Case Study – Autumn 2024 – A Strategic Retreat with RCAS and Concert Infrastructure
‘In pursuit of team high performance’
Working with the leadership team at Concert Infrastructure, RCAS designed and delivered a high-impact strategic retreat that weaved leadership behaviors, a powerful sense of team ethos, and increased cultural awareness into business-critical activities.
Concert Infrastructure lead an aggregate portfolio capitalization of more than $3.4 billion, specializing in direct investment and management of high-profile public-private partnership projects across Canada.
Rooted in four distinct pillars of high-performing teams, RCAS built a series of activities, guided discussion principles, and points of reflections that stimulated new ways of thinking and ‘identified self-challenges’ that would move this long-standing executive team from good to great.
Where we started:
One question we started with at RCAS, was ‘how do you create more insight and deepen connections within a team who have worked together for many years already?’
Our answer – starting with “the best leadership psychometric behavioral assessment model” of his career. CEO of Concert Infrastructure, Derron Bain was keen to invest in his team’s individual and collective self-awareness. Using our preferred Facet5 tool we were able to create rich and meaningful insights into their people, their personalities, and their team dynamics.
What we were aiming for:
Pulling on the threads of a few starter conversations, we were able to define the objectives for this leadership retreat as broadening perspectives on more strategic and business focused elements, whilst introducing new ways of thinking and acting to achieve leadership intentions.
Our ambition: to build a shared understanding and commitment to how these leaders can use their strengths and team ethos to enhance individual and collective impact for the long-term.
Our approach:
Combining leadership theory with practical examples we were able to anchor the importance of intentional leadership behaviors into critical strategic discussions. We also prioritized the use of time and space to stretch our leaders’ thinking and unearth long held assumptions.
By engaging an external expert facilitation team, for both the leadership development and “business as usual” (BAU) elements, this meant that all members of the executive team were able to participate more fully to discussions, they were able to maintain a greater sense of presence and offer more effective contribution, without having to dive into who should chair next or manage the logistics.
Our building blocks:
- Built around the foundational pillars of high-performing teams
- Combining leadership theory with real life experiences, including a targeted keynote and fireside chats
- Introducing robust individual and team self-awareness tools that accelerate trust and highlight blind spots
- Guiding discussions throughout the agenda to challenge leaders to think ‘up and out’
- Creating moments of reflection and commitment to how leaders will hold themselves, and each other, to account
- Feel highly practical, human, and responsible for the realities of the leaders and the business
How it felt:
- “Full of self-improvement contemplations and life reflections. Both personally and professionally.”
- “Soaking up amazing wisdom.”
- “I can clearly see that what got me here, won’t get me there!”
- “The work we did on the retreat was extremely helpful. The fact that we spoke about it for the entirety of the 2.5-hour car ride back is testament to the impact it has had on us.”
- This team’s number one commitment to each other “more of this!”
The extra bits:
At RCAS, we speak leadership in many languages; when we design our leadership retreats it is always about more than the formal facilitated sessions. Luckily for us, our clients agree.
In this hybrid and modern world, we understand that leaders often travel a long way and invest time away from home so they can come together to discuss their futures. We like to find ways to show off the local nature, community, and some excellent personal connections. We always use these moments to continue our leaders’ thinking and inject a little difference into their world of business
“Wine is part of life, it reminds us of the past as we enjoy the present and think about the future.” – Keith Tyers, Winemaker
In Prince Edward County, we were incredibly fortunate that CEO Derron was able to invite the whole team for a bespoke tour of local winery, Closson Chase. Once again our discussions ranged onto the ethos and approach required to build a quality-driven approach that delivers world-class products, sustainably; whist taking into consideration individual qualities and environment in which their grown. What could be better to fuel our ambitions for leadership, all accompanied by some delicious “juice.”
If you’re looking for high-impact support to deliver true value at your own strategic retreat please do get in touch.
