The Houston Steering Committee Retreat – Teamwork at its Best

This last weekend, 9 of us gathered at the Galveston home of friends who loaned us their island retreat for the weekend (not for the first time, hopefully not for the last). Our purpose was to review 2010, do some discerning about the lessons learned from last year and forge a path forward for 2011. 

We did exactly that, while deepening our connections with each other and enjoying the beach and the space. We shared responsibility for our meals, all of which were delicious and nutritious (not to mention our walks on the beach). Michael Goldreyer (Sylvia's husband), chef extraordinaire, brought the Saturday night meal – yummmmmm!

It was our most fun and productive retreat so far … we're getting better and better at maximizing our time together.

The chart in the background is one of many flip chart pages that we used over the weekend. Valerie Burson and I put the agenda together, got approval from the SC; and within 2 hours, we were already into the organic process of personalizing the agenda to this group at this time. Interestingly, everything on our original agenda was accomplished, and in approximately the same order.

Not pictured above is Linda Sonier, who came as a guest of the SC and left as a member. (She took the picture.) We asked about her experience of the retreat, and she said (paraphrased), "It's so rare to see a group of highly motivated, intelligent, committed people agree on the highest ideas…everyone contributing, building on each other's contributions, no ego struggles. And when the highest idea was reached, everyone knew and agreed." 

Yeah! That pretty much summed it up. That kind of synergy is exciting, fun, and definitely bonding – not to mention productive! Wonder what would happen if the US Congress did that? (or if WE did that every time?)

PS Valerie and I (sharing a room Saturday night) got some flack Sunday morning about the amount of whispering and smothered laughter we thought nobody could hear. It reminded me of the old days with my sister, just easy camaraderie.

Standing, back row-Luette Arrowsmith (guest); middle row-Sherry Merritt (leadership), Mari Hall (operations), Regina Chien-Ertl (MTL sponsorship); front row-me, Cathy Reinhold (secretary), Valerie Burson (chair), Sylvia Hebert (enrollment).