Thanks to Audible's suggestion algorithm, I listened to David McCullough's 1776 this month. That was quite a year.
What caught my history-nerd attention was how often George Washington's strategy that year was to retreat, and how much that decision mattered to his eventual win.
Utterly by coincidence, I am in the midst of planning for several board retreats in August and September.
Gary, the history nerd, alerted Gary, the word nerd.
This idea of withdrawing as a necessity (whether from a losing proposition or from day-to-day responsibilities) has consumed my thinking.
The instinct to avoid retreating ("We have too much to do!" "We don't have time for long, drawn-out conversations!") is actually a step away from progress. The recharging, strengthening, and strategizing happen in the retreat, where a board connects and chooses its battles rather than running from its duties.
In my latest post, I dig into why so many boards need this moment right now, what I consistently hear when I ask board members for their biggest takeaway at the end of the day, and the ingredients that separate a great retreat from a wasted Saturday.
To Move Forward Your Board Should Retreat
Did someone forward you this email? You can subscribe here to get more helpful information.