Organizations often believe everything needs to be fixed by fall. This is particularly true of schools and churches whose calendars dictate that fall is the annual kickoff for programs. Other businesses often operate on a similar productivity calendar even if their fiscal year begins in January or July.

So this fall, make it possible for your team to hit the ground running.

You're not going to solve every problem by fall. In fact, with all of the people in and out over the summer, you're not going to fix a lot between now and then. But you can begin the annual productivity cycle by motivating team members and calling them to a renewed sense of purpose and energy.

The importance of a fall kickoff

Your team needs a fall kickoff (sometimes referred to as an off-site or retreat). It should have the following SEVEN characteristics:

1. It should be led by an outside facilitator (more on that later).
2. It should be no less than half a day and ideally an entire day.
3. It should be off-site, away from distractions and the ability to wander back into a mindset of immediate issues facing team members today.
4. It should be motivating, energizing, renewing.  In a word, it should be fun!
5. It should move beyond the emotional pick-me-up and encourage participants to leave with commitments to specific behavioral outcomes.
6. It should articulate, recast, or reinforce values, vision, mission, and purpose.
7. It should include an opportunity to recognize new team members and new (or renewed) priorities.

The importance of incremental change 

When organizations aren't able to fix everything by fall, team members often become cynical, settling into the grind without making real change and, worse, believing that real change isn't possible.

That's why it is essential that you plan your off-site and know exactly how you will follow up to implement agreed upon change over the coming year.

I just met with a small business owner who knows he needs to be doing more with marketing his business and he knows five good ways to do it. But since he cannot implement five new practices simultaneously he is paralyzed, continues his daily routine, and nothing really changes.

The key is a commitment to incremental change over time. We overestimate what we can accomplish in one year and underestimate what we can accomplish in five. A series of incremental changes over a five-year period represents genuine progress in the desired direction.

The importance of an outside facilitator

Your kickoff should be led by an outside facilitator.

1. Your team needs to hear a new voice. They are used to your voice, its cadence, phrasing, choice of words and images - you risk beginning to sound like the teacher on Charlie Brown (noise without intelligible content).
2. Your team needs to hear a neutral voice - sure they know that leadership hired the facilitator, but a good facilitator creates a sense of a safer, more open dialogue where people can take the risk to speak up. Remember: Nodding heads may signal a desire to avoid conflict rather than agreement.
3. You, the leader, need the opportunity to sit back and observe, to choose to participate at key moments in the conversation. This is one of the values repeatedly mentioned by my clients when I lead a session, allowing leaders to focus on listening to team members, freed from trying to make a presentation while discerning when nodding heads are conflict avoidance and when they are agreement.
4. You need a professional in facilitating conversation and driving discussion to desired outcomes. You can be an expert in only so much - you know your business, but you may not be the best person to lead your fall kickoff. Be freed from believing that as the leader you must do it all - no one on your team believes that, so neither should you.


Call me today (937-660-8563) and we'll design a fall kickoff tailored to your needs and desired outcomes. I'm ready to serve you and your team, helping you have the best year yet.

For those who like to know the history behind things, here's one account about the origin of the phrase "hit the ground running." I'm hoping you can experience the sensation without its original impetus.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/hit-the-ground-running.html