Choosing the destination for a leadership retreat is often left to a few decision makers or an operations team trying to balance budgets, travel times, and availability. But there’s a growing shift toward involving the leadership team itself not just in what happens at the retreat, but where it happens.
This isn’t about turning logistics into a group chat debate. It’s about strategic inclusion. When the leadership team contributes to the destination choice, it leads to more aligned expectations, greater emotional investment, and a stronger sense of shared purpose.
This guide outlines how to structure a team driven destination selection process that works with polling methods, decision frameworks, and ways to manage conflicting inputs without derailing planning.
Why Team Involvement Matters in Destination Selection
Retreats are high stakes events. They influence culture, strategy alignment, leadership development, and interpersonal trust. Yet too often, they’re treated like a “perk” with location decisions made with limited input and little alignment with strategic goals.
Here’s what changes when the team participates in choosing the location:
- Higher Ownership Team members feel the retreat reflects their needs, not just logistics
- Better Fit Teams select places that match the energy, format, and tone they want
- Increased Engagement From the moment the destination is chosen, people feel more involved
- Expectation Alignment Conversations around “Why here” become “Here’s what we can do with this”
- More Buy In for the Agenda Because the destination isn’t a mystery, focus shifts to content
This isn’t about democracy for its own sake. It’s about intentional design aligning the retreat environment with leadership energy and goals.
Balancing Availability and Environment: A Case for Team Driven Decisions
It’s tempting to let logistics drive the decision. What’s available on the dates we want? What’s closest to HQ? What’s within budget? But that leads to retreats that feel convenient rather than impactful. A team driven process introduces one essential question:
“What kind of environment will actually help us do the work we’re planning to do”
✨ If you need a practical breakdown of what to consider at the destination level, check out this article on choosing the perfect corporate offsite location.
Start with your intent
- Is this a strategy intensive retreat? You might want quiet, remote, deep focus spaces
- Is it connection focused after major growth? Opt for relaxed, communal locations
- Does the team need creative energy? Choose something surprising or offbeat
Team input isn’t a free for all. It’s a reality check on what kind of setting best supports the outcomes you want. Practicality comes after clarity.
Conducting Polls and Gathering Input Efficiently
Here’s how to collect input from busy senior teams without making it a full time job
1. Start with an Alignment Session
Have a 15 minute discussion about what kind of environment would serve the retreat best. Not specific locations just tone. Beach or mountains? Urban or rural? Fast paced or peaceful?
2. Create a Shortlist
Operations or People Ops can narrow 5 to 7 destination options that meet:
- Budget
- Travel constraints
- Venue quality
- WiFi and accessibility
- Lodging and breakout space
3. Use Ranked Voting Tools
Send a Typeform or Google Form with ranked choice voting. Ask:
- First choice
- Second choice
- Any location you'd strongly prefer NOT to attend
4. Layer in Qualitative Input
Use a single optional question: “Anything specific you hope this location offers such as weather, activities, or vibe”
5. Synthesize the Results
Compile both quantitative votes and qualitative signals. Use weighted scores if needed. Give the final decision makers a summary with clear takeaways.
Important Don’t promise the highest vote will win. Promise that the input will shape the outcome and follow through visibly.
Using the 20 30 50 Approach to Structure the Process
You’re not just picking a destination. You’re choosing an environment that supports the ratio of outcomes you're trying to achieve.
The 20 30 50 model is a popular retreat planning framework:
- 20 percent Strategic Planning
- 30 percent Team Learning and Development
- 50 percent Culture, Connection, and Recovery
✨ Want to see how that framework plays out in practice? Read this breakdown of the 20 30 50 approach to structuring a retreat.
If you’re prioritizing:
- Deep strategy work
- Look for quiet, secluded spaces with strong infrastructure
- Skill development
- Choose comfortable indoor venues with AV setups
- Cultural connection
- Aim for walkable towns, outdoor settings, or resort style lodges
- Recharging and bonding
- Select natural environments, unique Airbnb estates, or spa style retreats
Design follows intent. Don’t lead with “where.” Lead with “why.”
Creative Planning After Location Is Locked In
Once the destination is selected, teams often default to agenda building. But location aware planning can help you deliver a next level experience.
✨ Already locked in your venue? Explore creative ways to surprise and delight your offsite attendees.
Use the chosen location as a foundation for:
- Welcome Kits with location themed items such as hot cocoa and mittens for a cabin trip
- Local Experiences such as hikes, food tours, wine tastings, or city scavenger hunts
- Surprise Moments including pop up wellness sessions, live music, or firepit conversations
- Flexible Blocks to create optional times for attendees to explore the environment on their own
The point is to let the place shape the experience not just house it.
Overcoming Common Roadblocks in Team Driven Planning
Inclusion doesn’t mean chaos. But you need structure. Here’s how to handle typical friction points:
- Too many inputs
- Use ranked voting with preset options instead of open ended suggestions
- Conflicting preferences
- Find overlap through thematic alignment such as nature versus specific cities
- Budget constraints
- Present only vetted options that fit the budget
- Low participation
- Keep polls under two minutes and ask team leads to nudge participation
- Last minute pivots
- Set a firm decision deadline and communicate choices clearly
Tip: Announce the decision with reasoning. “This was chosen because” closes the loop and reinforces transparency.
Wrap Up
The destination you choose sets the tone for energy expectations and outcomes. Making that decision in a vacuum risks disconnect. But bringing the leadership team into the process doesn’t slow things down it makes everything else move smoother.
You build early investment. You align expectations. You set the tone before the first suitcase is even packed. Strategic retreats start long before Day One and it starts with where.
FAQ
What’s the best way to balance team input with logistical constraints
Offer a curated set of options within known limits. Then invite input via ranked choice polling and qualitative feedback to capture sentiment.
Should we include everyone or just senior leaders in the selection process
For leadership retreats, focus on the attendees. Broader team input might be valuable for all company offsites, but keep the poll targeted to decision makers.
What’s the best tech stack for organizing input and making decisions
Use Google Forms or Typeform for polling, Slack for reminders, and Notion or Airtable for aggregating results and preferences.
What if we get a tie in destination votes
Use qualitative responses as a tiebreaker or allow the final decision maker to choose based on the strategic tone of the retreat.
Can team driven planning delay the retreat timeline
Only if unmanaged. Use clear deadlines, pre vetted options, and a decision framework. The process should take less than one week.