 We promised team building and we delivered! Throughout the day, we exposed you to vendors representing different ways to incorporate teambuilding into your personal and professional development.
Thanks to one of our Strategic Alliance Partners, Wizard Event Technologies, our day started even before the event took place via our high-tech conference app. Attendees were able to download the app onto their smart phones and view the agenda, speaker info, sponsor/exhibitor info and update their own contact information. Once onsite, attendees could then scan each other’s badges (via a QR code) to capture their contact information and make notes. Another "way cool" feature they offered us was the Radar Networking badges – questions that were asked of attendees in advance were captured on a chip and, if you came near others with matching answers, the badges "flashed" matching colors to encourage networking.
While learning how to operate this new technology, attendees could partake in lunch and exhibits. From there, we moved on to the afternoon's “edu-tainment." Roy Charette from Training Path was our emcee for the day. His session provided opportunities for networking though "hands on" experiences that demonstrated the value of shared leadership and effective communications (peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, anyone?).
Next came Five Keys to Increasing and Accelerating Personal & Team Performance with L.E.A.D, USA, Inc. This session was lead by Rich Kuepper who introduced us to the five “C's”: Confidence, Communication, Challenge, Connect and Celebrate. The culmination of this session was board breaking – yes, we broke boards with our bare hands and no bones were broken! Rich coached us through the how to's: Feet fixed and flexible, focus on the center and beyond, think “yes, yes, yes," breathe and go! Many were skeptical and hesitant, but by the end, 90% of those in the room had their souvenir pieces to take back to the office to show off. Mind over matter, face that challenge and succeed!
 
After a quick and yummy break to re-energize and refuel, it was on to Operation Military Care lead by Best TeamBuilding. Lead facilitator Penny Coppen, along with Melissa Hannon and Blair Wlochowski, coached teams through six Minute-to-Win-It activities. Each team earned points for successful completion of activities such as hula-hooping for 30 seconds, balancing five dice on a stick (held between your teeth!) and keeping balloons afloat. The points earned allowed teams to "shop" for items which we then assembled into care packages for service men and women stationed overseas. Each team was able to make two packages – one of perishable items and one of nonperishable items – and include notes for the servicemen as well. There were very few dry eyes in the room when three soldiers entered to accept the packages and explain how much they are appreciated. Staff Sergeants Avridor, Thomas and Reily told attendees that “when you get your name called that you have a package, you’ll walk two miles to get it. It means so much to get some love from home and when the package is from people you don’t even know, the feeling is unbelievable.” The three soldiers posed for photographs with the attendees and walked around taking pictures of the group.
To round out our day, the drumming began! As we walked into the ballroom, we were greeted with chairs bedecked in animal-print leis and drums. Led by Aviva Nash and her fellow drummers at Drum Café, we channeled our inner drummers and learned how to harmonize, work together and follow along, guided largely by hand signals and rhythm. It was amazing how easily we could communicate non-verbally! To round out the day, we continued our networking with another round of exhibits and the closing reception.
 
Here is some of the feedback we heard from our attendees and partners during the day and after the event:
“The programs were great and I think we not only learned some great things, but also left feeling much more positive and motivated.”
“An excellent way to blend team building and networking!”
“I was grateful for the team building sessions, as that allowed more interaction with the planners.”
“Thanks for ALL your hard work! Hope everyone enjoyed the various experiences and have a better understand of the strategic benefits of teambuilding to meetings!”
“I’ve met lots of people I’ve never met before – great event!”
Special thanks to our generous sponsors and exhibitors who made this event possible. The planning for MEETNow! 2013 will begin soon. We hope you will join us! |
