“On that day, when the evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.”

I happened to be on the TripAdvisor site recently and saw something posted about the best locations for executive offsite meetings.  I’ve always been a fan of “retreats” for getting away for the best thinking to occur. It’s just too hard to stop and think when the emails and phone calls are coming in like the waves of the ocean; continuously and some with mighty crashes.  So, it’s good to get away and find quiet time and to build relationships among team members.  But, what has happened to the executive retreats, as demonstrated in the best locations list, is that the emphasis can be put on the extravagances of the resort, the activities and the extraordinary food and drink.  Then what could and should be productive and constructive turns out to be misconstrued by others as too lavish and wasteful of time and money.  When that happens the rest of the company starts to talk about these meetings as “boondoggles” and a bunch of fluff.  What could have been time very well spent for the business becomes a joke within the company and culture. If we are at the top of our organizations (company, department, function, team, etc.) we should guard from this happening and manage carefully the perception as that perception can and will become a reality, like it or not.

Jesus was one who knew how to work closely with those who wanted and could spread His message.  He chose a select few to mentor and disciple and He spent countless hours of intimate time with these men.  And, that time was multiplied across generations and reverberate today through God’s Word.  He was happy to take the time to get away and fellowship and teach in a small group.  What can we learn from this example?  Each of us can be like Jesus and find our own small group of believers who need small group fellowship and time with each other.  What is so blessed about this time is that when we gather in His name the chief of all executives sits at the table with us and will preside over our time and conversations. Are there others with whom you work who need this kind of “executive offsite” time?  Can you be the one to coordinate and pull them together?

Reference: Mark 4:35 (New Living Translation)