Dream days, otherwise described as an elevated strategy day for future company thinking, utilise creative thinking techniques to drive you beyond your imagination and create a fresh approach to discovering what you can achieve in your organisation.
What is a Typical Dream Day?
A standard company dream day is a day-long event during which the team comes together to focus on planning the future goals and direction of their business. Typically, the day will include reviewing the company’s current and previous performance to identify how the company is performing in the market and what changes should be made to improve its position.
The general activities on the day are discussion-based, using interactive methods to involve all attendees and encourage a free-flowing space for ideas. There tend to be multiple presentations, in which key employees present insights on various aspects of the business, such as financial health, company performance, marketing, marketplace conditions, and any operational hurdles.
What Does a Dream Day Involve?
The dream day process involves using a series of pre-event questionnaires, unstructured brainstorming procedures and more structured lateral thinking techniques. Lateral thinking encompasses the essence and vision of a dream day; rewiring challenges in your mind, changing the perspective to that of a new angle, and using innovative methods to find solutions.
Effective Techniques Used in a Dream Day
The dream day is a workshop, not a talk. These are just some of the effective, tried and tested formulas that fds uses:
- The 20-minute attention span
- The rule of three: each section we explore is broken into three parts
- Random groups: to highlight that the more diverse the group, the better the outcome
- High energy levels
- Rejecting the fear of failure
- Curiosity rules
- Collaboration
- Daring to be different
The process starts well before the dream day by setting goals and objectives, but the process on the day may involve methods including, but not limited to:
- Role-play your competitor
- “A day in the life of…”
- How to be a business disrupter (think Uber, Airbnb, Deliveroo, HelloFresh, etc.)
- Think long-term, 5 to 25 years’ horizon scanning
What Results You Can Expect from a Dream Day
The results of the dream day will be invaluable. You should expect a newly energised and motivated team that is more inclined to produce innovative ideas that prioritise business growth, intend to be different from competitors, and, more importantly, have a plan for maintaining this edge.
How Can fds Help?
If you are interested in elevating your company’s innovation and unlocking creative ways for your business to stay ahead of the curve in your industry, contact us to learn more about fds’ dream days.
