Recently, the iTech Northwest crew had our Team Retreat where we dedicate a day to strategy, reflection, brainstorming and goal setting. My first goal was to find a location to have our retreat. I was looking for a place that would allow us to be away from our normal work space while comfortable with minimal distractions. Somewhere that would  have all the basics that we would need like cozy seating, food and drink, and if needed, options for stretching our legs. Essentially, I wanted a living room, rather than a formal or highly structured environment.

There are some beautiful, relaxing places in Lane County, Oregon, and lots of conference rooms but we really didn't want to travel far in order to maximize our time together. After finding plenty of available yet not-quite-right options, I started looking into some of our Eugene area Bed and Breakfasts. That was the answer!

We ended up at the River Walk Inn which is about a block from a public park on the Willamette River. It was perfect! The proprietors were gracious and took great care of us while allowing us the space we needed to accomplish our goals. They provided drinks throughout the day, breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. The food was simple, home cooked and tasty. We spent most of our time in the living room and dining room area, however a lovely covered porch was available if we had wanted to use it. No unwanted interruptions, no fuss, total focus. It was cost effective too!

Ah... location, location, location. Or in this case, environment, environment, environment. We defined the environment we wanted to work in and then found it within a few miles of our office. The result of spending our retreat time in a conducive environment allowed us to get real, talk strategy and set goals for the upcoming year. Certainly, this environment wouldn't work for every business retreat, but it sure worked for ours.

What kind of environment do you look for when planning your team, board or company retreat?