Among the many cost-saving opportunities afforded by the current situation, your partner retreat this year will not require flying everyone to an expensive resort or hosting a block of deluxe suites over the weekend. You can save a bundle on the spa package and the booze too. But just because you can’t meet in person doesn’t mean you should cancel the retreat altogether. Because your firm is navigating uncertain waters this year, it is especially important to send a clear message on its current status and where it intends to be in the months ahead.
Your agenda will look very different from years past. To retain the audience’s attention (and minimize Zoom fatigue), schedule short sessions, no longer than 30-45 minutes in length. Intersperse regular 15-minute bio breaks, so participants do not have to step away from programming. No need to schedule an hour for lunch, especially if your lawyers are on different time zones, but do send ahead a gift card to DoorDash or UberEats, so the experience includes at least a modicum of hospitality.
Many firms build educational programming into their agendas to drive awareness and discussion around relevant domains. These are some of the most popular topics being requested of us for upcoming fall retreats:
- Effective Business Development in a Virtual Landscape
- Maintaining an Engaged Workforce: Adapting to Remote Communication Styles
- Four Key Strategies for Stimulating Firm Growth in a Stagnant Economy
- Managing Realization Risk: New Negotiation Tactics for Cashflow Constrained Clients
- Retool Your Business Development Plan for the New Reality
We would be happy to help you deliver valuable programming at your upcoming firm retreat. Please contact us if you would like us to present one of these topics at your upcoming virtual retreat or to discuss other topics of interest.
Authored by David Ackert
