Ok so you’ve booked a retreat! You’ve got a gorgeous venue, food experiences, and a tentative gameplan. Now what?
You shared that one of your primary goals for this retreat is to have productive in-person work time together. That might include brainstorming, establishing vision and goals, kickstarting a new project, understanding team communication styles, and more!
Research has shown that external facilitators contribute positively to these kinds of team outcomes.
A study by Harvard Business Review found that teams facilitated by external professionals reported higher levels of team satisfaction, improved decision-making processes, and increased productivity compared to self-facilitated teams.
Here are several reasons why a team might opt for an external facilitator and how they can support the team's goals:
- Objectivity and Fresh Outlook: External facilitators bring an objective viewpoint to the table. They’re not entrenched in internal politics or biases, allowing them to assess situations impartially and address underlying issues that may have gone unnoticed by a team. By facilitating open and honest discussions, they encourage diverse viewpoints, leading to more creative problem-solving and decision-making.
- Expertise and Skillset: External facilitators are skilled professionals experienced in group dynamics, conflict resolution, and team development. Their expertise allows them to create a safe and inclusive environment, fostering collaboration and effective communication within the team.
- Time and Focus: Team members often have their regular responsibilities, making it challenging to allocate sufficient time and focus to plan and conduct productive sessions. You can offload the logistical and organizational burden and let the facilitator take care of the necessary preparations, including designing agendas, materials, and exercises, ensuring that the sessions run smoothly.
- Confidentiality and Trust: External facilitators provide a safe and confidential space for team members to express themselves openly. The facilitator can establish ground rules and create an environment where everyone feels heard and respected. This encourages trust-building within the team and allows for more authentic conversations. Team members are more likely to share their thoughts, concerns, and feedback when they feel their perspectives are valued and protected.
All of that to say, external facilitators offer real, qualifiable advantages to a team retreat! We’ve built a global network of world-class facilitators with deep expertise and the skills to optimize your in-person work and team-building sessions.
Don’t take our word for it — check out a case study from Arrowroot’s retreat earlier this year. Arrowroot Case Study / Arrowroot Video
Facilitator Packages with Culture Talk
Work Session
| Tier | Description | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Bring Your Culture to Life PDF Workbook Outlining: 6 Key principles of organizational culture A framework of 12 Archetype storylines that turn workplace culture into a tangible tool A group exercise to create a culture profile for your team Group exercises to bring the culture to life throughout the employee lifecycle and in support of change |
Free |
| Tier 2 | Create Your Team Culture Profile Half-day Facilitated Team Experience Presentation: This interactive presentation will explore the 6 key principles of organizational culture and the 12-Archetype framework that turns culture into a tangible operating tool. The team will be led through each pattern, pausing to explore ‘story points’ that provide evidence of how they live out their top patterns, both in strength and in shadow. Break-outs: The team will break into 3-4 groups to design a culture profile that best represents their existing or ideal culture. Profile Pitches: Each group will pitch their culture design / graphic and the stories that inform it. Team Culture Profile: As the workshop concludes, the team will select and refine the culture profile that best represents them, as well as define actions they can take to create their desired culture. |
$4,000 |
| Tier 3 |
Create Your Team Culture Profile (includes full team survey and discovery) |
$9,000 with interviews $7,000 without interviews |
Team Connection
| Tier | Description | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | What’s My Story? An Exploration in Archetypes PDF Workbook Including: 12 Archetype Storylines, outlining the strength and shadows traits of each pattern A guide to choose the story patterns that best represent you and how they are present in your work and life A handout to personalize your profile with ‘story points’ unique to your experience |
Free |
| Tier 2 | Storytelling Workshop Pre-Work: CultureTalk for Individuals Survey Each participant will: Take the CultureTalk assessment online Read their full report, including primary and supporting Archetype patterns Highlight elements of the report that resonate with them. Presentation: What are Archetypes? Strengths and Shadows of each Levels of Development How each pattern leads Team Validation: During the presentation each participant will validate their own profile. Select a primary and two supporting Archetypes Identify their strengths and shadow tendencies Recall stories that illustrate the pattern Break for Individual Reflection: During the break, participants will prepare their stories Storytelling: The team will be broken into groups of up to 15 people for storytelling. Each participant will have 5+ minutes to share their Archetypal profile, including strengths, shadows and example stories. |
$95 / assessment $3,750 per facilitator (up to 15 participants) |
| Tier 3 | Customized Storytelling Workshop Pre-Work: Consult Facilitator will conduct two calls with team leader(s) to: Understand responsibilities and make-up of the team as well as changes and challenges they are undergoing Outline specific exercises to customize session design for the needs of the team Prepare custom take-aways to support success Pre-Work: CultureTalk for Individuals Survey Each participant will: Take the CultureTalk assessment online Read their full report, including primary and supporting Archetype patterns Highlight elements of the report that resonate with them. Presentation: What are Archetypes? Strengths and Shadows of each Levels of Development How each pattern leads Team Validation: During the presentation each participant will validate their own profile. Select a primary and two supporting Archetypes Identify their strengths and shadow tendencies Recall stories that illustrate the pattern Break for Individual Reflection: During the break, participants will prepare their stories Storytelling: The team will be broken into groups of up to 15 people for storytelling. Each participant will have 5+ minutes to share their Archetypal profile, including strengths, shadows and example stories. Follow-Up: Consult Facilitator will conduct a follow-up call with team leader(s) to discuss areas of developmental opportunity or challenges identified on the team. |
$95/ assessment $7,000 (up to 15 participants) $3,750 (each additional facilitator) |