On Friday, June 29, we closed our company early for training. It was the first time we pulled all of the departments (operations, accounting, IT, sales, purchasing, manufacturing, marketing) and did training together. It was also, and I am quite confident, the first time a fastener company has used Improv Comedy and Kart Racing as a topic and venue for team building.
Earnest Machine Team at Boss Pro Karting
Our group showed up at Boss Pro Karting after receiving just the street address. They were excited about racing yet it wasn’t until we finished lunch that the facilitator introduced himself and said, “Before we learn to race, we are here today to learn about Improv.” The room quickly filled with a combination of panic and excitement. One person loudly declared her, uh shall we say, colorful dread. A few years ago I was at an EO event that featured the Brave New Workshop from Minneapolis that introduced me to tools that would change my mindset. I had never thought about improv in such way and after a few exercises it sunk in and I got it. I made a note to bring them to Earnest at some point knowing full well that the idea was out of the ordinary.
The Earnest Machine Team practices the "Yes, and" improv technique
After the panic subsided to a manageable level, we assembled into groups and quickly jumped into some warm up exercises that connected people at a deeper level and uncovered personal stories that were surprising, touching, and really funny. The forum gave everyone a chance to take manageable risks while learning new skills about how to operate from a growth mindset. Yes, improv is great cross-training for personal development and,it teaches how to support the people you work with for best results.By the end of the session there was a palpable energy in the room that I’d never felt among our group. The room was buzzing, departments were connecting, and people were laughing, laughing hard. At a base level, bringing everyone together to learn something new and have fun created a rally moment for the team rooted in building trust and cooperation. Racing electric karts was a new experience for most of us and one not easily forgotten. We’re still not sure what created more anxiety: racing your coworkers at 35MPH in a go kart or hacking through an improv exercise. In the end, the competitive spirit overrode the fear to battle for first place in the Championship Race. The winner applied his new improv skills and took an opening when he could which he claims was inspired by his improved growth mindset.
Earnest Machine's Top 3 Racers
It was a great day that provided our team with learning, fun and trying something new. At the center of it was one of our core values; we embrace change. I applaud the team for going above and beyond and look forward to the future we are creating.
