"Iron Chef Competition Mixes It UP"

"Iron Chef Competition Mixes It UP"
Buironchefsiness Planning Retreats: Get them out of their Bored Rooms!

It's time for your End of Year Business Planning Session! In a 3 day retreat, you will lock the best minds of your organization into a Conference Center, in which you envision them developing an absolutely killer 2009 Business Plan! Here are a few "Wild Ideas" for bring business planning sessions from Now to WOW! ™

Take Them Outdoors/Recess---Not only does playing in the outdoors produce more creative and playful children---It works especially well with Adults. Get your team out of the "Bored Room" and see the results physical environment plays on mental output.
Stimulate All of Their Senses: From Wine Tasting Events, to Artistic Interpretation and Dance, consider multi-sensory activities to stimulate both left and right braining thinking and team cooperation. We recently conducted an "Iron Chef" Competition for an Executive Team. The team was broken down into smaller cooking groups where they created the "afternoon break" and used a "Secret Ingredient". The groups were measured on quality, creative presentation, use of shared resources and cooperation--- all while moving to the music of "I heard it through the grapevine". If team members can cook it up together in the kitchen, they can cook up that business plan.

You're Fired.... well not really, but do take a lesson from the Donald.... Give Team members' specific missions, deliverables and tasks and throw in just a little bit of competition. "It doesn't hurt to give them a "Mission Impossible" envelope that builds suspense and excitement for their assignment.

Get a Theme: Themes Build Teams. Don't forget to Merchandise and Brand your Retreat as you would a product. From this one retreat your company could achieve that breakthrough, new product marketing strategy and team synchronicity critical to your success.

Hire a "Hit" Man/Woman: You're an Executive, not an Event Planner or Facilitator. Calculate the salary of every staff member going to the retreat in addition to hotel/travel costs. Why risk the investment? Hire a professional facilitator who will assure your event is a Hit and is responsible for producing the final team work product.

The TISP Factor: Finally, Make each retreat participant and member of your team feel Trusted, Important, Special and Pleased. I once heard a certain hospitality diva say, when "You're hosting a party, make sure everyone at the party feels like they were the most important guest at the party".

Apply that rule to your Team Retreat and you're on your way to WOW!

Rosemary Rein, Ph.D
Author "Go Wild! Survival Skills for Business and Life"
For more information and articles on creativity and leadership retreats, go to www.gowildgogreat.com or www.businessmeetingscostarica.com

Harry, Alan, Frank and Mary Ann