Filled example: one-day team offsite agenda
Fictional: a customer onboarding team of ten on Thursday 12 November 2026. Each block names the free kit that runs it. The minutes add up to 405 (09:30 to 16:15): 300 in eight sessions, 30 in two breaks, 60 for lunch and a 15-minute buffer.
| Start | End | Min | Type | Block and what it produces | Kit to use | Free page | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30 | 09:50 | 20 | Session | Open: why we are here, three outcomes, how we work today. Produces: outcomes on the wall, a parking sheet. | This kit | /resources/offsite-agenda-template/ | Team lead |
| 09:50 | 10:00 | 10 | Session | Check-in round: one question, one sentence each, passing allowed. Produces: a sense of the room. | Team check-in questions | /resources/team-check-in-questions/ | Facilitator |
| 10:00 | 10:45 | 45 | Session | Look back at the last six months. Produces: specific observations and one improvement experiment. | Retrospective template | /resources/retrospective-template/ | Facilitator |
| 10:45 | 11:00 | 15 | Break | Break | — | — | — |
| 11:00 | 11:45 | 45 | Session | Choose up to three priorities from the pre-work list and the look-back. Produces: a decision per item, a “not now” list. | Prioritization matrix | /resources/prioritization-matrix/ | Facilitator |
| 11:45 | 12:45 | 60 | Lunch | Lunch together. Work talk is optional. | — | — | — |
| 12:45 | 13:45 | 60 | Session | Three seated paper exercises in two table groups of five. Produces: one team agreement. | Team building activities for work | /resources/team-building-activities-for-work/ | Facilitator |
| 13:45 | 14:45 | 60 | Session | Working agreements check: keep, change or add. Produces: up to three changed or new agreements, each with a steward. | Team charter template | /resources/team-charter-template/ | Team lead |
| 14:45 | 15:00 | 15 | Break | Break | — | — | — |
| 15:00 | 15:45 | 45 | Session | Action plan for priority 1 in full. Priorities 2 and 3 get an owner who runs the same template by Thu 26 Nov. | Action plan template | /resources/action-plan-template/ | Team lead |
| 15:45 | 16:00 | 15 | Buffer | Buffer for a block that ran over. If nobody needs it, the close starts early. | — | — | Facilitator |
| 16:00 | 16:15 | 15 | Session | Close: read back priorities, agreements and actions (5 min), then the 10-minute closing plan. Produces: action cards. | Closing activities for training | /resources/closing-activities-for-training/ | Facilitator |
Blank offsite agenda
Copy this table into a document and add rows for your blocks. In the Excel agenda the start and end times calculate from the start time and the minutes.
| Start | End | Min | Type | Block and what it produces | Kit to use | Free page | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session | Open: why we are here, three outcomes, how we work today | ||||||
| Buffer | Buffer | ||||||
| Session | Close: read back, then a closing plan |
Filled example: half-day offsite agenda
Fictional: the same team, 09:00 to 12:30. The minutes add up to 210: 175 in six sessions, a 20-minute break and a 15-minute buffer.
| Start | End | Min | Type | Block and what it produces | Kit to use | Free page | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | 09:15 | 15 | Session | Open: why we are here, three outcomes, how we work today. Produces: outcomes on the wall, a parking sheet. | This kit | /resources/offsite-agenda-template/ | Team lead |
| 09:15 | 09:25 | 10 | Session | Check-in round: one question, one sentence each, passing allowed. | Team check-in questions | /resources/team-check-in-questions/ | Facilitator |
| 09:25 | 10:10 | 45 | Session | Look back at the last six months. Produces: specific observations and one improvement experiment. | Retrospective template | /resources/retrospective-template/ | Facilitator |
| 10:10 | 10:30 | 20 | Break | Break | — | — | — |
| 10:30 | 11:15 | 45 | Session | Choose up to three priorities from the pre-work list and the look-back. Produces: a decision per item, a “not now” list. | Prioritization matrix | /resources/prioritization-matrix/ | Facilitator |
| 11:15 | 12:00 | 45 | Session | Action plan for priority 1 in full; owners named for priorities 2 and 3. | Action plan template | /resources/action-plan-template/ | Team lead |
| 12:00 | 12:15 | 15 | Buffer | Buffer for a block that ran over. If nobody needs it, the close starts early. | — | — | Facilitator |
| 12:15 | 12:30 | 15 | Session | Close: read back priorities and actions (5 min), then the 10-minute closing plan. | Closing activities for training | /resources/closing-activities-for-training/ | Facilitator |
Kit map: what each block needs and produces
| Block | Kit and free page | Print or prepare | Produces | Passes to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check-in | Team check-in questions, /resources/team-check-in-questions/ | One question card, read aloud and shown on a sheet | A sense of the room; up to three needs moved onto the parking sheet | Nothing is recorded |
| Look back | Retrospective template, /resources/retrospective-template/ | A worksheet for each person and sticky notes | Specific observations from the period and one improvement experiment | Issues worth acting on join the candidate list for the priorities |
| Priorities | Prioritization matrix, /resources/prioritization-matrix/ | Criteria sheet, scoring slips and the board; the candidate list from the pre-work | A decision for each item, committed days and a “not now” list | Up to three priorities go to the action plan |
| Team building | Team building activities for work, /resources/team-building-activities-for-work/ | One exercise pack for each table group of five | What helped after each exercise and one team agreement | The agreement opens the charter check |
| Charter check | Team charter template, /resources/team-charter-template/ | The current charter printed, or a blank charter if there is none | Up to three changed or new agreements, each with a steward and a review date | The close reads them back |
| Action plan | Action plan template, /resources/action-plan-template/ | The action plan canvas on a wall or a screen | For priority 1: three to seven actions with owners, first steps and dates | The write-up and the review on Thu 17 Dec |
| Close | Closing activities for training, /resources/closing-activities-for-training/ | One action card for each person | A personal action for each person; open questions routed | The feedback questions after the day |
Roles before and on the day
One person can hold two roles in a small team, but the facilitator should not also take the notes.
| Role | Before the day | On the day |
|---|---|---|
| Team lead (sponsor) | Agrees the purpose and outcomes, sends the invitation and the agenda | Opens with the facilitator, leads the charter check and the action plan, takes part like everyone else |
| Facilitator | Chooses and reads the kits, plans the materials, collects the pre-work | Runs the blocks, keeps the process neutral, decides with the timekeeper when to use the buffer |
| Timekeeper (a team member) | Reads the agenda and the end time of each block | Gives a two-minute warning before each block ends. Hands over after lunch so that one person does not miss half the day |
| Note-taker (a team member) | Prepares one sheet with three headings: priorities, agreements, actions | Writes the outputs of each block and reads them back at the close. Sends the write-up the next working day |
| Office coordinator (host) | Books the room and catering, collects access and diet needs | Checks the room, the quiet room and lunch; is the contact for the venue |
Run the opening block (20 minutes)
The one block that no other kit covers. For the half day, take 15 minutes: walk the agenda in three minutes and take questions in two.
| Minute | What you do | Words to say |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 | Welcome and the reason for the day | “Thank you for coming. Today we look back at the last six months, choose what matters for the next six, and check how we work together.” |
| 3–8 | Read the three outcomes and put them on the wall | “By 16:15 we will have up to three priorities, our working agreements checked, and an owner and a first step for each priority.” |
| 8–13 | Walk through the agenda on the wall | “Here are the breaks, lunch and the buffer. We end at 16:15. If a block runs over, the buffer takes it; we will not run late.” |
| 13–17 | How we work today | “Passing is fine in every round, and you can always write instead of speaking. Please step out for calls. Photos of boards are fine; photos of people only with their yes. The quiet room is next door.” |
| 17–20 | Questions and the parking sheet | “What do you need to know before we start? Anything that is not for today goes on the parking sheet. At the close we decide where each item goes.” |
Swap a block
Keep the order: look back, choose, agree how to work, plan, close. A swap changes the kit, not the chain.
| Situation | Swap | Kit and free page | Effect on the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| The team faces a change outside its control, such as new rules or a new market | Replace the look-back with a SWOT | SWOT analysis template, /resources/swot-analysis-template/ | 90 minutes instead of 45. The day ends at 17:00 instead of 16:15. |
| One or more people join remotely, or the whole team is remote | Replace the paper exercises with online ones | Online team-building activities, /resources/online-team-building-activities/ | Same 60 minutes. Cameras stay optional. |
| The company has values, but the team has never said what they mean in daily work | Replace the charter check with a values workshop | Team values workshop, /resources/team-values-workshop/ | 90 minutes instead of 60. The day ends at 16:45 instead of 16:15. |
| The team has no charter yet | Keep the block and write three agreements from scratch | Team charter template, /resources/team-charter-template/ | Same 60 minutes. |
| Only half a day is possible | Use the half-day agenda | This kit | 09:00 to 12:30. The team building and the charter check move to a team meeting within four weeks. |
Filled example: logistics checklist
Fictional, as the list stood on Monday 2 November 2026. Six done, nine open; C6 is overdue. Team lead 5 tasks (2 open), facilitator 5 (4 open), office coordinator 4 (2 open), note-taker 1 (1 open).
| # | Task | Owner | Days before | Due | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Agree the purpose, three outcomes and the date with the sponsor | Team lead | 42 | Thu 1 Oct | Done |
| C2 | Book a step-free room with daylight, movable tables for two groups of five and a quiet side room | Office coordinator | 35 | Thu 8 Oct | Done |
| C3 | Send a save-the-date with the start and end times and how to get there | Team lead | 35 | Thu 8 Oct | Done |
| C4 | Ask everyone in writing about access needs, diet and travel limits; every answer is optional | Office coordinator | 28 | Thu 15 Oct | Done |
| C5 | Choose the kit for each block, read each kit and list what to print | Facilitator | 21 | Thu 22 Oct | Done |
| C6 | Collect 8 to 15 candidate items for the priorities block, in writing | Facilitator | 14 | Thu 29 Oct | Open |
| C7 | Send the agenda, the pre-work and a plain-text copy for screen readers | Team lead | 10 | Mon 2 Nov | Open |
| C8 | Name the timekeeper and the note-taker and brief them | Team lead | 7 | Thu 5 Nov | Done |
| C9 | Confirm catering numbers and dietary needs with the venue | Office coordinator | 7 | Thu 5 Nov | Open |
| C10 | Print the worksheets and cards; pack pens, sticky notes, a timer and the parking sheet | Facilitator | 3 | Mon 9 Nov | Open |
| C11 | Set up the call link, captions and a buddy in the room for anyone who joins remotely | Facilitator | 2 | Tue 10 Nov | Open |
| C12 | Check the room: tables, screen, wifi, signs and the quiet room | Office coordinator | 1 | Wed 11 Nov | Open |
| C13 | Send the write-up: priorities, agreements and the action plan | Note-taker | -1 | Fri 13 Nov | Open |
| C14 | Send three feedback questions; answering is optional | Facilitator | -1 | Fri 13 Nov | Open |
| C15 | Put a 30-minute action review on the team meeting of Thu 17 Dec | Team lead | -4 | Mon 16 Nov | Open |
What you'll leave with
In a 60-minute planning meeting the team lead, the facilitator and one or two team members fix the purpose and three outcomes of the offsite, choose a kit for each block, time the day with a buffer so that it ends when promised, and leave with a logistics checklist in which every task has one owner and a due date.
Before the session
- For team leads, internal trainers and facilitators who plan a one-day or half-day offsite for an existing team of 4–10 people. The planning meeting needs 2–5 people: the team lead, the facilitator and one or two team members; the office coordinator can join for the checklist.
- Six weeks before, agree the purpose and three outcomes with the sponsor in writing. An offsite without outcomes becomes a day of updates. If the real need is one decision, a 90-minute workshop may be enough; see the workshop agenda template.
- Before the planning meeting, open the free page of each kit named in the agenda and read its timing, group size and materials. Print this kit’s blank agenda and blank checklist, or open the Excel workbook on a shared screen.
- Plan access from the start: a step-free room, a quiet room, breaks every 90 minutes or less, and the agenda as plain text for screen readers. Ask about access needs and diet in writing, with every answer optional. Every block in the agenda is seated and allows passing and written answers.
How to fill it in with your team
Name the purpose and three outcomes
Read the sponsor’s purpose aloud. Ask: “When the team walks out at the end of the day, what will it have that it does not have now?” Write up to three outcomes as things you can see, such as “up to three priorities for the next six months, each with an owner”. If the group names more than three, ask: “Which of these could a team meeting do instead?”
Fix the frame: length, hard times and people
Decide one day or half a day. Write the hard times first: the start, lunch, the end and any travel. Count the people; the kits in this agenda are written for 4–10. Agree who cannot be there and how they will hear the outcomes. Say: “The end time is a promise. We plan to finish on time, not to run over.”
Choose a kit for each block and check the chain
Go through the kit map. For each outcome, choose the block that produces it and the kit that runs it. Then check the chain from left to right: “What does this block produce, and which later block uses it?” A block that feeds nothing is a candidate to cut. Each kit’s free page has the full instructions, timing and printable sheets; the kit map shows only how the blocks connect. Write the kit name and its free page on the agenda, so that every lead can read the instructions before the day.
Time the day and keep a buffer
Write the minutes of each block from its kit, not from hope. Add a break at least every 90 minutes, a lunch of 60 minutes and a buffer of 15 minutes before the close. Add up the minutes, or let the Excel agenda do it, and compare the end time with the promise. If it does not fit, cut a block; do not shorten every block a little.
Build the logistics checklist
Start from the starter tasks in the checklist and cross out what does not apply. For each task, ask: “Who will do this, and how many days before the offsite?” Write one owner who says yes, never “all”. Enter the offsite date in the Excel checklist so that the due dates calculate, and agree who looks at the open and overdue counts each week.
Agree roles, pre-work and the invitation
Name the facilitator, a timekeeper and a note-taker; see the roles table. Agree the pre-work: each person sends up to three candidate items for the priorities, in writing, 14 days before. Draft the invitation together: the purpose, the three outcomes, the times, the place, what to bring and how to ask for access needs. Read the checklist back and end on time.
Participant worksheet
Copy this table into a document, or print the worksheet from the bundle. Share only what you choose.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Before the day | Purpose, three outcomes, date, venue, hard times and the pre-work |
| Agenda | Each block with its start, end, minutes, type, what it produces, the kit to use, its free page and a lead |
| Kit map | What each kit needs printed, what it produces and which later block uses it |
| Logistics checklist | Each task with one owner, the days before the offsite, a due date and a status |
| After the day | The write-up on the next working day, three feedback questions and a 30-minute action review five weeks later |
Debrief questions
- Which block produced what the agenda said it would, and which did not? What was missing: time, input or the right people?
- Did the day end at the promised time? If the buffer was used, which block ran over, and why?
- Which output of the morning did the afternoon actually use, and which was left on the wall?
- Who spoke least during the day, and which written route or smaller group would help them next time?
Adapt it for your group
- For a small team of four or five, keep the blocks but run every round as one group, and play the team-building exercises as one table. Keep the timings; a block that finishes early adds its minutes to the buffer.
- For a short version, use the half-day agenda: open, check-in, look back, priorities, action plan and close, from 09:00 to 12:30. Move the charter check to a team meeting within four weeks.
- Online or hybrid, swap the paper exercises for the online team-building activities, cut blocks to no more than 60 minutes, add a ten-minute break every hour and end by 15:30. Keep captions on, make cameras optional and give each remote person a buddy in the room.
- For people who prefer not to speak in a group, collect the pre-work and all rounds in writing first, and read contributions aloud without names. Say at the start that passing is fine in every round, and keep the quiet room open all day.
- For a team of 11 to 20, run the look-back and the scoring in two groups of up to ten, then merge the results in a 15-minute plenary. Add those minutes to the day, or take them from the buffer and a break.
After the session
On the next working day, the note-taker sends one page: the priorities, the agreements with their stewards, the action plan, and where each item on the parking sheet went. Send three feedback questions with answering optional. Within two weeks, the owners of priorities 2 and 3 run the action plan template with a smaller group. Five weeks after the offsite, spend 30 minutes of a team meeting on the actions: done, open or dropped.
Questions people ask
What should an offsite agenda include?
Up to three outcomes, then each block with its start and end time, its type, what it produces, the method or kit that runs it and a lead. Add breaks at least every 90 minutes, lunch, a buffer before the close and a fixed end time. A logistics checklist with one owner and a due date per task belongs with it.
How long should a team offsite be?
This kit plans one day from 09:30 to 16:15, which is 405 minutes with 300 minutes of sessions, and a half day from 09:00 to 12:30. Both are planning examples. Choose the length from the outcomes: if one decision is all you need, a workshop of 90 minutes may do.
How is this different from the workshop agenda template?
The workshop agenda template plans one session of about 90 minutes around one problem. The run of show template is the backstage plan of cues and tech for a live session. This kit plans a whole day from several existing kits, shows how the output of each block feeds the next, and adds a half-day variant and a logistics checklist.
Can we run the offsite online or hybrid?
Yes, with changes. Swap the paper exercises for the online team-building activities, keep blocks to 60 minutes or less, add a break every hour and end earlier. In a hybrid room, give each remote person a buddy in the room and put every written round in a shared document.
Do I need a facilitator from outside the team?
No. An internal trainer or a colleague from another team can run the kits. The team lead should not facilitate and lead the content at the same time, so this agenda gives them the charter check and the action plan and gives the rest to the facilitator. This kit does not cover travel, budgets or venue contracts.
What is included in the free and editable files?
The open PDF has the blank agenda, the blank logistics checklist, the filled one-day and half-day agendas, the filled checklist, the planning meeting, the kit map, the opening script, the swap and roles tables. Subscribers also receive the editable Word file, an Excel workbook whose agendas calculate the times and whose checklists count open and overdue tasks per owner, and a CSV of the one-day agenda. The kits named in each block have their own free pages.
How to use the files
Print the PDF, edit the Word file in Word or Google Docs, or open the CSV or XLSX in a spreadsheet. Open files need no email.
Can I use this with paying clients?
Yes. Use and adapt this original Superglue kit in your own training, including paid client sessions. Please share this page rather than redistributing the unmodified kit. Read the full usage terms.