A day or two away from the business to agree ambition, make the hard choices and commit to what happens next. We design and facilitate strategy away days for leadership teams in the UK and Europe, Singapore and across Asia.
A good strategy away day is judged by what happens the following Monday. We design backwards from that.
Every design is different, because every team and every strategic question is different. But many of our strategy away days follow a shape like this:
When the chief executive or managing director runs the away day, they cannot also take part in it. A facilitator owns the process so the leader can contribute, hears every voice including the dissenting ones, keeps attention on the outcome, and is free of the history and politics in the room. Preparation usually takes longer than the day itself, and that is where most of the value is created.
Case studies
OxeraLSP
Led by Sean Blair
Oxera's Data Science Practice, from junior staff to board level, built a shared vision of its contribution to the wider group and mapped the forces that could pull it off course.
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The Insights GroupLSP
Led by Sean Blair
Before setting strategy, The Insights Group asked every member of staff what its purpose meant to them: 14 workshops in Singapore, Dundee, Amsterdam, Berlin, the USA and online, then a synthesis day in Billund for 30 leaders.
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RIPE NCCLSP
Led by Sean Blair
One of five Regional Internet Registries explored ambition, direction and future scenarios with its executive team, then took the thinking into a board meeting that agreed strategic priorities.
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RavensbourneLSP
Led by Sean Blair
Trustees and senior executives of a London university college built a shared identity model, mapped the forces acting on it, played real-time strategy and agreed simple guiding principles.
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Fight for Sight
Led by Sean Blair
The UK's leading eye research charity sought real agreement between trustees and executives on ambition, direction and the strategic choices ahead.
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William Grosvenor and Partners
Led by Sean Blair
Executives built vision, strategy and proposition on day one, with a strategic illustration. On day two the new advisory board joined, reviewed the thinking and was inducted into the business.
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Questions
Short, direct answers about how we work.
Usually one or two days. A focused vision and priorities day can work in one; a team that needs to rebuild trust as well as agree strategy often benefits from two, ideally with an evening in between. Some organisations run a series of shorter workshops instead, so more people can take part.
For a leadership team, between six and twenty is typical. We can involve far more people through a staged process: the leadership team first, then wider workshops, as University of the Arts London did with all 120 staff.
We would advise against it. The leader's view matters, and it is hard to contribute fully while also running the process. Leaders tell us they value taking part as a participant.
Somewhere with daylight, space to move and walls you can use. We can advise on venues in London, Singapore and elsewhere, and work in your own offices if they suit.
Yes, though we usually recommend in person for the most important conversations. Online, we split the work into shorter sessions over several days. See online and hybrid facilitation.
Tell us what you need to achieve. We will help you design the time together to get there, and reply within two working days.