Impactful Retreats
Offsite, onsite or virtual, take the time to work on your business to regroup, align, and kickoff your next phase of growth.
Sample Retreat Agendas
Curious how the day might play out?
Here are some examples of problems team face, and the topics that can support breakthroughs...
You spend all of your time "in" the business.
It's just as important to spend time "on" it.
• Provides focused time to achieve a specific goal (a new direction, a complex problem solved, etc)
• Builds stronger relationships
• Builds a more cohesive and aligned team
When time or budget are significant constraints, it is possible to put together on-site retreats. (Post-COVID, we no longer recommend virtual retreats.)
Taking time off to participate in a retreat is one thing, but taking the time off to plan the content and logistics for a retreat is another. This is where we can help.
Our approach is flexible, and depends on your needs. There are three ways we can work together:
• Plan the agenda: We'll do the heavy lifting, and plan the activities, workshops, pre-work – even the fun activities. We work collaboratively to ensure that the retreat agenda supports your overall objectives.
• Deliver the presentations: We'll customize our programs, arrange pre-work, present the content, and run the workshops. For workshops that are beyond our direct knowledge, we will tap into our wide network of professional trainers and subject matter experts, and bring them to the retreat.
• Facilitation Support: It's challenging for leaders to participate fully in the sessions when they also try to be the facilitator. We can either directly facilitate the entire event, facilitate key sessions only, or provide "behind the scenes support" if you would prefer to do it all yourself.
Listen in on this Q&A session on
leadership retreats.
Audience: C-suite + senior leaders
Training goals: Aligning leadership across all jurisdictions and business units
• Streamline management style of managers to direct reports
• Create clarity around decision making and internal communications
Before the event:
• Pre-reading of a selection of short articles on leadership and management by Randall Craig
Schedule for "social evening" beforehand
• Appreciation activity: Individual team member's contributions and appreciation notes read outloud to everyone
• Short presentation about what to expect for the following day
↳ Pep talk on taking on new skills for the next phase of growth
Schedule
↳ Each group presents their solutions to everyone
↳ Each group presents their solutions to everyone
↳ Accountability exercise: What two concepts did I learn today that I commit to taking on?
One week after the event
Audience: Department heads / Middle managers
Training goals: Alignment, cohesion, and focus
• Reduce ambiguity around decision making: Reduce bottlenecks, micro-management, and lack of accountability
• Communication skills to foster trust and a psychologically safe work environment
Before the event:
• Pre-reading of a selection of short articles on leadership and management by Randall Craig
• Submit in writing two things you appreciate about each attendee of the development day
Schedule for "social evening" before
• Social game that points to culture in the organization
• Short presentation about what to expect for the following day
↳ Pep talk on taking on new skills for the next phase of growth
Schedule
↳ Each group presents their solutions to everyone
↳ Accountability exercise: What two concepts did I learn today that I commit to taking on?
One week after the event
Audience: Junior managers or New manager cohort
Training goals: Leadership skills
• Presentation skills
• Self awareness and management presence
Before the event:
Schedule
↳ Each group presents their solutions to everyone
↳ Appreciative Inquiry: What was good about each presentation?
↳ Accountability exercise: What two concepts did I learn today that I commit to taking on?
One week after the event
Audience: Annual kick-off or all-hands development day (250-750 attendees)
Training goals: Upskilling, stronger relationships, personal motivation
• Development of a common vocabulary and new/refreshed skills
• Build and strengthen relationships with colleagues; forge cross-functional connections
Before the event:
• Fill out a two question survey
• Watch a short video to generate excitement, and also highlight foundational concepts
• Pre-reading of a selection of short articles on leadership and management by Randall Craig
Schedule
↳ B: Management presence and developing your professional persona
↳ Accountability exercise: What two concepts did I learn today that I commit to taking on?
One week after the event
2-Day Retreat Agenda Structure
• Interview with Randall and Ronja to explore challenges/opportunities
• Pre-reading specific articles
• Small group assignment
Arrival:
• Kick-off presentation by CEO
• Session 1: Appreciative Inquiry: What do we do better than anyone else?
• Dinner
• Team-building social activity
Day one:
• Early morning: Yoga or other fitness activity
• Breakfast
• Session 2: Presentations of small group assignment
• Session 3: Skill-building session
• Lunch
• Team-building activity
• Session 4: Facilitated brainstorm session on topic
• Free time
• Dinner
• Small group work on "project" based on earlier sessions
Day two:
• Early morning: Hike or other fitness activity
• Session 5: Presentations/discussions from evening project work
• Session 6: Next steps planning/Implementation
• Session 7: Motivational presentation
• Lunch, Closing presentation by CEO
One week after the event:
• Impact Meeting (to review outcomes, provide additional insights)
2-Day Management Training
• Interview with Randall and Ronja to explore challenges/opportunities
• Watch video (30 minutes) that will launch the Critical Thinking workshop at the retreat
• Kick-off presentation by CEO, HR leader, or senior manager
• Session 1: MBA in a Day (Part one)
• Dinner
• Team-building social activity
• Early morning: Yoga or other fitness activity
• Breakfast
• Session 2: MBA in a Day (Part two)
• Session 3: Critical Thinking Workshop (including Issues and Trends assignment)
• Lunch
• Session 4: Management Essentials
• Team-building activity
• Free time
• Dinner
• Small group work on Issues and Trends report
• Issues and Trends report due
• Early morning: Hike or other fitness activity
• Session 5: Presentation of Issues and Trends
• Session 6: Presentation Skills training
• Session 7: Motivational presentation
• Lunch with Closing presentation by CEO, HR leader, or senior manager
• 1h coaching sessions with each team member
Our Process
A collaborative planning process has the greatest, lasting impact on your organization.
We work with your senior leadership on an agenda that meets your objectives, driven by insights from interviews from your team.
Design
Depending on the goals, the day (or days) will include a mix of
training modules,
breakout group work,
practical problem solving,
and facilitated conversations. (It will also include relationship-building and social time.)
Our approach will also include
pre-reading (or pre-work),
so everyone can hit the
ground running.
On-site Delivery
We always show up early, and ensure that the attendee experience is seamless, powerful, and is personally impactful.
Our practical business-challenge small-group
problem-solving formats
build trust, and stronger professional relationships.
On-SITE MENTORSHIP
Attendees will typically have many questions and reflections as they go through the day.
Some of the most impactful conversations take place outside the formal schedule: at breaks, the evening before and the evening after. We actively seek out these conversations to help your team more deeply process their learning.
Reinforcements
For new learning to stick, there needs to be follow up. We will provide visual reference sheets, and provide post-retreat readings.
We will also meet with your senior leadership to share additional insights that surfaced during the pre-interviews, formal sessions, and our on-site conversations.
What we do
- Plan and deliver the training content.
- Plan the breakout groups.
- Plan small group work and consolidate the learning.
- Facilitate important conversations to gain alignment.
- Listen to the goals, blockers and dynamics of your team.
- Address as many issues as we can with sensitivity and discretion.
- Motivate, educate, and inspire teams to work productively together.
- Work with the leadership team / CEO to ensure goals are met.
- Plan relevant pre-work, deliver reference notes, and post-event resources.
- Make it a fun experience for everyone. We're serious, but we have fun!
What we don't do
- Event logistics: We don't pick the venue, meals, etc.
- Pre-packaged presentations: Every presentation is customized based on your objectives, attendee interviews, and your feedback.
- Drama: We are easy to work with. No surprises.
PRICING
In the market for retreat leaders, you will find a wide range of fees, ranging from $5K to $100K+. As there are so many variables (and each of our clients is unique), it is impossible for us to provide a definitive quote without a conversation.
While our fees have typically ranged from $15K to $50K, we don't want this to be an impediment – we're more interested in working with great leadership teams who are looking to make a significant impact.
Give us a call – no obligation, just conversation.
– Randall and Ronja
"Our retreats with Randall and Ronja have been a completely new experience for us. Our retreats had previously never had an impact on the organization; the travel and luxury were just considered a job perk. Now our development days and post-retreat support really propel our teams' success. I wish we knew about them sooner."–I. K., COO
What determines pricing?
- Number of attendees
- Number of interviews
- Number of days
- Number of planning and feedback sessions
- Complexity of the overall goal or challenge to be resolved
- Complexity of pre-prep and post-event resources
- Training license fees
- Other services needed
- Location
Transform Your Leadership Retreats and Development Days
At the Braintrust Professional Institute, we take a fundamentally different approach to leadership gatherings – one you'll notice from the very first planning conversation.
Our Unique Process
We take your overall goals, and then connect directly with your team members to understand the real challenges they face. This ground-level insight shapes every aspect of the program:
• For intimate leadership teams (under 25 attendees), we aim to interview each participant.
• For larger organizational gatherings (100-500+), we work with you to select interviewees across different roles, functions, and demographics.
Through these conversations, we identify the key themes that will drive meaningful change:
• Uncovering and reframing perceptions that may be limiting team effectiveness and work effort
• Identifying specific knowledge gaps and the topics team members want to learn about
• Addressing misalignments that impact culture, and results
Satisfying both overall goals while also providing participants precisely what they say they need vastly increases engagement, and the longer impact.
Ready to Transform Your Next Leadership Session?
Let's schedule an hour to discuss your goals and explore possibilities - no obligation, just conversation. We're passionate about helping leaders succeed and would love to hear about your vision. Either call us at 416-918-5384, or meet us for a Zoom coffee.
Curious about bringing Randall to your next retreat?
Start with a conversation.
Sample Retreat Agenda: Addressing a specific challenge
• Pre-reading specific articles
• Small group assignment
Arrival:
• Kick-off presentation by CEO
• Session 1: Trends, or topics
• Dinner
• Team-building social activity
Day one:
• Early morning: Yoga or other fitness activity
• Breakfast
• Session 2: Presentations of small group assignment
• Session 3: Skill-building session
• Lunch
• Team-building activity
• Session 4: Facilitated brainstorm session
on topic
• Free time
• Dinner
• Small group work on "project" based on earlier sessions
Day two:
• Early morning: Yoga or other fitness activity
• Session 5: Presentations/discussions from evening project work
• Session 6: Next steps planning/Implementation
• Session 7: Motivational presentation
• Lunch, Closing presentation by CEO
• Check-out and departure
One week after the event:
• 1h session to review retreat outcomes
and re-focus
Sample Retreat Agenda: Management Training
Two weeks before the event:
• Pre-reading specific articles
• Attend in-person Critical Thinking workshop "set up" virtual session (30m)
• Small group assignment: Issues and Trends
Arrival:
• Kick-off presentation (by CEO, HR leader, or senior manager)
• Session 1: MBA in a day, part one
• Dinner
• Team-building social activity
Day one:
• Early morning: Yoga or other fitness activity
• Breakfast
• Session 2: MBA in a day, part two
• Session 3: Critical Thinking Workshop (including Issues and Trends assignment)
• Lunch
• Session 4: Management Essentials
• Team-building activity
• Free time
• Dinner
• Small group work on Issues and
Trends report
Day two:
• Issues and Trends report due
• Early morning: Yoga or other fitness activity
• Session 5: Presentation Skills training
• Session 6: Presentation of Issues and Trends
• Session 7: Motivational presentation
• Lunch, Closing presentation (by CEO, HR leader, or senior manager)
• Check-out and departure
One week after the event:
• 1h coaching sessions with each
team member
Learn more about our approach
Listen in on this Q&A session on
leadership retreats.
Curious? Questions? Interested in exploring the possibilities?