Board Retreats

Before you start choosing your tools, decide what you are building.

Several months ago, a newly hired ED I was working with asked me if I could help build out an agenda for the board retreat her board chair had asked her to plan. They already had a couple of activities in mind and a venue lined up, but my first question was what they were seeking to accomplish with the retreat, and – as I find often to be the case -- they were not quite sure.

I have worked with enough organizations and facilitated enough board retreats that I was able to talk through with them a few things that might be valuable to accomplish, give them a few prompting questions (to answer and to take back to others for input), and quickly identify a few key objectives and build accordingly.

But I find this is common --  a retreat agenda that begins to take shape without clarity on what the very purpose of the event is.

Before you begin planning, in partnership with your board, you might want to consider:What do we hope this event will accomplish?

·         What strategic input should the board provide or key decision should the board make during this event?

·         What information will board members need to provide this guidance?

·         Are there key board responsibilities that need to be clarified or reinforced during this event?

·         How can we use the event to reinforce connection to our mission and those most impacted by our work?

Board retreats can be a useful tool, so long as you define what you are building with that tool and set out accordingly.