Welcome to our April 2021 PowerStone Leadership Newsletter, The Time is NOW, 5 Steps to Planning a Retreat! In this issue we offer 5 steps to planning a retreat and share details of our recent, inspiring, and chilly journey into the Arctic region of Alaska. At Hagedorn & Associates we work with you to design and facilitate robust results-driven strategic planning retreat.
Please enjoy our full free newsletter and thank you for joining our PowerStone Leadership Movement.
Arctic Region Retreat
The opportunity to travel to new and often far-reaching destinations is one of the fun and interesting aspects of management consulting. As a consultant, I have traveled on various assignments throughout the US and Canada to energizing big cities as well as beautiful remote places. Retreats can be on-site, near your business or include travel abroad. Below we share highlights of the Alaska retreat and pictures of a teambuilding adventure in an ice cave known to be over 10,000 years old. Enjoy!
"We retreat from the world and more importantly from the mind, the mental noise." Eckhardt Tolle.
In March we traveled to Fairbanks and then deep into the Eastern Alaskan mountain range in the Arctic region to the Lodge at Black Rapids where I met with CEO Annie Hopper and her team to facilitate a strategic planning meeting.
The Lodge at Black Rapids is a beautiful place for a retreat. The outdoor adventures and lodge hospitality are excellent. The setting was an amazing and extraordinary experience. We hoped to view the Northern Lights however there was too much snow. Included in the full newsletter is a picture of the Northern Lights taken from the lodge the week before we arrived. I look forward to returning to the lodge soon to meet with Annie and the team again and celebrate our success.
The trip was an action-packed strategic planning retreat with expert meetings and fun team building outdoor adventures. Our retreat focus was rebuilding revenue after the pandemic and a SWOT analysis of internal Strengths, Weaknesses, and external Opportunities and Threats. To tackle our busy agenda our team tucked into the lodge out of the snow and subzero temperatures free from external distractions.
We enjoyed a great view of the mountains, plenty of delicious food and warm hospitality. It was exhilarating and humbling to experience the ancient ice caves and enchanting Black Rapids Glacier.
"No one is as smart as all of us." Kenneth Blanchard, Leadership Expert.
Visiting the ice cave was a rare experience and as I stood in the cave, I reflected on our brand pillar that Nothing is Impossible. Sometimes we need to change our surroundings to gain a broader perspective to make wiser decisions. I thought of the people that stood in the cave over time and how those who could not adapt likely perished. We use these retreat examples to emphasize the need to adapt to the changes and challenges that inevitably occur.
Tina in ice cave looking out to the sunlight and blue sky. I refer to this pic as Ice Cave Woman.
The picture above is me standing inside of an ice cave in a very remote area of Alaska several hours drive from Fairbanks. This is an ice cave inside of a glacier which is known to be over 10,000 years old.
““The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”
― Joseph Campbell”
Need an Advisor?
What does Hagedorn & Associates do differently?
We are noted for creative problem solving to generate superior results. We listen and focus on your challenges to come up with solutions. We develop winning strategy and we honestly believe nothing is impossible. We understand that leaders have stress like no other and we are always close at hand during crises. Leaders often sacrifice their own health and happiness to accommodate stakeholder and organizational demands, so we help shoulder the stress.
This could be you on retreat!
Contact us NOW to make it happen!
5 Steps to Planning a Retreat
#1 - Who on your team should be invited to attend the retreat?
#2 - Which is the best retreat format to meet your goals and budget?
#3 - Where should the retreat be held, on-site or off-site?
#4 - When do you want to have the retreat?
#5 - Why have a retreat and what is the goal of the retreat?
Let us help you plan a retreat soon. Your team is worth it!
To see more amazing pics of the Lodge at Black Rapids visit https://www.lodgeatblackrapids.com and visit their facebook page and instagram account.
Annie, Tina and K9 Guide Dog Steve. The cutest dog guide ever!
Grant was our adventure guide. We enjoyed snow machining, snow shoeing and an ice cave tour. Grant is knowledgeable about the area, has a great personality and enjoys extreme sports.
Tina deep inside the ice cave giving a peace sign! Sacred space!
Northern Lights from the Lodge at Black Rapids. Next time.