is it time for this yet?

Today we’re talking team offsites…

I’m sure someone on your team has already mentioned getting everyone together this year? Offsites are great; they can solve problems and bring teams closer, but there is also a time and a place for them! Let’s dig into that…

In today's send:
✅ The reasons to do an offsite (and when they work)
✅ How to decide if now is the right time
✅ What to do instead if an offsite isn't the answer yet

Top finds this week

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• 17 scripts for conversations most people avoid
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• Why most leadership teams aren't ready for this
  AI-ready leadership has less to do with tech literacy and more to do with redesigning how value gets created. 74% of companies still haven't shown tangible results.

Before we get into it, can you answer this for me? 👇️ 

Maybe it’s been a while, or maybe you’ve never met but here are the good reasons to do an offsite:

• You're making a major strategic decision: Planning a pivot, new direction, or major initiative? Complex discussions can sometimes be faster face-to-face, but if it can wait 3 months, it's not a reason.

• Your team doesn't know each other: If you've hired 5+ people in the last 6 months who've never met the team, then it may be time to get them together - remote work runs on trust, and trust typically builds faster in person.

• Friction is slowing work: Teams aren't collaborating very well together, decisions are getting stuck, and work is happening in silos. If this is costing you weeks of productivity, an offsite can help bring back the team energy.

• You're rebuilding after a rough period: Layoffs, major departure, failed launch. If engagement is down and people seem checked out, being together can rebuild connection 🙂 

and now for the bad reasons to do an offsite

• "We haven't seen each other in a while": this is a feeling, not a reason. If there's no work problem you're solving, you're just spending tens of thousands on vibes.

• “Other companies do offsites": yes ok this may be what you’re seeing all over Linkedin, but what does YOUR team need right now?

• "It would be good for morale": maybe, but so would an extra day off, a bonus, or better processes - there are other ways to fix this too.

It’s time for the decision framework:

1. What specific problem are we solving?