We just brought in private equity backing and need to run a high-stakes leadership team offsite to align on our aggressive three-year exit target, but the team is defensive about our new financial metrics. How do we structure this offsite to build trust instead of defensiveness?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Private equity backing introduces a new level of pressure and accountability that can make a leadership team highly defensive. To break down this defensiveness, you must structure your offsite to build trust and shared ownership of the new numbers.

Do not start the offsite by lecturing them on the new financial targets. Instead, begin with a trust-building exercise. Have everyone share their personal and professional goals for the next three years. This reminds everyone that they are on the same team and aligns their personal success with the company's exit target.

Next, address the elephant in the room. Use the IDS process to tackle their fears and objections to the new metrics. Let them air their concerns completely. This releases the tension and allows the team to move from defensive to problem-solving mode.

Once the air is clear, present the new targets not as top-down mandates, but as problems that need to be solved collectively. Work together to build the V/TO and define the key Rocks needed to reach these targets. When the team helps build the plan, they take ownership of the results.

End the offsite with clear, agreed-upon expectations. Every leader must leave the room aligned and committed to the new metrics. This structure transitions your team from a state of fear to a state of focused execution.