Off-Site and Retreat Design & Facilitation
A retreat doesn’t have to set you back.
Your off-site doesn’t have to be off-putting.
Done right, they’ll advance your goals, thinking and results.
From annual board retreats and quarterly planning off-sites to crisis-triggered work sessions, CSR Communications president, Nancy Murphy, uses her retreat design and facilitation expertise to…
- Make it possible – even desirable – to talk about the elephant in the room.
- Ensure everyone can participate fully whether they process internally or externally, are more reserved or outgoing, feel like their voice is typically undervalued or that their perspective is the only one that matters.
- Set the tone of any gathering (including virtual ones!) by considering all the little details that contribute to the experience.
- Create a structured agenda with clear outcomes while excelling at adaptability and thinking on her feet when necessary to achieve what’s most important (even if unexpected).
- Ensure leaders can participate rather than facilitate, manage interpersonal issues or diffuse unproductive conflict.
- Summarize key themes and next steps, and structure accountability measures for action.
A good facilitator should be your retreat-planning partner, not just a glorified traffic cop the day of the event.
Busy professionals who agree to spend a day or more away from their desk want to know their time will be well spent. Nancy knows how to strike the right balance between fun and focus, allowing space to explore and still have participants walk away with a sense of accomplishment.
“Help! My boss just asked me to find a facilitator for our board retreat. And it’s next week. Are you available?”
Click here for 5 common retreat planning mistakes and Nancy’s advice for how to avoid them.
What Our Clients Say…
Leslie Boissiere
Vice President, External Affairs, Annie E. Casey Foundation
With Nancy as my retreat planning partner for our 40+-person team, I’m confident I can hand over my vision for the day and she’ll make it happen. She’s led multiple retreats for us, each one custom designed to accomplish exactly what we needed. Thanks to Nancy’s engaging, yet firm, facilitation style, I could really participate instead of assuming responsibility for keeping us on track.
Fran Atkinson
Deputy Director of Member Services, American Public Health Association
Nancy facilitated a team retreat that resulted in a positive change in our department. We needed to get at the root cause of some tension and figure out how to work together after a merger of two teams. We’re now a close-knit team since discussing our vulnerabilities and how we can help one another.
David Fouse
Director, Marketing and Communications, Association of Public Health Laboratories
When it came time to plan my first team retreat in a new leadership role, I knew I needed a partner I could trust and depend on to help me get it right. From our first conversation through the end of the retreat, Nancy kept the planning on track, created buy in from my staff and colleagues across the organization, and struck the right balance of fun and focus in her facilitation. I was thrilled with the entire process and the outcome.
Angel St. Jean
Assistant Director for Strategic Initiatives, (Baltimore) , Mayor’s Office of Employment Development
The meeting tips and tools Nancy introduced to us in our directors retreat have been a game changer. We’ve completely restructured the way we meet – from the frequency and types of meetings to rotating responsibilities for agenda development and note taking. These changes helped us move from operating in silos to a more effective, productive and stronger team.
