This sort of activity needs a return on investment - a key part of the note-taking is being able to return three months later (or whenever is appropriate) to th

This sort of activity needs a return on investment - a key part of the note-taking is being able to return three months later (or whenever is appropriate) to those notes and the actions that feel out of the meeting and document what return you got from them. I worked at one company where off-sites (I don't like that term either, and I now run them fairly often!) were quarterly and basically involved drinking for two days (with some 'activities' and the occasional strategy discussion, which was usually two hours of the two days). Most staff were on below average salaries because the business wasn't consistently profitable. They really needed to examine the ROI on these retreats - I think they could have done away with them entirely with no change to future growth, and a lot more available cash to bump up a few salaries. Or (more importantly), invested that cash in having someone external (ie, with experience doing them properly) to come in and show them how to run the two days - delivering a healthy ROI that would have made everyone happier.