Here’s an offsite agenda template.
- Align
- Strengths
- Priorities
- Structure
- Actions
Clearly the agenda will flex around what you need to accomplish. Be aware that it cannot be all of one thing nor all of another.
Variety, team-building and problem-solving should be inherent in any off-site plan.
Half-day offsite agenda template
First hour
- Set outcomes for the day, give corporate context.
- Presentations no longer than 20 minutes.
- Minimum 10 minutes questions and answers after each presentation.
Second and third hours
- Dissect problems to be solved.
- Allocate problems to cross-functional groups.
- If possible make the problem-solving also a game with elements of both competition and collaboration.
Fourth hour
- Bring threads together from a separate groups.
- Action plan and wrap up
Full-day offsite agenda template
First hour
- Set outcomes for the day.
- Give corporate context.
- Presentation no longer than 20 minutes, minimum 10 minutes questions and answers per presentation.
Second and third hours
- Dissect problems to be solved.
- Allocate problems to cross-functional groups.
- If possible make the problem-solving also a game with elements of both competition and collaboration.
Introduce a diagnostic tool, analytical model, data-set or similar stimulus. In cross-functional groups analyse, apply to work
Seventh hour
- Bring threads together from separate groups.
- Action plan.
- Seek feedback.
- Wrap up.
Two-day offsite agenda template
A two day offside meeting gives you the chance to unpack and re-construct much more.
Typically, you need a two day off site when you are creating a new strategy where you are re-aligning a team. It is better have 4 x half day offsites per year then one two-day offsite. It gives greater value to chunk smaller.
Day one: pull the problem apart
First hour
- Set outcomes for the day.
- Give corporate context.
- Presentations no longer than 20 minutes.
- Minimum 10 minutes questions and answers per presentation.
Second and third hours
- Dissect problems to be solved.
- Allocate problems to cross-functional groups.
- If possible make the problem-solving also a game with elements of both competition and collaboration.
Fourth to sixth hours
- Introduce a diagnostic tool, analytical model, data set or similar stimulus.
- In cross functional groups analyse.
- Apply to work
Seventh hour
- Bring threads together from a separate groups.
- Action plan and foreshadow day two.
Day two: put the solution together
First hour
- Review Day one.
- Outline any overnight insights.
- Seek further feedback
Second to sixth hour
- as for day one, iteratively introducing more topics, data or models.
Seventh hour
- Bring threads together from a separate groups. Action plan, Seek feedback, Wrap up.
If you want help designing an offsite please talk to Cindy Tonkin. The chances of success are much higher when you introduce your facilitator 6 to 8 weeks before the off-site. It costs the same whichever way you bring them in. Stop keeping a dog and barking yourself.
