transatlantic meetings executive committee attached note sent managers regarding site team building meetings impression commendable efforts build transatlantic synergies resulting many get togethers require substantial travel challenge gatherings far costly time consuming us attend houston colleagues might realize often participating meetings takes entire week enron europe employees especially outside texas naturally may feel time year prc time exactly wrong time career perspective miss kind gathering sites sometimes scheduled end quarter compounds difficulty worse still times occur end q 2 since also coincides conflicts prc process would appreciate efforts remind managers consider travel time costs direct indirect inviting international employees site meetings us appreciate chance included broader enron initiatives share ideas across organizations really trying reinforce message managing expenses thanks john sherriff letter sent enron europe vps direct reports still issues regarding offsites team building exercises particular recently examples departments failing inform key work groups workplace absences pending order avoid misunderstandings increase transparency following apply immediate effect offsite team building exercise group commercial non commercial including john intends undertake must communicated advance department heads issue identified include participants office total costs exercise appropriate work load coverage details john supportive team building exercises much prefer conducted evenings weekends extent possible must absolutely avoid quarter ends ensure work appropriately covered trips houston especially resorts us far difficult justify based substantial travel time costs involved please pay particular attention optimising transatlantic travel please communicate policy staff michael brown