Why a $15,000 team retreat failed miserably

TAKE #1 -- THE CONFLICT: No matter what, the team couldn’t collaborate. Deadlines missed. Tense, unproductive meetings. Personal friction and unaddressed grievances everywhere. Naturally, the retreat failed too.

TAKE #2 -- THE CAUSE: The retreat was mistakenly used as a shortcut to avoid doing the harder, fundamental work beforehand, like fixing . . .

• Flawed organizational systems: Unclear roles, conflicting priorities, poor communication channels, etc.

• Broken interpersonal relationships: Feuds, lack of trust, personality clashes, gossiping, etc. 

TAKE #3: -- THE CURE: Always diagnose and treat the fundamentals before attempting any team-building activities.

• Organizational systems: Clarify roles, responsibilities, and goals to address systemic conflict.

• Interpersonal relationships: Facilitate honest conversations between combatants. Use professional mediation to resolve deeply rooted, personal conflicts and create positive working relationships.

KEEP IN MIND: A retreat is the icing, not the cake. The critical work of fixing systems and mending relationships comes first. Otherwise, it’s like hiring a DJ for a party where nobody’s dancing. Wasted time and money.

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Let's pick up the pieces together.

L. Therese White 

Employment Mediator 

Workplace Conflict Resolution Coach