There are two types of people when you say the words “strategic planning retreat.”
Person #1: “This sounds like an exciting opportunity to think big, align our goals, and create a solid action plan for the future!”
Person #2: “Oh great, another offsite where we sit in a cold conference room for two days while pretending to be engaged.”
Unfortunately, Person #2 tends to be the loudest, which is why getting buy-in for a strategic planning retreat can feel like convincing a toddler to eat vegetables. Even though you know it’s good for them, they’re suspicious, skeptical, and possibly plotting a rebellion.
Here’s the thing: a well-planned retreat isn’t just another long meeting in a different setting. When done right, it helps businesses sharpen their focus, strengthen leadership, and actually make progress. It also gets people out of the office and away from day-to-day distractions, monotony, and repetitive tasks.
How can you convince your leadership team, managers, and employees that a strategic retreat is worth their time and energy? You show them the value.
Make the Case Why Your Business Needs a Strategic Planning Retreat
If you’re asking your team to leave the comfort of their routines for a few days, you need a solid argument. Start by explaining that a strategic planning retreat isn’t about “just another meeting”, it’s about making real progress in ways you simply can’t in a normal office setting.
The benefits for the business include:
- Focused Thinking: without emails, meetings, and everyday office noise, your team can think strategically about the big picture.
- Better Collaboration: strategic planning retreats allow for open, candid discussions between leadership and teams. This is something that is hard to achieve in a fast-paced workday.
- New Ideas: when you step away from the usual, you start thinking differently. Many companies leave retreats with new strategies they wouldn’t have developed at their desks.
- Clearer Goals: the retreat sets the stage for real action plans, ensuring the company moves forward in an aligned, purposeful way.
Remember that retreats aren’t just for businesses. They are also benefit your team members by:
- Reducing stress: a retreat is a chance to step away from everyday chaos, giving people breathing room to focus on what really matters.
- Giving them a voice in the strategy: employees who feel heard and involved in strategic planning are more engaged and motivated when executing the company’s goals.
- Creating stronger team bonds: working together in a relaxed, distraction-free environment leads to closer connections and more trust. This translates to better teamwork back at the office.
- A Fun Experience: a retreat at a beautiful lakeside resort with great food, outdoor activities, and fresh air beats a day stuck in the office.
Once you frame the retreat as a great opportunity rather than a forced event, people start to see why it’s worth their time.
Why People Push Back on Retreats (And How to Overcome It)
Even with a solid argument, you’ll likely hear some objections that include:
“We don’t have time for this.”
That’s exactly why you need a retreat. Being too busy for strategy means you’re stuck in reactive mode, not proactive mode. A retreat gives your team the space to solve problems at the root level, leading to less chaos and more efficiency in the long run.
“This sounds expensive.”
A retreat is an investment. The insights and alignment gained from a few days away can save a company hundreds of thousands of dollars in misaligned initiatives, poor execution, and lost opportunities. Plus, an all-inclusive venue like Sugar Lake Lodge makes the budgeting simple. Everything from meals to meeting spaces to activities is included.
“This will just be a waste of time.”
Not all retreats are created equal. A well-structured retreat includes facilitated sessions, goal-setting exercises, and clear takeaways that translate into actionable results. We’re here to make progress.
“This is just for leadership, not the whole company.”
A strategic planning retreat isn’t just for executives in a room, it’s about aligning everyone in the company. Having key employees involved ensures better buy-in and smoother execution of company-wide initiatives.
Make the Retreat Feel Like an Experience, Not Just a Work Trip
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is treating a retreat like an extended work meeting. No one wants to go on a retreat to feel just like they do back at the office.
A strategic retreat should have structured planning sessions, but also moments for creativity, relaxation, and informal discussions. Some of the best ideas come over a casual conversation by the lake, on a golf course, or around a bonfire.
Plan for retreat activities that add value to your overall experience. These could include guided outdoor team-building exercises, casual networking and bonding time over shared meals, creative brainstorming in non-traditional settings, and fun, low-pressure group activities.
Use Leadership Buy-In to Get Company-Wide Support
If you want the whole company to support a retreat, start by securing leadership buy-in first. Senior leaders need to be champions of the retreat, showing employees why it’s valuable and not just another corporate obligation.
Present the tangible benefits, and show how the retreat will lead to stronger strategy, clearer goals, and better execution. You can also highlight past successes. If other companies or your own company have had productive retreats before, use those as examples.
Most importantly, make it easy. Suggest a venue that handles the logistics (like Sugar Lake Lodge’s all-inclusive retreat packages).
Once leadership is committed, it’s easier to sell the retreat as a must-attend event to the rest of the team.
Frame the Retreat as an Opportunity for Everyone
At the end of the day, a retreat should feel like an exclusive, valuable experience rather than an obligation. Position it as an opportunity for employees to contribute to the company’s success, learn new skills, and connect with colleagues. By the time the retreat is over, even the skeptics will admit that stepping away from the daily grind was exactly what they needed to think bigger, align better, and come back refreshed and ready to execute.
Let’s Plan One That Your Entire Team Will Actually Be Excited to Attend. Reach Out Today to Learn More!