Avoid these 3 away day myths - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Viewpoint careers advice blog

Avoid these 3 ‘away day’ myths - Viewpoint - careers advice blog It’s important when planning an away day to ask yourself what you want to achieve from it, and how you hope it will impact on the business’s vision, strategy and goals. An away day is unlikely to be a miracle cure, so consider these three caveats before planning yours: An away day is unlikely to be a miracle cure Myth #1 â€" Away days can fix team cultures An away day might be used as a catalyst for change, but sustainable transformational change only happens over time through an iterative process. Myth #2 â€" Team building will solve problems Team building activities help the team to work together to understand their own and others’ strengths, preferences and styles, but they may do nothing to solve the real problems for the team. The trouble is that solving problems demands more than awareness of yours and another person’s style. If the purpose of the away day is to solve a problem in the team, coaching is needed, not team building. There are many domains of focus that might be explored through team coaching, such as: Team purpose and goals Working relationships Collective accountability Team behavioural norms Positive conflict For more, see my chapter ‘Coaching Global Top Teams’ in Leadership Coaching: Working with Leaders to Develop Elite Performance. Myth #3 â€" Away days improve team performance Consider the away day as a catalyst to begin a process If a team is underperforming, an away day will not be a quick fix. I liken trying to fix a broken team culture, solve serious problems or increase underperformance at an away day to an unhappy married couple who decide they need to get away together for the weekend. Running away to a new environment and doing something different might well distract from established problems, but it will never solve them. A masterful approach to the away day Consider the away day as a catalyst to begin a process. The away day helps identify the needs and follow up team coaching supports implementation of a new process to deliver lasting change. I hope you have found the above advice useful. Here are some other Viewpoint blogs to help you progress your career: 4 ways to give your CV a digital makeover Youre never too senior to learn something new What size company is the right fit for you? How to lead from afar 11 ways to become more productive at work 5 ways to make an impact in your new managerial role 6 leadership styles you need to succeed Stop waiting to be recognised Do you know how and when to say no? Share this blog: