Want to Build an Awesome Team? Take Them Outside and Share Moments of “Awe”
I just got back from leading a three-day retreat on Mt. Tamalpais in beautiful Marin County, CA. As the fog swallowed the peaks and valleys each evening and peeled back slowly each morning, I had the honor of peeking into the inner workings of a leading-tech-company team. Before gathering on our mountain perch, this diverse group of remote workers, who ranged in age from 23 to 60, had never met in person. During our 72 hours together, we had four goals:
To have face-to-face experience and build in-person connections
Create alignment around a strategic plan for 2020
Clarify everyone’s roles and responsibilities in support of this plan
Develop and articulate the team’s working agreements
Each day, we punctuated our intensive work sessions by taking time outside, moving our bodies, and tuning into the awe-inspiring beauty all around us. Together, we hiked through towering redwoods, leaving our footprints along the red mud trails. We watched a glowing sunset and a brilliant moonrise. We heard the babbling brook rushing off the mountain after recent rains. And we noticed that the soft light of the morning magnifies the tree bark so it looks like a prop from a movie set.
Want to know how I sum up this leadership retreat in a single word? Wow.
Wow … because I saw the sparkling eyes of strangers becoming fast friends.
Wow … because I heard giggles and belly laughs as people let their inhibitions melt away like the mountain mist.
Wow … because I watched previously blank vision boards come to life and brim with personality, creativity, and authenticity.
Wow … because I felt incredibly proud as each participant shared their own “Operations Manual”—a self-styled guide that explained to their colleagues, “This is how to work with me!”
Wow … because in just three days, all our shared experiences formed indelible connections and memories that will make the miles between us simply fade away.
But hold on a second. Do you want to know the most remarkable thing about this experience? I’ve been a culture and leadership coach for more than two decades, and I’ve taken hundreds of teams on all manner of three-day retreats, from snowshoeing and river rafting to sea kayaking and rock climbing. No matter where we go or what we do, I’ve witnessed similar surges of collaboration, creativity, focus, and connection every single time. That’s right, in my experience, taking folks out of the conference room and into the great outdoors is a foolproof way to invigorate and inspire any team. Also guaranteed? The positive effects of the retreat last long after we’ve hiked back down the mountain, unclipped our snowshoes, or paddled to shore.
(By the way, it’s no coincidence that I plan getaways for three days/two nights. Research shows that it takes our overactive brains three days to get the full benefits of being out in nature. That’s why it’s called the “3-Day Effect.”)
If you’re ready to improve the dynamic on your team or shake things up a bit, I hope you’ll consider planning an outdoor retreat. Trust me, there’s nothing like a shared sunrise to bring a team together—whether for just those stunning moments or for the weeks, months, and even years ahead.
There’s really nothing like it.
Want to build a strong culture so teams can connect, collaborate, and communicate better? Get in touch.