You can book a great venue. Bring in a skilled facilitator. Choose creative activities.
But here’s the truth: what determines whether a team away day leads to real impact isn’t the location or the games.
It’s the mindset and follow-up of the manager in the room.
At Strengthify, we’ve worked with many public sector teams. And we’ve seen this over and over again: the most effective team days happen when the manager is more than just present. They lead.
Here’s what that looks like—and how to get it right.
Let’s start with where good intentions go wrong.
Many managers:
But a lack of leadership doesn’t just waste a day. It can increase scepticism, erode trust, and signal that team development isn’t a priority.
“People working to their strengths and given roles/responsibilities in the area could improve motivation at work doing jobs they enjoy!”
When managers approach a team day as a chance to observe, reflect, and grow with their team, everything shifts.
That’s why, before we run any team session, every manager joins our Management Development Programme (MDP) and completes a two-day foundational workshop.
This ensures:
“Having the whole team involved helped me see what strengths each team member had and this can add value to the whole team dynamic.”
Great managers don’t just show up—they show the way. They:
It’s not about running the session. It’s about leading the culture.
“As a team it was fantastic to give everyone the opportunity to self-reflect and invest in themselves.”
The biggest differentiator between a nice day and lasting change? What happens after.
At Strengthify, we equip managers with simple, effective support tools, including:
These don’t take hours. They take intention. And when used consistently, they transform how people relate, collaborate, and contribute.
“Will be able to work more productively with various team members to improve quality of our service.”
At King’s College London, the Finance Team partnered with Strengthify not because of a crisis—but because they wanted to work better together. With growing responsibilities and a mix of work styles across the group, the team recognised the need for clearer communication, deeper trust, and a shared understanding of how to collaborate more effectively.
During a strengths-based team session, they explored how individual differences could become collective assets. What emerged wasn’t just insight—it was a renewed sense of energy and alignment.
“A powerful tool to foster buy-in and collective momentum to help focus minds on what can be achieved.”
Since the session, the team has adopted new approaches to their meetings, integrated strengths-based reflection into their ways of working, and deepened team confidence in each other’s contributions.
You don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s what the evidence shows:
You don’t need to have all the answers. But you do need to show up with:
Because when a team sees their manager engaged, invested, and consistent, they don’t just participate.
They believe in the change.
Explore the Management Development Programme
Learn about Strengthify Team Sessions
Contact us to plan your next away day