Offsite Meeting

09.01.10

Offsite Meetings

Today, I embark on yet another quarterly offsite retreat meeting with our teams top management.  In years past, we've really covered the full gamut of approaches to these meetings.  From strategic brainstorming, to major project tactical planning... we've traditionally utilized these gatherings to tackle problems that are just too big (or confidential) for a one hour discussion.

Not today, exactly. 

As we've rotated the facilitation between all 4 of us, each leader has reflected their style and preferences in the meeting agenda and approach.  Today is my turn to lead this gathering.

We, as a group, are experts at working in our business, day to day.  At times, we may even comically laugh this expertise off as "just fighting more fires for the day..." hehhehe {{nervous laughter}}}

But what happens when we're tapped out?  What happens when our "leadership well" has run dry?  What happens when we lose track of just WHO WE ARE FOLLOWING? 

The greatest blessing a leader can bring to his/her team is their 1.  Energy & Belief and 2. Leadership. 

Wouldn't it stand to reason that if this is what is required of us on a daily basis, that we should probably structure some mechanisms in our world that refill each area within us?  Example:  A food-less man can't feed a hungry man.  A money-less person can't give money to a poor person.  Someone without shelter cannot offer a homeless person a place to sleep. 

Matthew 25:34-36 (New International Version)

 ³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

WE CAN'T GIVE WHAT WE DON'T HAVE. 

And this is WHY today's offsite simply MUST happen.  Our mission today is to Glorify God in 2 ways:

1.  Discuss and invite ways we can sustainably REFILL our own leadership, so that we can be poured out on our teams.  For me, this includes living balanced in all life areas (or at least trying to), reading books on leadership, and seeking mentorship.
2.  Work ON (not in) our business.  We won't be fighting fires today, but rather we will seek to gauge the 30,000 foot view progress of our endeavors through the eyes of Jim Collins' Good to Great.

Prayerfully, I enter into the day.  Hopeful that we will all hear what we need to hear, for today's meeting to be a win.  God will show up.