Nicole Bearne’s Post

Last night I had the unique opportunity of being a “fly on the wall” and getting a glimpse into what the culture and group outings are like at Zweig Group’s #1 Best Firm to Work For for 3 years in a row now. Yup, you guessed it, it’s Garver! Some friends of mine and I decided to try out the new K1 Speed in Rogers yesterday and were told that a company event would be wrapping up at 8 and that we could be worked in after it was over. No worries, we got some food and came back around 8 and sure enough, there seemed to be a Garver employee event going on. We proceeded to alternate races with the Garver group for the next couple hours and like us, they seemed to be having quite a grand time. They were even still going strong after we left! I truly believe that if you’ve built a company with staff that actively want to hang out with each other beyond 9:30pm, you’ve created something special. Hats off to Garver! As for K1 Speed, what a place! The carts are pretty dang fast and the track is well-maintained. The staff were also very friendly and helpful. The first cart I drove had a steering knuckle break mid-turn about halfway through (thankful for the shock-absorbing walls or my neck would be feeling it today) and they were happy to comp me another race that I plan on using soon. Highly recommend! Bottom Line/TLDR: Invest in your culture. It pays dividends with regards to marketing, recruiting and retention when the general public sees your employees having fun hanging out with each other. Also, that go-karting is a great way to build camaraderie among your team! #aecindustry #ElevateAEC #bestfirmstoworkfor

Today is an important day for Italian golf, the come back of Matteo Manassero winning after ten years a DP World Tour competition in South Africa. 🎉 A "golden boy" from Verona (youngest winner on European Tour at sixteen years old) who in his twenties lost his swing and more importantly the trust in himself. He changed coach, swing, training methods. He kept grinding and reconstructing the belief deep down inside that there was still a chance. You might think it's easy when you are so young and financially safe to come back, I understand but I wouldn't agree. Sport can be a great metaphor for business, especially when it comes to Teams' sports. Golf can be too, and we don't always mention Tiger's legendary story to get inspired. What are the main take aways of Matteo's great come back when it comes to our professional journey? When outcomes don't match our ambition: - Take action in changing our environment (starting from people); - Take action in changing our routines: experiment, listen, feel what's best for you; - The most decisive and critical one: take action even if we really don't know this will eventually bring the desired outcomes, and by when. What's your favorite come back? (Steve Jobs at Apple excluded 😆)

This picture just hit me. Back in the good old days of field day in the 80s, thriving in competition meant more than just winning the three-legged race without tripping over your shoelaces. It was a battlefield of epic proportions, where glory was measured by how many times you could hop through the potato sack race without resembling a flailing penguin. And let's not forget the egg-and-spoon race, where balancing a fragile egg on a spoon was like trying to keep your cool during a surprise math test. Ah, the memories of victory and scraped knees – it was a time when the grass stains on your shorts were badges of honor, and the only thing sweeter than victory was the orange slice waiting for you at the finish line. In the workplace, channeling that same competitive spirit from the 80s field day can be surprisingly beneficial. Just like strategizing to dominate the tug-of-war, employees learn to push themselves beyond their limits, fostering innovation and creativity. The camaraderie built from cheering on teammates during the sack race translates to a supportive work environment, where colleagues rally together to overcome challenges. And those lessons in resilience from enduring a humiliating defeat in the three-legged race? They teach invaluable skills in bouncing back from setbacks, crucial for navigating the ever-changing landscape of the professional world. So, just like the glory days of field day, embracing healthy competition in the workplace can lead to victories that are just as sweet, minus the grass stains and egg yolk mishaps. OK, maybe we weren’t still doing egg races at field day in the 80s, but it just fit too perfectly into my metaphor.

Future Primitive - Skate Trips and Training Camps Drawing from the rich tapestry of skateboarding culture, let's explore a concept deeply ingrained in its ethos: the "Skate Trip." Similar to structured training camps, these journeys have long been the backbone of skateboarding's development, fostering skill enhancement and camaraderie in equal measure for over six decades. Unlike conventional training regimes, skate trips thrive on an organic blend of exploration and creativity, unfettered by rigid structures. This fluidity is not just a hallmark of skateboarding; it's a testament to the power of embracing diversity and difference in all sports. As we navigate the evolving landscape of Olympic skateboarding, it's vital to honour the traditions that have shaped skateboarding, while embracing the innovations and changes that lie ahead. This delicate balance, encapsulated in a "Future Primitive" mindset, ensures that we progress with purpose and integrity while staying mindful of our roots. In the broader context of high-performance sports in the UK, we're reminded of the importance of supporting one another to challenge the status quo. Just as skateboarding thrives on creativity, so too do other sports that benefit from diverse perspectives and approaches. By liberating ourselves from the confines of accepted norms and embracing critical thinking, we pave the way for inclusivity and growth across the high-performance sports community. Recently, I had the privilege of embarking on a trip to California with the Skateboard GB team. What began as a quest for radical terrain and warmer weather became a journey of skill acquisition and focused training, blurring the lines between leisure and structured development. Was it a skate trip, or did it embody the essence of a training camp? That's for you to decide. Join me in reflecting on the why before rushing into change, for in that pause lies the opportunity to preserve what is effective and excellent. As we share the joys of skateboarding through the lens of our recent adventure, let's ignite conversations that transcend sports and inspire a collective reimagining of what it can truly be. Watch "Take The Edge Off" here - https://lnkd.in/ewgdUdey Film and Edit: Jake Powell, Sam Beckett.

Skirrid fell race this weekend, the third year I've done this now, another straight up a mountain and then straight back down race, no flat at all. I ❤️ these races despite them going against what I encourage people to do at work. At the start of the race the organiser tells everyone it's roughly 5.1km long. Why the roughly though ? 🤔 Well with the races they aren't really marked courses, especially with the downhill. The organiser tells everyone you can take whatever route you want coming down, and this is where local knowledge comes in handy. The first year I did this race I took a path down, zigzagging my way, adding distance. Last year it had been snowing, so I sat on my backside and basically slid all the way down which was horrendously painful as the gorse and rocks underneath grated my backside. This year I arrived with experience of what not to do, stayed on my feet and ran straight down for a personal best 💪. I learnt by watching others, they don't share their secrets easily, and this is where things differ at work. At work, if you measure output across a team and notice someone doing better than others, the worst thing to do is reward them. If you reward them for being the best, why would they want to share the secrets of their success? Instead reward them for sharing, get them to document a standard operating procedure, to share their system secrets or their contacts in their little black book. By doing this it helps the team team, improving output as a whole rather than as an individual, which is definitely worth celebrating 🎉 #continuouslearning

As the fall race season approaches, we present a set of valuable tips aimed at enhancing your event's participant turnout -

Racing Towards the Year-end Finish Line! As the countdown begins with just 4 weeks left until office closure, I find myself caught in the exhilarating "race to the end of year juggle." The chaos of trying to wrap up projects, meet deadlines, and tie up loose ends is real. A wise person once said, "When Melbourne Cup hits, the year just flies." For me, it's a similar sentiment – once Halloween arrives, it's a MAD RUSH! The hustle and bustle of getting everything done before the year concludes can be both exciting and exhausting. Reflecting on this quote each year at this time, I'm reminded of the collective energy we invest in finishing the year strong. It's a universal experience – so much to do, so little time. Who else is navigating the year-end hustle? Here's to conquering the chaos, embracing the MAD RUSH, and celebrating the accomplishments that come with the end-of-year sprint! #yearendreflections #finishstrong #totalimagegroup

It’s the taking part that counts…. Or is it? What does taking part and team work look like? Supporting my child at their sports day was a mix of emotions and it got me questioning the way we view teamwork and success. The day became overwhelming a break was needed, we talked about sports, teamwork and ice lollies (just because). Ultimately we talked about all the different ways people can be part of the team, without having the pressure of being the one running the race. You can cheer for your team, you can help ready for the next race, you can give out stickers at the end, keep the score, lay out the equipment between races or simply watch and enjoy being nearby when friends have loud fun, being happy they are happy. You certainly don’t have to be the fastest runner or have the loudest cheers to be part of the team. In organisations it takes many functions, skills and roles needed to create success that demonstrate teamwork and collaboration, not just the frontline delivery. There are lots of ways to take part and show team work without having to be in the race. PS: I was very pleased with my 3rd place in the mums egg and spoon race 🥉 #teamwork #inclusion #success #collaboration #humanresourcemanagement

Kennedy Krenek is going places! Not only does she play the essential role of getting restaurants set up and ready to use Delaget’s solutions, but she strives to run multiple half marathons! Read more about Kennedy: 1. What is your role/responsibility at Delaget? 😁 I am an Onboarding Technician at Delaget, which means I am responsible for setting up clients in our system. 2. What is your favorite part about working at Delaget? 🤝🪴 My favorite part about working at Delaget is connecting with others from various teams because this allows me the opportunity to continuously learn and grow as a business professional. 3. What do you like to spend your time doing outside of work? 🙋♀️🏙️ Outside of work I love to spend time with my friends doing new activities throughout the Twin Cities area. 4. What is something on your bucket list? 🏃♀️🗺️ A goal of mine is to run 13 half marathons in 13 states!

🥌 Exciting News! 🥌 Did you know that it's National Curling Month? Let's spice up your next corporate event with a touch of icy fun! ❄️ Why settle for the ordinary when you can elevate your team building, camaraderie, and laughter with Corporate Curling? 🤝 Here's why you should give it a shot: 1️⃣ **Team Bonding on Ice:** Break the ice, quite literally! Curling is the perfect blend of strategy and teamwork, fostering collaboration and strengthening relationships. 2️⃣ **All-Inclusive Fun:** No need to be an Olympic athlete! Curling is a sport for everyone, making it an inclusive and enjoyable activity for colleagues of all ages and fitness levels. 3️⃣ **Corporate Strategy in Action:** Just like in business, curling requires planning, communication, and execution. Showcase your team's strategic prowess on the ice while having a blast. 4️⃣ **Winter Wonderland Vibes:** Embrace the winter spirit! Corporate curling adds a festive touch to your event, making it memorable and unique. 5️⃣ **Cheers to Celebrations:** Whether you're celebrating achievements or milestones, a curling event provides the perfect backdrop for toasts and cheers. 🥂 This National Curling Month, step out of your comfort zone and onto the ice for an unforgettable experience. Corporate curling is not just a game; it's a metaphor for teamwork, strategy, and success. Ready to sweep your colleagues off their feet? 🧹❄️ #NationalCurlingMonth #CorporateCurling #TeamBuildingOnIce #WinterFun #CurlingChallenge #BusinessOnIce #growthesport #daretocurl #corporateevents #events #eventplanner #eventplanning #party #event #eventprofs #corporate #eventmanagement #eventdesign #eventplanners #partyplanner #eventdecor #teambuilding #corporateevent #entertainment #eventproduction #corporateeventplanner #curling #wintersports #curlingteam #curlinglife #curlingclub #curlingstone #madcold #networking