Have you ever sat through a board retreat and thought, “What a waste of time!” You’re squished in a windowless room, squirming in a chair that feels like granite, and longing for the next break. Worse yet, the facilitator is boring, the content is useless, board members are texting, and the food is stale! If you’re in the process of planning a retreat, don’t settle! It’s possible to put together an amazing day that’s engaging, meaningful, memorable, and fun. All it takes is a little planning and ingenuity. Listen in and use the following checklist to make sure you have all the essential elements in place to ensure the retreat is a resounding success.

Have you ever sat through a board retreat and spent more time watching the clock, daydreaming, and checking texts than listening to the facilitator? Are your board members cringing at the thought of attending another retreat? Did your last facilitator stand behind a lectern and drone on like a record playing in slow motion? Were they unengaging? Was the content dull and irrelevant? Did the outcomes of the day grow stale and ultimately have little impact on your board? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to find a new facilitator. But how do you choose? Listen in to this checklist of attributes you can use when scouting for the “best” board retreat facilitator.

Nonprofits play a critical role in addressing societal issues, but their effectiveness often hinges on the strength of their leadership, especially the board. One way to enhance the performance of a nonprofit’s board of directors is by organizing retreats. They can improve engagement, performance, governance, fundraising skills, all of which can propel the organization to the next level of impact. This is all the more reason to hire a high-quality retreat facilitator. And though you may feel it’s risky to hire a facilitator from outside your region, it may also be a game-changer. Sure, it’s nice to keep things local, but sometimes you get what you pay for . . . which, in some cases, can mean mediocre results. Retreats and planning sessions are too important to skimp on. Listen in and learn seven compelling reasons why you should consider looking beyond your region or state when searching for your next retreat facilitator.