01
Step back
Away from the routine, you have time for each other. What works well, and what drains your energy? Every perspective matters. We begin with the question this team is genuinely facing.
Back to MensFortiaRetreat for leadership teams
Team and leadership retreat · Dordogne
Retreat for leadership teams
Understand each other. Decide together.
How do you want to work together, especially when things get difficult? Step back in the Dordogne, understand what is happening and return with new agreements — without looking for someone to blame.
3 to 5 days with overnight stays · Dordogne · for teams and leadership teams
Arrange a conversationFor teams and leadership teamsTrust and directionAlways tailored
What decreases
Stress and workload
Bring tensions and unclear expectations into the open, so they take less of your energy.
What returns
Energy and enjoyment
Build trust, with room to laugh together and enjoy your work again.
Does this sound familiar?
The difference is what people dare to say.
Many things may be going well, yet something remains unresolved. A conversation put off, different expectations or uncertainty about who does what. Working together takes more than good intentions. At MensFortia you look at what helps and where things rub. Not to become a perfect team, but to understand each other and learn how to do things differently.
“How do you want to work together when things become difficult?”
- 01Unresolved problems linger and grow.
- 02You can feel the irritation, but nobody names it.
- 03Everyone waits for someone else to solve the problem.
- 04Conflicts are avoided until they seem impossible to resolve.
- 05Your shared purpose is unclear or not truly shared.
- 06You present a united front, but disagree behind the scenes.
For leadership teams
A leadership retreat that gets to the real issues
Tensions at the top do not stay at the top. They affect decisions, daily work and the people around you. A few days away from the usual meetings gives you time to say what has been left unsaid, make decisions and agree on a direction you can put into practice.
Familiar situations
When a team retreat helps.
The real issue is not discussed
People agree in the meeting and say something different afterwards. Irritation grows, but the conversation never happens.
A new leadership team
You have just started working together. You want to know who carries which responsibilities and how you make decisions.
After a merger or reorganisation
Different ways of working meet. There is uncertainty, and you need to find a shared direction.
Decisions keep waiting
The same topics return in every meeting. Nobody decides, and urgent matters push the bigger picture aside.
The approach
Understand what is happening. Practise what helps.
We connect your shared purpose with the people doing the work. What motivates each person? What assumptions are at play? How do you deal with responsibility, mistakes and disagreement? Through conversations and exercises you explore these questions and practise different ways of responding. What you learn belongs in your daily work, not just in the retreat.
02
Understand what is happening
Explore motivations, strengths, expectations and assumptions. What is your shared purpose? Where are responsibilities unclear? Mistakes and difficult experiences can be discussed without looking for someone to blame.
03
Learn and practise
Practise speaking openly, listening and having difficult conversations. Each person looks at their own contribution, including the leader — also under pressure or when you disagree.
04
Choose how to move forward
Make your shared purpose concrete and agree on responsibilities and ways of working. How will you know things are improving? How will you revisit your agreements when difficulties return?
What you work on
What you learn stays with you.
- 01A better understanding of the person behind the job title.
- 02A clear, genuinely shared purpose.
- 03Agreements about who does what, and how you follow through.
- 04Practice in speaking and listening when things are difficult.
- 05Attention to enjoyment, energy and less pressure between you.
- 06For leadership teams: shared direction, priorities and clear responsibilities.
Around the fire · away from the noise
Why France
Outside the routine. Time for each other.
The Dordogne gives you distance from inboxes, meetings and the roles in which you usually see each other. Walking, eating together and talking around the campfire leave room to listen, practise and laugh. Being outdoors is the setting; your question remains the substance. You translate what you learn into agreements for work.
- Format
- 3 to 5 days, always tailored
- Location
- A suitable location in the Dordogne
- On site
- Also possible at your workplace
- Investment
- Tailored
Ruud Meulenberg · founder of MensFortia
This is MensFortia
Strong teams keep learning together.
Strong people make strong businesses. Learning comes first. A team is never finished either. You learn from results, from each other and from moments of friction. Mistakes can be discussed without assigning blame or ignoring their consequences.
Ruud has led a growing team himself. He combines practical experience with frank conversations: approachable, honest in his questions and focused on what you can do differently.
Away from the routine, walking or sitting around the campfire in the Dordogne, there is room to understand each other and practise together. With trust, concrete agreements and more enjoyment in your work.
Real conversations, in your language.
Ruud leads conversations in English, French and Dutch. For international teams too: one person to talk to, with attention to what each person wants to say.
About Ruud
Practical experience. An open mind.
Ruud built a company with 75 employees and sold it. He brings that practical experience to his work with teams. Understanding what is happening, trying different behaviours and seeing what fits your work belong together.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to come to the Dordogne?
No. We prefer the Dordogne because it gives you distance from the everyday routine. Working at your premises is also possible; we discuss what fits your question.
What if there is already a lot of tension?
That is a reason to have the conversation. We start with an honest look at what is happening, without judgement or evasions.
Is this suitable for a new team?
Yes. Building trust and a shared purpose early gives a new team a strong starting point.
Does the team leader take part?
Yes. The team and its leader are connected. The most useful work happens when the leader participates fully.
What if a director leaves?
Ruud can also take the helm temporarily as an interim director while a lasting solution is prepared.
A retreat for your team?
Tell us what is happening in your team.
Briefly describe the situation and who would take part. Ruud will call or email you within 24 hours for a first conversation.