Dream Team AccOrd

Dream Team AccOrd

Does it sound like Samsung Team India? Definitely not. It’s better than even Team India Its none other than my team in Verizon. AccOrd is the project in which I am currently working in Verizon. I guess project has been rightly named as AccOrd. AccOrd as per our Oxford English dictionary signifies Harmony and Agreement. This was proved well in our recent team build exercise at Sterling Resorts at Mahabalipuram almost 40 to 50 kms from Chennai. It was planned for a Team Build on 16th of December on a Friday from morning 9.00 AM to Evening 6.00 PM.

15th December

First it was decided that the transport facility as well break fast will be provided to all the team members at Sterling Towers, a place where my office is situated. But people were insisting on having pick ups even from Tiruvanmiyur Signal and Viceroy building situated near Raj Bhavan. At last when the training department coordinator was contacted, she agreed on having pick ups from Viceroy and Sterling Towers after getting in touch with the Caterers so that break fast could be arranged for all of us at both these centre’s cafeteria. This was communicated to the entire team and people who were interested in having pick up at Tiruvanmiyur readily agreed to move to viceroy. Every one started moving early back to their homes as they have to reach office by 7.30 to take up the bus so that they can reach resort in time.

16th December

Around 7.30 AM in the morning we came to know that our project manager is not coming for this exercise as she was not well in the morning. Around 15 to 20 were supposed to take up the bus and break fast in Sterling towers and rest at Viceroy building. We all coordinated well among ourselves and made sure that we have reached place in right time. Bus was supposed to start from Sterling towers around 8.00 AM in the morning. But it was behind schedule by 15 to 20 minutes as 1 or 2 were late. Bus reached around 8.45 to 9.15 to Viceroy. By then people were ready to get into the bus after taking idly, vada which was arranged for the breakfast. Bus started heading towards mahabalipuram by taking the East Coast Road via IT corridor road. As the bus was plying in the East Coast road people started enjoying making fun out of each other, listening to songs and some even singing. We could enjoy the waters at both sides of the road as a result of recent rains in Tamilnadu during the North East Monsoon. Buses at last entered into the sterling resorts. Every one was welcomed by a garland and every one was provided with a Fresh Juice as a Welcome drink. As we all got down from the bus we were instructed by a person to assemble at a convention center in another 10 minutes after having the welcome drink. Every one was asked to remove the shoes and chappals and enter the convention center. He introduced himself as Rahul Kapoor who is running Kapoor’s Workshop on Effective Communication since 1998 in Bangalore as we all entered into the convention center. The way he presented himself appeared to be the perfect man for the day. He intimated all of us that we are running behind the schedule by more than an hour and we are supposed to gear up to finish entire exercise around 4.30 to 5.00 PM. We are all were made to sit on Dhiwaan to differentiate this day from a regular one by not making us sit on chair.

Prayers and Ice Breakers

Day with Rahul started with Prayers and Ice Breakers. This prayer was quite an unusual one. We were all instructed to offer prayers to father and mother. We were taught with how to breathe. Every one was divided into a team of four under the name of Crow, Dog, Donkey and snakes by means of lot. Everyone was asked to gather into teams by screaming as a crow, dog, donkey or snakes. Rahul instructed us to introduce team members to others along with 5 characteristics that we have in common which aimed at bringing in the fact that we should look for common things among us and not for the differences. Some common aspects that I observed in common among all team members across the team were working late, getting paid highly, and watching cricket. I felt that reason behind naming the teams under Crow, dog and Snakes were the qualities of working in team, faithfulness and bold respectively. But still I cannot make out the reason for naming as Donkey. All this came to end within 10 minutes to start with next game that can fetch us 35000. Name of the game was “Win as much as you can”.

Win as much as you can

This game was not new to me. I have played this game in my earlier organization in team build exercises. We were not allowed to play if we had played this game already when I was in my earlier organization. So approached Rahul whether I can play this game here as I know this already. But he asked me to play.
People didn’t understand at the first sight that it was a game of Win-Win. Every team was asked to chose either X or Y. Based on the total no of X and Y winners and losers were decided and appropriate teams were given either positive or negative points. We even had double and triple money rounds that tempted the teams similar to popular TV Programmes like Family Fortunes, Jackpot. All the teams approached them with Win-Lose. But its general tendency when it comes to a game. But with this game Rahul brought in following lessons
1) Always aim at healthy competition(Win-Win)
2) Not to fall into temptations.

With this positive note we were taken to next exercise which was an exercise to our mouth and stomach. I mean we were provided with Tea and biscuits to refresh ourselves. After 15 minutes break we all assembled back in the convention center for the next exciting game of “Balloon Trouble”.

Balloon Trouble

This was an exciting game. Each and every team was provided with balloons to blow. We were given with the problem statements and we were asked to come up with strategies to come up with solution to the problem. Task was to stand in the line by holding the blown up balloons between us. We are supposed not to drop or burst the balloons when moving from your start to end line. Though task appeared simpler it was really difficult to achieve it. Every team decided that it should be the communication and patience is vital in winning this. So everybody started moving towards the end line with effective communication followed by leads. Everyone was important in this game. Even if one failed, it leads to failure of team. Lessons brought out from this game were
1) Good Coordination among the team members
2) Respect each and every team member as everyone is important
3) Effective communication.

Glass Balancing

Every team was provided with the silk hand kerchief along with glass and pebbles. Task was to hold the glass with pebbles in the hand kerchief. Lift it from down in the start line and carry it towards the end line and place it again in the ground without dropping the glasses. If it drops any where in the middle we are supposed to restart the game. This was quite interesting. To be frank lifting it and again placing it down was quite challenging. Lack of coordination will make us drop the glasses and drop there by restarting the game. Lessons learnt from this lesson were

1) Good Coordination
2) Should be able to balance the work accordingly

Time was almost 1.00 in the afternoon. We all decided to go to lunch by 1.30. So we decided to play “Game of Seven”. Most of you should have played this game. We are supposed to stand in a circular fashion and start counting numbers. Whenever a number is a multiple of seven or has seven in the number we are not supposed to say the number. Instead we need to bring our hands together and clap our hands. If you fail to do this you will be out of the game. Time was 1.25 when we finished off with this game and we all headed towards most important session that everyone was waiting for. It was none other than buffet lunch. Started off with Veg Clear soup and ended off with Sweet and Ice Cream. Everybody assembled outside the convention center around 2.15. Rahul had planned well to have the out door exercises after lunch so that you don’t get a chance for a nap.

Skeleton Beam

This game expects the team members to have trust in their team as well to motivate others in team. These were the lessons learnt from this game where we are supposed to walk on the rope which is tied to the trees at 3 to 4 feet high blind folded with the instructions, motivations and help rendered by the team members. I didn’t walk on the rope; otherwise it would have been difficult for others to walk without a rope. This game brings out the fact that nothing is impossible provided you have the courage to take up the first step. In the mean time when a team was walking on rope others teams were given a test of creativity by asking them to design a greeting card with natural items available in the 800 sq.ft area. People came out with wonderful greetings with leaves, flowers and fruit wastes.

Web

Last game of our team build exercise was Web. Probably if you have seen the movie “Whistle” you should be aware about this game. Web was put up in the outdoor. Task was that the entire team should move from one end to other without touching the web being laid out manually and one should not use the web being used by other team. It was quite challenging. You have to come up with really good strategy to win in this game as you have people of different sizes in team. So right from the selection of appropriate web for appropriate persons and the order in which people will move from one end to other plays a crucial role.
At the end of the game to bring in the lessons, Rahul gave analogies with Mahabharata how Krishna handled Arjuna, Bhima, Karna, Bhishma, Duryodana by adopting strategies that will suit them. Men and Women are all alike. It’s the team that matters the most was the most important lesson out of this. As well we learnt that we should deal with different people in different ways.

With this, game came to an end. It was time for bidding adieu to Rahul. We all shared among us what all we learnt throughout the day and extended our thanks to rahul for giving us such a wonderful experience. We all had high tea in the evening and we had one hour left in our schedule. So every one moved towards the beach view and spent some time there. All returned back to bus by 6.00 and bus started moving towards Chennai out of Mahabalipuram. Most of them were tired. But still people didn’t leave out. Except few like me every one engaged themselves with the game of Antakshari till they reached their destinations.

Photos taken at the resorts playing various games throughout the day should speak more than what I have spoken here. This is our second get together after the trip to Munnar during August.

It came out successful only because of the fact what we all put in our efforts to make it more interesting. So kudos to entire team and especially to Rahul to bring up the binding among the team members. There were few in our team who missed out this team build exercise due to unprecedental reasons. They all should definitely make up to the next team build exercise.

If you want to know about Rahul Kapoor Please visit www.kwec.net

He writes articles in Education Times in Times of India.You can find the articles written by him on his website even.