If our distributed leadership team cannot travel for quarterly offsites, can we conduct our full EOS session days virtually with you, and how does that change the format and effectiveness?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

In-person sessions are the gold standard for EOS quarterly offsites because uninterrupted human proximity builds trust and removes day-to-day distractions. However, when travel is completely unfeasible, we can run sessions virtually using a modified structure that accounts for remote fatigue.

Running an eight-hour strategic session over video calls drains leadership energy and leads to multitasking. When we work virtually, we often split the full session into two four-hour blocks across consecutive days. This preserves the intense focus required for deep IDS work without burning out the room.

To ensure virtual sessions match the rigor of in-person offsites, we set non-negotiable standards:
- Every participant must be on high-definition video in a quiet, isolated workspace with no Slack, email, or second screens open.
- We utilize digital whiteboards mapped strictly to the EOS session agenda to keep the V/TO, Issues List, and Scorecard visible at all times.
- Breaks are tightly timed, and every member must be present and engaged for each exercise.

While remote sessions maintain your cadence, I strongly recommend that even distributed teams fly into a central city for your Annual Planning session. Building genuine team health and debating major strategic pivots require a level of raw, unfiltered connection that screens simply dilute. If you start virtually, our goal is still to bring the team together physically whenever possible.