The Art of the Team Retreat

This blog originally appeared in eJewish Philanthropy.

Planning a retreat for a professional team is an opportunity to create a space filled with meaning, where colleagues have a sense of belonging and each person feels they are at the center of the experience. Priya Parker is an expert on this subject, writing about the “art of gathering” and the intentionality required to do this well. She notes that “gatherings crackle and flourish when real thought goes into them, when (often invisible) structure is baked into them, and when a host has the curiosity, willingness, and generosity of spirit to try.”

“Think of what you want to be different because you gathered,” she advises, “and work backward from that outcome.”

In the Jewish professional world, the need for this intentional gathering space feels more important than ever.

As program officers at the Jim Joseph Foundation, we were asked to plan a series of retreats for the foundation’s program team. After doing some research on strategies and best practices, we had our first retreat in March; two others will occur later this year. While each retreat will cover different areas, we wanted the thematic throughline to connect to the foundation’s Strategic Road Map and the aspiration to help people find “connection, meaning and purpose.”

We learned a lot after planning the first retreat, and knowing that other organizations are also exploring ways to come together in this moment, we are sharing five insights inspired by Parker’s wisdom and our experience:

Read the full blog at eJewish Philanthropy.