1. Establish some ground rules

You’re out of the office in a different space and time, so don’t feel like you have to stick to your usual office culture. This is a perfect opportunity to change things up. For a start, ditch the formal wear for something more informal and comfortable. The more relaxed people feel, the more able they are to get creative and think outside the box. 

You can set some fun rules of engagement too. Let everyone share their own ideas for the day - leave laptops closed, phones off the table, a funny statement to pull the conversation back when it goes off track. You can then decide collectively which you want to adopt. Signing a team contract is a fun way of getting everyone to commit to the ground rules. Not only will this exercise help you avoid unproductive behaviours but it will also help add a lighthearted tone to the meeting. 

2. Make room for individuality 

A strategy offsite meeting is where you’ll make big decisions about your business and the direction you want to travel. Everyone in your management team will come to the meeting with different priorities and ideas. They will all have different personalities and communication styles. And it’s important that they each feel seen and valued. If people don’t feel that their voice is being heard, your strategy offsite meeting will derail fast.

The key is to harness the individuality of everyone in the group. Create space for everyone to share their views and ideas, then guide the group towards coming together. The challenge is making sure everyone is comfortable, and this is where the venue can make a big difference. The more at home people feel, the more confident they will feel in airing their views. Not everyone is going to agree on everything, the important thing is creating a safe space where each person feels free to express themselves and is able to be heard.

3. Incorporate meaningful activities

Your strategy offsite doesn’t have to be all business. It’s not often you have your management team in one place at the same time, so it’s a great opportunity to do something fun too. Incorporating a group activity or two will energise your leaders and foster connection within the team. This in turn will also help to create space for healthy conflict and debate when it comes to making big decisions for the company. 

Air rifle shooting and axe throwing are exhilarating activities that have the added bonus of getting you out into nature. A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, either. You could try quad biking, watersports or hiking for something a little more adventurous. Or for something more relaxing, you could do a spot of fishing, a yoga class, or even a guided meditation to bring tranquility to the group.

Having a clear agenda with planned activities is important. But ideally you want to be flexible to adapt with what’s happening in the moment. If you’ve planned a game of cricket or a hike in the woods, but you find yourselves deep in a debate and don’t want to stop mid flow, the option to push the activity back half an hour will ensure you aren’t disrupted. The outcome of your strategy meeting is ultimately more important than rigidly sticking to your agenda.

While it’s fun to participate in activities, it’s also important for leaders to have some discretionary time. Planning time buffers in the agenda can give employees the chance to catch up on a personal basis or to take a walk and decompress.

4. Carve out time to celebrate!

The annual strategy offsite meeting is also a perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the last year. The goals and objectives you’ve met, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the lessons you’ve learned. All these things should be celebrated. So how about treating your management team to a banquet dinner or some live music? For a more informal affair, a BBQ or bonfire could be just the ticket.

Or you may choose to venture outside of the venue. At Rose Castle, for example, you may choose to end your strategy offsite meeting with a boat cruise on Lake Windermere or a hike to Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak.