Goals and the brief

Most retreat problems start before anything is booked: nobody wrote down why the retreat is happening. The result is a programme that tries to do everything, a budget that keeps changing and a venue chosen for its photos rather than its fit. This lesson helps you avoid that with a one-page brief.

Start with the "why"

Ask the person who requested the retreat: if this goes really well, what will be different afterwards? Typical answers include:

• Alignment: everyone understands next year's strategy and their part in it.
• Connection: a remote or newly merged team builds trust and relationships.
• Recognition: high performers are rewarded and feel valued.
• Decisions: the leadership team leaves with concrete decisions and owners.
• Learning: people gain a skill or perspective they could not get at the office.

Pick two or three. A retreat with seven goals usually achieves none of them well. Write each goal as an outcome you could check afterwards, for example "every team leaves with three agreed priorities for Q1" rather than "talk about strategy".

Who is coming?

Agree on a headcount range rather than a single number: a minimum and a maximum. Clarify whether partners, freelancers, new joiners or plus-ones are invited, and whether attendance is expected or optional. Note any participants with accessibility needs or travel restrictions early; they influence destination and venue choices.

When and how long?

Choose two or three possible date windows and check them against public and religious holidays in every country your people live in, school holidays, product launches, financial year-end and peak seasons at likely destinations. For most teams, two to three days on site is enough to meet the goals without exhausting people or the budget.

Who decides?

Name one budget owner and one decision maker. They can be the same person. Without this, every choice goes back to a group discussion and deadlines slip. Agree how quickly decisions will be made: venues often hold options for only a few days.

The one-page brief

Put it all on one page:

• Purpose: two or three goals written as outcomes.
• Participants: headcount range, who is invited, origin cities.
• Dates: two or three windows and the number of nights.
• Budget: total and per person, and what it includes (flights? VAT?).
• Must-haves: for example single rooms, a meeting room for the whole group, daylight, a beach or a city.
• Deal-breakers: for example more than one connection, more than five hours' travel.
• Decision maker and timeline.

Share this page with every venue, planner or supplier you talk to. You will get comparable answers, and much faster.

Your task

Write your one-page brief now, even if some answers are still estimates. Send it to the person who requested the retreat and ask them to confirm the goals.