PEAK TEAMS CASE STUDY

TEAM BUILDING VIRTUAL ADVENTURE EVENT

Background

A major technology company is pursuing an aggressive strategy of software acquisitions. The newly formed Global Integration Team held a semi-annual summit bringing together a global team of 50 people tasked with integrating acquired software companies into the major corporation. This was only the second time this group had met together in person, though they are expected to work effectively together to achieve successful integration of companies in the face of a rapid and sustained pace of acquisitions.

Objectives

The goals of the meeting were to:

• Identify key learnings and opportunities for improvement across the team; and
• Create a stronger sense of leadership and team identity to enable the team to consistently deliver high quality results while under pressure in a rapidly changing environment.

Peak Teams Role

Peak Teams was engaged to create a powerful leadership and team development workshop delivered over three days. The centerpiece of the event was “Reach for the Summit”, a unique interactive video based virtual adventure using mountaineering as a metaphor. Working closely with the client’s meeting leaders, Peak Teams provided a range of additional services before, during and after the event including:

• Serving as the primary event facilitators, linking program content and driving momentum across all three days;
• Identifying and integrating key themes throughout the event;
• Focusing attention on the company’s Guiding Principles to drive excellence;
• Providing coaching for facilitators and speakers;
• Assisting with presentation design to ensure effective communication;
• Giving real-time feedback during and after the event;
• Using the “Reach” program to tie together business objectives with customized, event-specific themes and messaging; and
• Planning follow up sessions to reinforce and promote ongoing leadership and team development.

Results

A dramatic change in the team dynamic was observable during the course of the event. At the beginning, the group did not behave in an open, cohesive or friendly manner towards one another. By the middle of the second day, people were smiling, collaborating and much more engaged in developing positive relationships with each another. These observations were validated by responses collected on Peak Teams feedback forms at the end of the event, which reflected:

• Greatly enhanced team interaction, interpersonal relationships and camaraderie;
• Enhanced understanding of the importance of guiding principles as the basis a high performing culture; and
• Better ways of thinking, information sharing and decision making.