In 2019, the GLIDE Harm Reduction program recognized that, given a growing team and increased attention and funding opportunities to support innovative harm reduction interventions, it was imperative to improve their function and effectiveness as a team. The program decided to have a staff retreat and hired Facente Consulting to facilitate the day. The team met in the Community Trailblazer Lab at Salesforce Tower to spend the day thinking about the best ways to function as a team within GLIDE, now and in the years ahead.
Facente Consulting led the creation of the agenda and facilitated the retreat. The team was enthusiastic about the momentum generated, including through concrete recommendations such as quarterly mini-retreats, longer weekly staff meetings with focused time for addressing team challenges, committment to living the team values in everyday practice, and ideas for working with organizational leadership to successfully move priorities forward.