Making space to lead: The case for quarterly offsites
It’s easy to get caught up in the rhythm of delivery, meetings, and emails.
But real leadership isn’t just about keeping things moving, it’s about making space to think, to challenge, and to steer.
That’s why, every three months, our leadership team steps back from the day-to-day busyness and heads offsite to reconnect, reset, and realign.
At these sessions we zoom out and ask, Are we heading in the right direction? Are we showing up the way we want to—for our teams, for each other, for the business?
Why we make it a habit
Neuroscience shows that in-person conversations stimulate more coordinated and heightened brain activity than video calls. The nonverbal cues and social signals we exchange face-to-face also fuel idea generation, trust, and stronger community
We’re a diverse team, with people based all over Australia, not just in our Brisbane HQ. Our people can work from any location, as long as commitments are met. It’s a trust-based culture that supports balance, focus, and performance.
That’s why we bring the extended leadership team together quarterly, and that rhythm is deliberate. It’s enough time for progress to happen between sessions, but not so much time that we lose momentum.
These offsites have become our momentum renewal point – a deliberate pause to align, refocus and re-energise.
We:
Align on priorities, and re-align when circumstances change
Engage in focused, strategic conversations that often get lost in day-to-day operations
Recognise progress before shifting to the next challenge.
Build stronger relationships that support collaboration across functions.
Most importantly, these discussions always lead to clear, actionable goals and messaging to share with our team, ensuring we all keep delivering value and improving society.
Who’s in the room?
We bring in our extended leadership group: the dozen people leading across products, delivery, operations, and commercial areas.
What makes it work
Not all offsites are created equal. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way:
- The day belongs to all of us:
We facilitate ourselves – everyone has a role to keep things moving. That way, it’s not all on the official ‘ringmaster’. We might bring in a facilitator from time to time for specific sessions, but this time is important – so we invest ourselves in it. It’s also part of what we do for clients, so self-facilitation is us ’drinking our own champagne!’
- Be intentional:
We don’t fill the agenda just to fill time. There are some things pre-morning tea that are part of the regular pattern – reflection on the quarter past and how we’re tracking to our goals, but then we dedicate the rest of the time on the conversations that matter – generally that means less slideware, more listening and a few post it notes.
- Create space for honesty:
As leaders we are constructive and connected – this is part of our leadership team norms, but its amplified when we come together offsite – it’s a time to speak openly, challenge constructively, and support one another.
Mix strategy with connection:
There is always some social time – a shared lunch, an activity, or just time to laugh. These moments build trust and make collaboration easier when the stakes are high.Bring it back:
The real power of an offsite is what you do with it afterward. We always make time to agree on actions and what success looks like; discuss how we’ll communicate and engage with our teams. Tracking of the measures is woven into the agenda of our regular operational meetings to ensure follow through.
What to look out for
There’s a fine line between rhythm and routine. Done poorly, these meetings can become expensive calendar clutter, or worse, an echo chamber of the same voices and ideas. That’s why we’re careful with how we use our time. Offsites are a big investment, so we make sure its meaningful – for us, and for the people we lead.
A final thought
Making space for leadership isn’t a luxury. It’s a responsibility. Our teams look to us to set the tone, the direction, and the pace. Investing in ensuring that we lead with clarity and intention is a critical investment.
If your leadership team hasn’t stepped out in a while, now’s the time. Pause, reconnect with the bigger picture, and return with clarity and momentum.
And if you’d like support shaping an offsite that truly works, we’d be glad to help.
