to gain input and brainstorm team solutions. If you spend the day talking “at" vs. "with" the team, don’t be surprised to see the smart phones come out as they disconnect from meeting content and connect to other issues online. (Email us for a free article on a creative problem solving technique I learned from Brian Tracy. Any group can use it in a meeting)}

_{Physical activity is great for bringing healthy energy in to your conference/meeting. If you're doing an off-site meeting, consider the local area/building and see if which team members may be interested in leading casual groups. (nearly morning walks, hike or a running group) In one case an organization created a morning Olympics with incentives to sign up for events. At one conference a manager who as an avid mountain biker arranged a group with rental bikes to go on a morning ride in the rolling hills surrounding their resort.}

_{Motion creates energy and positive emotion for your team culture.}

• Do help managers/team members get to know each other.

^{This is particularly important in a post-pandemic environment where some managers/ team members have had limited in-person interaction time with other colleagues. You and your team may even benefit from integrating a fun team learning exercise with Behavioural Intelligence to enhance relationships by understanding how to communicate with different personality styles.}

• Do customize to your audience

^{Align meeting/conference content with the interests of your audience. I recently attended a large evening event that featured a former NHL hall-of-famer, now in his 70’s. Some certainly enjoyed it, but others (the audience  contained a younger demographic range) had not even been born yet when he was a player, and probably wished he had gotten the hook from stage right a little sooner. Know your audience, and make sure your planning reflects that.}

• Do engage in Team Activity
  _{Align meeting/conference content with the interests of your audience. I recently attended a large evening event that featured a former NHL hall-of-famer, now in his 70’s. Some certainly enjoyed it, but others (the audience contained a younger demographic range) had not even been born yet when he was a player, and probably wished he had gotten the hook from stage right a little sooner. Know your audience, and make sure your planning reflects that.} 
  
  
  

• Do energize the atmosphere
  _{Ever attend a cocktail party in a library quiet environment? There is no buzz kill like having complete silence when a group gets together, which is why you hear music in Starbucks locations.  Play music at the beginning, while attendees are arriving or having coffee, and at content break times. It could be smooth jazz instrumental or some genre that appeals to the group. Note: it shouldn't be loud and distracting, so nix the Twisted Sister or Profanity-laced Snoop Dog (or Lion). You may even want to appoint a team DJ to select some tunes the team would like and have them create the break time play list.}
  
  

• Do consider a good outside speaker. 
  _{Partner with an engaging outside speaker who can add value and bring a new perspective to your team. Be sure to brief your speaker with general info about the team, the goals and themes of the offsite, as well as any recent issues to be aware of. If they are good, they will weave your theme and team objectives into their presentation. Another “outside voice” idea is to bring in a client or customer panel to add a valuable perspective. For larger conferences a good meeting planner or event firm can ensure a productive event aligned with strategic direction.}

• Do communicate while planning

  ^{Build engagement before the event by communicating goals and desired outcomes of the meeting. If there is some prep work to be completed, send it out in advance with clear deadlines. You could even send out ‘welcome’ emails or cards the week before the session. We had one client that did this with the simple question, "What will next year look like?" on the card in advance of a planning meeting. Afterward, send out a follow-up communication thanking them for their participation, and summarizing the key points addressed, if appropriate.}

Don'ts...

• Don’t procrastinate in your planning

  ^{A good team meeting requires forethought and planning. Allow time for all the content and logistics to be mapped out for a successful team event. Also, allow team members time to plan their personal lives around it. If it is overnight, they may require notice to schedule babysitters or dog walkers, etc.}

• Don’t put team members on the spot in front of peers.
  _{If you would like any of the participants to make a presentation at the offsite, be sure to advise them in advance. If you are planning to ask them questions about their area of business in front of a group, let them know ahead of time so that they aren’t caught off guard. Not everyone is comfortable speaking extemporaneously, and most would appreciate being able to prepare.}
  
  

• Don’t encourage excessive alcohol consumption.

  ^{Many years ago, we were asked to provide facilitation at an overnight offsite meeting of national sales managers. There was an email sent out prior, stipulating no alcohol at the 3-day event. When we asked about it, we were told that they had encountered issues at previous events and for safety and liability reasons, they now have a no-alcohol policy. Keep it professional and safe.}
  
  

• Don’t forget to do a post survey.

^{Find out what they liked – and what they didn’t like. Ask what ideas they came away with, and what they’d do differently next time.}

Most teams are working pretty hard these days.  If you have team offsites, develop a reputation for leading great meetings. Make use of offsites  allow for team connection and fun, along with the work content, and you will build engagement and interest from the moment you announce the date. 

If you have a team meeting, management or sales meeting coming up and you're looking for suggestions, feel free to email us and ask any questions.

In the Spirit of Growth,

 XLTeamwork.com

As Chief @ XLTeamwork.com Chuck is a Creative business leader/writer/husband/dad/real estate investor. Passionate about leadership, faith, family, entrepreneurship, and helping organizations understand and leverage their talent. Visit www.XLTeamwork.com for more information.

Contact us to learn more about what we could do to make your team meeting or conference a success.

#XLTeamwork #Hirerightfit #Talent #teamwork #coaching #leadership #meetings #conference #meeting #salesteam #sales #disc #discstyles #Bluemontain #toronto #vancouver #montreal  #collingwood #meetingplanners #recruitment #management #engagement