Eliminate Distractions for Strategy Planning on your next Executive Retreat

Today, I'm sitting in one of our executive retreat buildings that operates on solar power. I'm sending this post to the internet via satellite, as phone lines and other internet access is miles away from this retreat setting. Our remote location on the Edge of Algonquin Park is off-the-grid and we like it that way.

There aren't phones ringing at the Executive Retreat, "the Edge", and communications with the outside world are for the mostpart outgoing only. Our Skype phone and Web phone only operate when we want them to. This environment is a very productive place for me to work.

Often our executive retreat guests inquire about the availability of Blackberry access, wireless Internet and other devices which have become such an important part of the executive landscape. Although we can provide wireless Internet access, we usually hide the computers when our executive retreat guests arrive.

One of the most valuable assets of our remote executive retreat location is the elimination of distractions.

A recent article I read highlighted the drop in performance that an intense office setting can bring, with a 10 point drop in functional IQ in such executive settings.
Imagining a business stategy meeting with beeping palm organizers, blackberries and Internet messages demanding the attention of retreat meeting attendees most executives would agree that such distractions limit performance and the amount of work that can get done.

However, there is a deeply ingrained fear that such distractions are a necessary part of doing business, with over 50% of business people claiming to respond to each piece of email within one hour!

Park the thought that your business will suffer as a result of getting away from electronic communications for a few days. Our guests who may spend three to four days away from the communication matrix while participating on our retreats, find the setting and lack of distraction an incredible boost to productive business plannning.

If you are truly looking to map the future of your organization, whether in a business planning meeting, or full fledge retreat, do yourself a favour and plan strategies to limit the influx of daily distractions.

Just think about it:What steps can I take to elimnate distractions in my workplace to be more productive, and how can I plan more productive meetings by asking participants to limit the distractions that might intrude.

Just do it:Plan your next executive retreat in a remote location that doesn't have Internet access. Be sure to turn on your autoresponders to let people know when you will be available. Then tune out the electronic world and tune into your team and enjoy the most productive executive retreat possible.