As we approached the end of our first tax season as Ciaccia CPA, I wanted to reflect on our achievements and had the idea to host a one-day team building retreat for our employees. As we’re a small team and could benefit from the insights of others, I invited team members of TMS II, LLC, another woman-owned CPA firm in Philadelphia, to join us. The company’s owner, Michele Schina, is not only a dear friend of mine, she’s also one of my partners at Beyond Strategy Partners, Inc., another company I’m involved with that provides formation and growth guidance to small to mid-sized businesses.
Beyond Strategy Partners, Inc.’s third partner Megan Patton graciously offered to fly in to town to facilitate the retreat for us. Needless to say, the retreat with my broader base partners and our staff members was full of fun, created all the feels, and provided us with clarity and cohesiveness to conquer the rest of 2022 and beyond.
Clarity
While I have a five-year strategic mission, vision and plan defined for Ciaccia CPA and have shared bits and pieces of it with our staff in the past year, the retreat gave me the opportunity to reveal the big picture and to connect each team member to the vision. Hearing insights from my team members also clarified my thinking, connected me to their feelings and needs, and confirmed the mutual support roles we could provide to help each other succeed and to keep Ciaccia CPA moving forward.
Cohesiveness
As my team is relatively new, ranging from five months to 2 1/2 years of service, one of my priorities is to provide leadership development and skills training for each member. Our newest team member joined us in February, at the start of the tax season, which meant that our retreat in June was the first chance we had to do team building exercises and take a designated time to get to know each other outside of the office. This time proved to be a great investment as we left the retreat feeling more connected.
Cheer
The aphorism “He who laughs, lasts!” by Mary Pettibone Poole speaks to the third benefit we enjoyed at the retreat. In addition to experiencing clarity and cohesiveness, we had lots of fun and laughs. Most notably was the laugh that engulfed the entire room when my team members asked for an office dog. We work hard every day, taking care of our clients and their accounting needs. This time of laughter was just what we needed and it served to remind us how important it is to have fun together regularly.
In closing, no matter the size of your team, you’ll find a team building retreat to be an important and beneficial exercise. Consider hosting one as it strengthens your team members who, in turn, strengthen your business.
Staff Members discuss and work through Team Building exercises.
Ciaccia CPA is a women-owned, South Jersey CPA firm in Sewell, NJ. We offer wealth-nurturing services that provide quality support, expert strategies, and calculated business solutions to direct, guide, and manage your personal and/or business financial journey. Ciaccia CPA invests in small to mid-sized businesses, like yours. By understanding your financial goals, the firm works with you to overcome challenges and make your wealth grow.
