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Rob Jackson: Teambuilding With a Purpose

The benefits of teambuilding

Over a decade ago I walked away from a successful career in banking because I recognized a niche in the marketplace for personal development to train people to become better professionals.

It was a big risk, but my mantra is “Change the world, don’t just play the game.” So I launched a new career in professional development, teambuilding, and DISC personality training.

My initial focus was on corporations and small companies. I taught and trained in communications skills, leadership styles, management, and presentation skills based on an understanding of personality types.

Charity and the Return-on-Investment

But my passion is teambuilding with a purpose and that purpose is philanthropy at the corporate level. When I signed on to the company my one proviso was that we had to develop a philanthropic arm to the whole operation.

When I became the CEO, I developed charitable teambuilding workshops based on the notion that while you’re giving back to your community you can still have fun. We partner with companies to train their workers in professional development techniques, but the major component is charitable giving.

Our donations run the gamut from bikes, wheelchairs, and wagons to stuffed animals, school supplies, and hospital care packages. We partner with food banks to whom we donate dry goods, canned foods, and water. Magnovo works with animal shelters to provide forever-homes for pets. We work with disabled veterans and a variety of other organizations to give back to local communities in the cities where our clients are based.

The business of kindness

In today’s marketplace, corporate social responsibility is now part of most company business models. Progressive companies recognize the benefits of being good corporate neighbors.

Magnovo Training Group helps with this goal and our approach is turnkey. We customize each workshop to suit the goals of our clients. Our facilitators coordinate every aspect of the workshop including the liaison with the charitable organization chosen to receive the donations.

Our workshops are usually at least a couple of hours long. We divide large groups of employees into small teams each of which engages in a bit of friendly competition to “earn” the different components or parts they need to assemble their donations.

Teambuilding impact

For example, during our stuffed animal workshop, also known as Rescue Buddies, each participant literally stuffs and shapes the toy animals. The toys are then donated to traumatized kids in need of emotional rescue [after a car accident or house fire].

At the end of each workshop, a representative from the charity talks to the group about the potential impact their donations will have. Their constituents include low-income families, disabled veterans, deployed personnel, and the like.

It’s usually at this point that the company employees have an epiphany. They realize that the workshop they enjoyed wasn’t just about fun and games and teambuilding. They understand that what they spent the afternoon doing will change many lives in a tremendously positive way.

The Magnovo brand

Many of our clients are Fortune 500 companies. And our reputation is such that our facilitators travel across the country and around the world. One of our recent assignments involved a leadership development workshop for a cruise line in Italy. And one of our most hair-raising adventures occurred in Hawaii after an earthquake. We arrived in time to experience quite a few aftershocks!

Our teambuilding and professional development training couldn’t happen if I didn’t have a phenomenal team of facilitators. We usually get requests 1 to 2 months before the main event, but we’ve also delivered the goods with just a few hours notice.

We operate like a well-oiled machine and hit the mark every time. And that’s not just about our professionalism–it’s about our commitment to charitable giving. It’s the fuel that keeps us fired up. We’ve proven time and time again that giving back makes you and your company move forward.

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DISC Personality Guide to Teambuilding During the Holidays

The holiday season can be stressful for a whole host of reasons. And teambuilding during the holidays can be particularly challenging. But understanding the personality types on your team can make these dicey waters easier to navigate.

No doubt, your staff is a cornucopia of characters spread across the DISC personality spectrum. DISC is an anagram for Dominant, Influential, Steady, and Conscientious.

Your Dominants probably think they have the inside track on how to make a profit during the holidays. All they want is for everybody else to buy in.

Surely your Influencer is already planning the party of the century, right? He’s got a list as long as your arm of party favors, games, and networking opportunities–hang the budget!

Meanwhile, your Steadiest and most Conscientious bean counters are in their cubicles wringing their hands over such a reckless plan! They’re the ones who’ll be saddled with ordering all the food, drinks, decorations, and reconciling the accounts afterward! You can feel their stress levels going up already!

And then there’s you, Forrest Gump with a box of chocolates. You don’t know what you’re going to get out of them despite your best attempts at teambuilding during the holidays.

Teambuilding during the holidays as therapy

How would you like to transform all that craziness and strife into something sane, sensible, and simple? Voila: charitable teambuilding during the holidays is the best way to eliminate the stress and restore the joy of the season.

Consider a charitable teambuilding workshop like our Hospital Helpers.

Imagine being stuck in the hospital throughout the holidays! Cancer patients. Long-term patients with no family nearby. Now imagine you and your company coming to the rescue.

You can make a huge difference to some of the patients in your neck of the woods through our Hospital Helpers care packages.

Many of us have been there, and know how great it is to have lotion, hand sanitizer, lip balm, or eye drops when you need them.

Dry shampoo. Body wash. A colorful hair scarf. A mini-makeup kit for those visits from that special someone.

Nothing says cozy and comfy like fuzzy socks and flannel throws.

Puzzle books, magazines, novels, sketch pads, journals, colorful pens, and markers–they can make the time go by faster and be more enjoyable.

Stationery, cards, and postage are a must if friends and family are far away. Digital frames full of family pics can make loved ones feel so close.

And where permitted, oil diffusers or candles can transform the atmosphere of any hospital room.

Charitable giving benefits the giver

Forget about frantically scrambling to stage a party no one will remember the next day. Instead, pool your talents and direct all that anxious energy toward something meaningful. An act of kindness that no one will ever forget.

Our workshop facilitators can help you customize the Hosptial Helper packages to reflect what your team cares about most. And during the workshop, they’ll learn more about one another–stuff they don’t get to see when they’re in “work mode.”

That’s the magic of teambuilding during the holidays through charitable giving. Everyone focuses on other people who need help, support, and kindness.

At every stage of the process, you and your team will better understand the most Dominant among you. Your Steadiest staffer may find he has something in common with your never-met-a-stranger Influencer.

Everybody’s communications and collaboration skills will be refreshed. Your leadership skills will be showcased in a new light.

Charitable giving is transformative. It can turn your efforts at teambuilding during the holidays this year into the smartest investment you’ve made in a long time. Happy holidays.

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Successful Millennial Teambuilding at Barings

Our Rescue Buddies Charity Workshop at Barings was a classic exercise in Millennial teambuilding. And every single moment was delightful!

For starters, it was a beautiful day, and we were perched atop Barings’ dazzling new building in downtown Charlotte. The view from the Sky Room was spectacular–the perfect setting for our workshop.

And our workshop attendees were pretty spectacular, too. There were 34 in all. Of these 8 were financial analysts. The other 26 were interns from different specialties including IT, web development, investment banking, and private accounts.

Millennial teambuilding is a privilege

They were also very representative of their generation–there was a rich diversity of ethnicities, talents, and backgrounds. So, in essence, the Barings Sky Room was full of young dreamers with loads of potential. Magnovo was honored to help mold them for professional success and make some of those dreams come true.

And their employer knows a lot about making dreams come true. Barings is “a global financial services company with local roots.” Their 1800 employees work around the world to give local communities access to services that may fulfill many personal dreams and aspirations.

Their asset management strategies are a substantial benefit to cities large and small. And the corporate culture of this $306 billion firm is built on a foundation of inclusion. From the top down, Barings fully embraces a diversity of thoughts, ideas, experience, backgrounds, and opinions.

Millennial teambuilding means bridge building

Barings goal is always to build relationships with clients, each other, and the communities they serve. And of course, these Millennials were just as passionate about community service. So our Rescue Buddies Charity Workshop was perfect for them. The positive impact on the lives of traumatized children in the Charlotte area was guaranteed.

Moose, koalas, pigs, bird, turtles, porpoises, lions, tigers, and bears. These toys ride along with police and other first responders to comfort a child after an accident. Or they may be needed after a domestic violence case in which the child is removed from parental custody.

That’s where our toys come to the rescue. They can comfort them because each one is stuffed with love and good wishes. And many of the toys have imperfections which are a form of therapy for kids who feel damaged or imperfect themselves.

Why charity matters

The group divided into small teams. Each participant assembled their own stuffed animal but had to work in harmony with their team. The workshop was an exercise in shared control. They learn leadership skills that must benefit the whole team.

Workshop challenges were based on the personality styles of the attendees. And during the friendly competition, each point they won was designed to make a point. Communications, collaboration, strategizing, and team-accountability. Think like a team. Act like a team.

The 34 Rescue Buddies were taken into custody by the Charlotte Metropolitan Police Department’s Freedom Division. Next stop: the loving arms of 34 frightened or grieving children in desperate need of reassurance and security.

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The Good We Do: Portland Oregon

Magnovo was honored when the donations from a recent Puttin Pantry Workshop became the highlight of a 9/11 commemoration in Portland Oregon. This was an example of corporate social responsibility at its finest.

Green Bits provides point-of-sales technology for use by medical cannabis retailers. Thousands of patients suffering from cancer, epilepsy, and other debilitating conditions benefit from medical marijuana. It can ease pain, nausea, depression, and other side effects from long-term diseases.

As a part of their current corporate social responsibility initiative, Green Bits invited us to conduct a motivational teambuilding workshop. Their choice of our Puttin Pantry Workshop was not unique, but the venue was.

They wanted the donations from our workshop to support homeless veterans. And they wanted to take the workshop to their turf. So we spent the day in a derelict part of the city where the homeless veterans live.

Corporate social responsibility with grit

We worked with 35 members of the Green Bits staff assembling a putt-putt golf course made of canned and boxed foods–veggies, meats, fruits, cereals, pasta–and beverages.

We donated all of the items to Transition Projects which offers a lifeline and a bridge back into society for homeless veterans in the Portland community.

Our donations were distributed on 9/11 during Transition Projects’ 2018 Portland Veterans Stand Down, which remembered and honored the victims of America’s most horrific terrorist attack.

According to the Transition Projects Director of Development, Roma A. Peyser, more than 100 volunteers and 120 community organizations, service providers, and employers came together to honor and support veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

Corporate social responsibility as a business model

The good we do–the partnerships we seek out with charities across the country–is at the core of our business model. Over the past decade, Magnovo has become an industry leader in teambuilding, leadership development, and DISC personality training and we’re grateful for our success.

But it’s how our work has impacted the lives of the less fortunate that fuels our fire. The bikes we’ve delivered to kids for whom such a luxury wouldn’t exist. The care packages to homesick military personnel overseas. The school supplies we’ve given to hundreds of kids whose parents can’t afford them.

The canned goods and other foodstuffs we distribute through our Puttin Pantry Workshops feed hungry bellies. Comfort. Reassure. Boost morale. Offer hope.

This is why we do the good we do. Because it matters. And every time we do it, we count it a tremendous honor and privilege to touch so many lives.

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Company Bonding Activities at Anthem, Inc.

Company bonding activities at Anthem, Inc. reflect their commitment to their clients and their community. During our Rescue Buddies Charitable Teambuilding Workshop, the Anthem staff created a legacy of kindness that will last for many years to come.

Flexible spending accounts. Behavioral health benefit services. Life and disability insurance benefits. Dental. Vision. Anthem, Inc. is one of the biggest health care benefits companies in the country. Their medical membership is 39.6 million. Their assets top $70 billion.

Visionary company bonding activities

Teambuilding at Anthem is designed to support their purpose which is “…to transform America’s health care with trusted and caring solutions.”

Chief among their core values are accountability, customer care, innovation, and integrity. Their company bonding activities reinforce these values.

Compassionate company bonding activities

We joined 65 staffers one sunny day at the Anthem headquarters in Mason Ohio. These employees came from all over the country for a big annual meeting.

They were senior leaders who headed a range of departments–corporate real estate, lease administration, procurement, and facilities operations among others. After a couple of grueling days of meetings, they were ready for a change of pace.

Our Rescue Buddies fit the bill perfectly. The group split into teams and during a series of friendly competitions, each team “won” the components they’d need to assemble their Rescue Buddies. The whole process brought out the kid in these corporate giants and they had a ball.

Community bonding activities

But while they were having fun, they also understood the importance of the toys they made. Rescue Buddies are stuffed bears, birds, fish, and other adorable animal figures that help kids in crisis.

Police officers, EMS personnel, and other first responders distribute them to traumatized children after a tragic accident, fire, or other life-altering events.

Our workshop participants actually stuff the animals, seal them, and tag them with encouraging notes and best wishes.

We donated this batch of 65 cuddle-bugs to Building Blocks for Kids. Their mission is “to bridge the funding gap for products and services that help improve the quality of life for these children.”

And they do this by covering every imaginable health care need for young patients! Aqua therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. Wheelchair and wheelchair ramps. Bathroom and bedroom modifications. Hearing aids, walkers, prosthetics, van lifts, and therapy dogs. If a sick child needs it, this wonderful charity finds a way to provide it.

Nobody expected a reward for all their hard work, but they got one in the form of Laura and her son who benefited from Building Blocks for Kids. Laura’s 5-year-old son suffered from epilepsy and needed a service dog. Building Blocks for Kids helped them raise the money. Now when Laura’s son has a seizure, the dog sounds the alarm and wakes her up.

Magnovo believes that all company bonding activities should impact the lives of children like the ones Building Blocks for Kids serves every day. It’s why we do what we do.

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Team Engagement at Essex Property

We recently hosted a WheelCharity Workshop for Essex Property Trust as part of their continuing quest to increase their level of team engagement. Essex is one of our most loyal and valued clients because they know we do outstanding work. They also know that nothing bolsters team engagement better than charitable giving. Nothing!

Essex Property Trust started out as a small operation in 1971. Today it is a world-class real estate investment trust which, according to the website, “….acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages multifamily apartment communities located in supply-constrained markets.”

Energy efficiency, water conservation, and recycling campaigns are basic sustainability goals which are built into their business model. And so it corporate social responsibility. They consider it a part of their commitment to “sustaining” their community. Their ongoing participation in our charitable teambuilding workshops fulfills that mandate.

Team engagement fun

We met 42 Essex team members in San Francisco at the Argonaut Hotel. They were a great group–high energy, enthusiastic. Many of them had worked with us before and were happy to see us again.

Over the course of the afternoon, we guided them through exercises to improve their communications and leadership skills. When they set about constructing 7 wheelchairs, they put those lessons into practical use.

Divided into 6 teams, they competed to win some of the tools and components they’d need to assemble their chairs. The competition was friendly, fun, and reinforced the teambuilding attributes we discussed.

Team engagement with compassion

The workshop was relaxing and fun, but the cause we were supporting was noble and sobering.

We donated the 7 wheelchairs to OneVet, OneVoice one of San Francisco’s most passionate champions for veterans’ rights. Their creed: no veteran gets left behind.

Eduardo Ramirez started OneVet, OneVoice in 2013. He wanted it to be a model of veterans care, and over the years that’s precisely what it became.

Ramirez retired from the Air Force, but his military zeal still burns brightly. His organization is a one-stop-shop for veterans who need support, and resources for healthcare, housing, education, and employment.

He understood better than anyone else in the room that those 7 wheelchairs were keys to freedom, renewed confidence, and self-esteem for their new owners.

Doors that were once closed to them will now be open. Bingo. Football games. Movies. Picnicking. Shopping. Exercising. Dining out with friends. Making new friends!

The triumphs and victories that might seem insignificant to the rest of us will be monumental to these 7 disabled veterans.

This realization made our team engagement workshop worth every minute for all of us.

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Why Teambuilding Matters to TeleTracking

This is why teambuilding matters at TeleTracking: Have you ever been a hospital patient? Then you may know the frustration of being ignored after pressing the “call” button for help. About 25 years ago, TeleTracking developed an app for that. They created technological solutions to improve the quality of patient care.

This tech startup launched with a phenomenal team of engineers and technicians and today that team is stronger than ever. But TeleTracking wants to get even stronger. That’s why teambuilding matters so much to this Pittsburgh-based company. And it’s why they called Magnovo to conduct one of our top charitable teambuilding workshops.

Elderly nursing homes residents. Patients in rehab. Hundreds of thousands of patients have suffered unnecessarily while awaiting help from medical personnel. Worse, thousands of exasperated patients have been injured trying to get up on their own.

TeleTracking has one simple mission: to prevent patients from having to wait for the care they need. In their quest to fulfill this rather noble mission they’ve become industry leaders in healthcare technology.

They started with a device that was in every hospital room: the telephone. Today TeleTracking’s “patient flow solutions” save thousands of lives and increase the efficiency of medical teams all over the country. For each medical facility with whom they work, TeleTracking provides “…an interdisciplinary, real-time system that moves people and resources more efficiently and safely than ever before.”

The executive presence of Millennials

The next generation of corporate leadership also explains why teambuilding matters. TeleTracking is only 25 years old, but they’re under no illusions about their future success. The Millennials of today will lead them into a thriving, prosperous future.

In Pittsburgh Pennsylvania we met 65 summer interns and their mentors at the Omni William Penn Hotel. The interns knew they were there to build something and give it away but were given no more details. The Magnovo facilitators got a kick out seeing their faces light up when they learned the truth.

They were about to participate in our Bike-a-Thon Bicycle Teambuilding Workshop. So they’d spend the day building 10 shiny new bikes for needy kids in Pittsburgh. And for each one of those low-income children, these donations would seem like a miracle.

Everyone split into groups and used the skills we taught them about communicating and collaborating as a team. And as they built the bikes, they also developed relationships. Interns got to know each other. Mentors broke the ice with interns. And senior managers reinforced the company’s commitment to being a good corporate neighbor.

Why charity matters

The highlight was the handoff of the 10 bikes to our partnering charity, Family Resources. Founded in 1986, their mission is to “create a better future for the children” in their region. They work with 3,500 families each year offering resources to keep children safe.

The staff counsels parents and teaches them life skills to prevent abuse and domestic violence. And they operate year-round programs to encourage, nurture, and inspire each child.

The Family Resources representative arrived with 10 kids, who were thrilled to receive their new bikes. It was especially touching to watch the dads among the TeleTracking mentors and managers who stepped up to help the kids.

With fatherly patience, they helped adjust the bike heights and helmets. By the end of our time together, some were “walking” the kids around on their bikes teaching them how to ride!

The light in the eyes of those children and the TeleTracking group–that’s why teambuilding matters!

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Professional Development at CA, Inc.

At CA, Inc. professional development is based on character development and they recognized that charitable giving builds character. They also knew that Magnovo’s Wagon Builders Charitable Teambuilding Workshop was the key to their success.

CA, Inc. is one of the world’s largest software companies. Or as they put it, “We create software that helps companies shape the future.”

Among other things, they design and build business-to-business mainframe IT systems. Most Fortune 500 companies rely on them. So do schools, healthcare systems, government agencies, scientific institutions, and other businesses around the world.

Professional development with a mission

CA, Inc. describes itself as a global company with a local commitment. To fulfill that commitment they support STEM programs that strive for inclusion. Girls and low-income students are often under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and math-related industries. CA, Inc. is changing that.

To quote the CEO, “…. our motivation comes from the opportunity to help shape the future. We concentrate not only on what is essential to our business success, but also on what works for our people, our communities, and our shared natural environment.”

Professional development through giving

We met 50 staffers at their Plano Texas office to hit the reset button on some of their leadership skills. Our Wagon Builders workshop was an exercise in collaborating, problem-solving, and communicating.

Each team assembled a brightly colored wagon and then crammed it full of goodies. And the CA, Inc. crew was particularly generous. They donated a ton of sports equipment, stacks of healthy kid snacks, and a slew of notebooks, pens, art supplies and other back-to-school basics.

At the end of the workshop, they’d constructed 10 wagons bulging with gifts. And the happy recipients were members of the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County also known as BGCCC.

Professional development in the making at BGCCC

This year they’re celebrating their 50th anniversary. For 5 decades BGCCC has been driven by one goal: to make sure their members “… reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” And efforts are tireless and their rate of success is stellar.

Every year the Plano Boys and Girls Club serves nearly 10,000 kids and provide more than 160,000 meals. They run a leadership training program, offer financial literacy training, teach healthy eating and fitness classes. They advocate against bullying and substance abuse and steer their members toward smarter choices.

Their staff and volunteers rack up 141,150 “homework hours” annually tutoring their students. And it shows: BGCCC has a 100 percent high school graduation rate–that’s right: 100 percent! [FYI: the national rate is 84.1 percent.]

CA, Inc. was out for a good time, but while they were at it, they wanted to do good as well. Mission accomplished.

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Company Team Development with CH2M Hill

Dallas in the spring is glorious–the perfect place for one of our most popular workshops. And the perfect setting for company team development training with one of our most appreciative clients.

Recently we had the pleasure of hosting a WheelCharity Team Building Workshop for 150 members of the CH2M Hill staff at the Dallas Marriott City Center. We had an amazing afternoon of fun and fellowship centered around the assembly of wheelchairs for some local military veterans.

Charitable company team development

The first step was dividing the staff into small teams. Teammates worked together to “win” parts and components to assemble and decorate their wheelchairs. Each activity honed the team’s problem solving, collaborative, strategizing, and communications skills. All vital tools in company team development. And each challenge suited this world-class engineering firm.

These innovators offer construction and operations services to both the private and public sector. Theirs is a global brand in multiple industries including water, nuclear power, transportation, sanitation service infrastructures, and industrial technology. They’re also internationally acclaimed for their project management systems.

CH2M champions diversity

CH2M Hill is also a multicultural change agent. They’re especially proud of their track record offering diverse services from a diverse workforce. The corporate culture is one of inclusion, embracing the LGTBQ community, as well as talented African American, female, and disabled professionals.

This workshop was right up their alley. They maximized every opportunity to build relationships with each other to work even more effectively in the future. Beyond their commitment to company team development, they had a personal motivation for participating in our workshop.

Help for local heroes

On an emotional level, each participant was richly rewarded for their efforts. They relished the opportunity to give the gift of mobility to some well-deserving Dallas area veterans.

Sadly, many veterans across the country are virtually housebound because they can’t get around easily. Access to something as simple as a wheelchair can mean empowerment and freedom. The CH2M Hill teams were keenly aware of that.

The members of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 57 were delighted with the wheelchairs. They looked forward to many exciting adventures around the city.

The Dallas Marriott City Center was the ideal venue to host one of our most successful workshops to date. Hats off to our client and to our veterans to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude for their selfless service. We salute them all!

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Home Point’s Race Toward Team Development

To rev up their team development, Home Point Financial invited us to lead 85 staffers on an amazing scavenger race.

Home Point on the homefront

Home Point Financial in Ann Arbor, Michigan is a national leader in the mortgage lending industry. They offer conventional, VA, FHA, USDA, and other loan products. They also offer a sensitive ear and a helping hand to aspiring homebuyers.

Employment status, income limitations, strict verification standards, and low credit scores–all of these issues can block homeownership. Home Point understands the many obstacles people face when trying to secure a mortgage. Their willingness to work with prospective homebuyers sets them apart from most lenders.

Their culture is the glue that binds their community. And so does their sense of corporate social responsibility. Project support for Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte North Carolina. A charity golf tournament in Newport Beach California. Food collection, preparation, and distribution in their hometown, Ann Arbor. Their workforce models an ongoing commitment to making the world a better place wherever they are.

The whole point for Home Point

Culture is the fuel for our interactions and the baseline that holds us to our values….

This declaration on their website was demonstrated by everyone during our Amazing Scavenger Race.

The theme of this team development workshop was “Amplify” because Home Point is committed to becoming even greater and stronger. So our Magnovo facilitators customized the workshop and scouted the region for landmarks that supported this ambitious theme.

On your marks…

We met at the Graduate Hotel located across from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The hotel was aptly named as our starting point because everyone wanted to be head of the class. After a rousing session of team building activities at the hotel, we divided the staffers into small groups.

Get set…Go!

Ultimately each group had 3 goals:

amp up their team development and leadership skills

find the most hidden treasures

have the most fun

Armed with a set of tantalizing clues, the teams set off to scour the city in search of hidden treasures. The strategies they used during their hunt required collaboration, cooperation, communication, and determination–all key ingredients for effective team development.

Fortunately, the weather was as exhilarating as the race itself. As evidence of each team’s success, they took pictures of their treasured finds.

Afterward, it was wonderful hearing how much fun they all had. We asked for feedback about the clues, and they loved each one. Even the clues they missed completely made them laugh at themselves and enjoy the whole adventure.

The scavenger race amplified the strength of their relationships and their commitment to the team development goals of the company. Successfully scavenging their treasures. Hitting their team development goals. Having fun. The Home Point crew was on pointe.

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The ROI of Charitable Giving

Charitable giving is the beating heart of the Magnovo Training Group. It’s how we make a significant and positive change in communities around the country.

Our brand is solid and so is our reputation, and we are grateful for our success. But what’s more important to us is that we have grown into a caring and compassionate community.

Over the past 15 years, we’ve raised the bar in leadership skills training, professional and organizational development, and team bonding. But we’ve raised our sights to something higher: being a good corporate neighbor.

The good we do

This year we’ve taken our training team from Hawaii to Florida, and numerous places in between. From coast to coast what we left behind is a living legacy of charitable giving:

221 bikes–The fruit of our numerous Bike-a-thon Charitable Team Building Workshops. Dozens of children in low-income communities are now popping wheelies.

50 care packets for hospital patients–Corporate team members poured out their hearts during our Hospital Helpers Charitable Workshop. They gave books, blankets, lip balm, and compassion to dozens of grateful patients.

110 backpacks with school supplies for underprivileged kids programs–Our Mission: Kids Care Charitable Workshops will send a lot of kids around the country back to school in style this year.

163 care packets for veterans & deployed military personnel–These patriotic heroes received snacks, encouraging cards, books, and other comforting items. Each was packed with love and support during our Mission: Military Care Charitable Workshops.

75 baskets of non-perishable goods— During our Puttin Pantry Charitable Workshops putt-putt golf players won food items to donate to area food pantries.

431 stuffed animals for children–At our Rescue Buddies Charitable Workshops coworkers assembled stuffed bears, lions, pigs, birds, and fish for local tots. They were distributed by “first responders” to kids who need emotional rescue after a major upheaval in their lives.

74 wagons–At our Wagon Builders Charitable Workshops teammates built wagons and loaded them with personal hygiene products or supplies for needy children.

143 wheelchairs–This year’s WheelCharity Workshops have transformed many lives. The gift of mobility meant freedom and emotional support for disabled veterans, senior citizens, and others who were housebound.

Each workshop reinforced our training in communications, leadership, and collaborative skills. Our client’s teambuilding goals were met–and often exceeded. And their employees were transformed personally and professionally because kindness is therapeutic.

The return on investment is huge

Charitable giving simply makes good business sense. It boosts brand recognition. It’s the cornerstone of goodwill in the community. And customer loyalty is stronger among companies that lead with their hearts.

Speaking of loyalty, employee turnover drops precipitously as well at socially conscious companies. In fact, it’s imperative for businesses that want to recruit and keep the best talent among Millennial applicants. These bright young minds are only willing to fully engage with companies that fully engage with the community.

Once upon a time, CEOs treated corporate social responsibility like an “extra” or non-essential part of their business models. That was then. This is now. And now charitable giving, community service, and sustainability goals are essentials.

That is to say, they are vibrant components of vibrant companies. In 2017, corporations donated over 17 billion dollars. Among the 250 largest companies in the world, 93 percent now issue reports on their corporate giving.

This is the age of instant digital fame or infamy. Everybody is one “tweet” or “like” away from celebration or condemnation. Charitable giving casts companies in a positive light within the social media spotlight.

Charity is a magnet that draws nothing but the best into your corporate sphere. This law of attraction is true for ROI. You know your return on investment is strong when everyone wants to get on your bandwagon–investors, community leaders, other thought leaders in your industry.

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Holiday Teambuilding and Charitable Giving

The holiday season is just around the corner and that means one thing: lots of holiday teambuilding opportunities.

Food. Drinks. Decorations. Music. Gifts. Games. The flurry of activity around planning holiday office parties can be dizzying and exhausting. Office parties are a great break from the daily grind, but afterward, there’s little to show for your efforts.

How about making a new resolution this year to break the mold and do something different? A charitable teambuilding workshop is a fantastic way to spread holiday cheer throughout your company and your community.

What exactly is a charitable teambuilding workshop?

If you’re looking for a vehicle to strengthen the relationships among your staff, this is it! Over the course of an afternoon, they’ll invest their time and energy in a project to benefit your community.

Holiday teambuilding events that involve charitable giving are ideal because they are:

relaxed and free-flowing

a tremendous antidote to holiday blues

a chance to sharpen your staff’s communications and collaborative skills

great equalizers [they break the ice between superiors and subordinates]

showcases for unknown skills and talents

calls-to-action to help the community

Why charitable giving matters

For corporate America, holidays in the new millennium aren’t what they used to be. It’s no longer enough to donate a paltry basket of food at Thanksgiving. And passing the hat once throughout the rest of the holiday season won’t pass muster either.

Being a good corporate neighbor is almost compulsory today. Companies are expected to care about their communities and the citizens they impact while pursuing profits.

When mixed with charitable events, holiday teambuilding can build goodwill in 4 ways:

Among your investors–they’ll perceive your generosity as a signal that the company is healthy and thriving. After all, if you’ve got resources to give away that must mean things are going great, right?

Among your employees, professionally–your willingness to open up both the company’s schedule and purse translates as an investment in your staff. Employee engagement explodes when they are allowed to add value to the business outside the company headquarters.

Among your employees, personally–morale soars among employees who feel connected to a company that’s connected to the community. In today’s heartless, dog-eat-dog marketplace, charitable holiday teambuilding activities stand out like a beacon of hope. And that benefits a company’s staff–emotionally and psychologically.

Among community leaders–they may not be stockholders, but everyone in your community becomes a stakeholder when you reach out to them charitably. It’s as simple as asking them what they need and then providing it. That’s an investment with a solid ROI.

The best holiday teambuilding activities

Practice can make perfect, but only if you practice practice practice. Magnovo’s charitable workshops are great ways to practice leadership and communications skills.

Assembling bicycles at our Bike-a-thons takes planning and cooperation. Activities that involve friendly competition may also involve strategizing and problem-solving skills.

The spirit of holiday teambuilding is also about inclusion. During our workshops, participants build wheelchairs at our WheelCharity Workshops and wagons at our Wagon Builders Workshops.

And without exception, every member of each team feels that their contribution is valued; their efforts appreciated. They know what they did matters to their team and to the gift recipients.

Every holiday has one thing in common: food! Our Puttin Pantry Workshops provide non-perishable nutrition to local food pantries. Our workshop participants are always gratified to know that they’ve helped feed a lot of hungry families.

Deployed military personnel are always grateful to received snacks and other goodies stashed in our Mission: Military Care packages. They make the holiday a happy time because home feels a little closer. And the corporate employees who pulled together to package the cookies, candies, and other treats make an emotional connection with these soldiers.

Holiday teambuilding and charitable giving–make this holiday season a merry one!

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Personality Assessment Training at FSU

The goal at Fayetteville State University: team synergy.

The tool: DISC personality assessment training for which no one is better equipped than Magnovo.

Basically, synergy happens when “the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.” It’s true that the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said it first, but nobody owns it like Magnovo!

Our leadership training and professional development model are team-based. And as another wise man said, T.E.A.M. means “together, everyone achieves more.” Personality assessment training opens the door to building strong teams.

FSU: academic forerunner

Fayetteville State University or FSU is a historically black university with a 150-year-old tradition of academic excellence. It has been a threshold to the professional world for hundreds of thousands of North Carolina students. More than 90 percent of the 6,300 students are from the Tar Heel State.

Established in 1867, FSU offers 33 undergraduate degrees including sociology, business, chemistry, computer science, education, biology, visual arts, music, and nursing.

Their 8 Masters degree programs include education, psychology, criminal justice, and social work. And a Ph.D. is offered in educational leadership.

Personality assessment training goals

FSC invited Magnovo to work with 30 university leaders to improve their team synergy by accomplishing 6 goals:

sharpen their understanding of their perceived personality weaknesses;

become more effective communicators;

build a more dynamic sense of camaraderie;

develop stronger networking skills;

identify creative ways to inspire the group; and

reinforce the culture of learning.

DISC personality assessment training is the key to all 6 goals. Why? Understanding each of the personalities involved can bind a group together. And as a group, they can transform into a team.

DISC is an acronym that refers to 4 personality types:

Dominant personalities are just that. They stand out. Lead. Win.

Influential personalities have never met a stranger. They’re gregarious and enjoy being in the spotlight.

Steadiness is a virtue of the humble, tactful, patient personality type. They don’t like the spotlight. These steady teammates shine from the shadows.

Conscientiousness is fundamental to this studious, analytical, and systematic personality type.

We’re all a little of each and a lot of one. Recognizing who we are and how we appear to others can make us more valuable employees Accepting others as they are and learning how to work with them can make us better team members.

Magnovo’s CEO, Rob Jackson facilitated this workshop and enjoyed every moment. FSU is a favorite client and they’ve asked him to return next year. And he’s more than happy to oblige because every trip to Fayetteville is like coming home! You see, he attended high school not far from the FSU campus.

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Quick Quote Wednesday 8.29.18

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How Waymo Achieved Synergy in the Workplace

At Waymo synergy in the workplace means everyone understanding the big picture. They asked Magnovo to help them bring it into sharper focus.

Waymo is making science fiction a reality. As part of the Google conglomerate, Waymo designs and builds self-driving cars. Self-driving means no steering wheel. No gas pedal. No break. No driver. No kidding.

This is still too futuristic for some people to wrap their heads around, but for Waymo the future is now. They recently announced partnerships with Walmart, AutoNation, Avis, and other companies to provide self-driving car services to their customers.

The pilot program will launch soon in Phoenix Arizona. Waymo self-driving cars will ferry shoppers to and from Walmart when they shop online. And Avis customers can get a ride to pick up a rental car.

On the road to synergy in the workplace

Waymo asked us to conduct a Big Picture Team Development Workshop at The Mountain Terrace in Woodside California. It was both profound and ironic that our workshop took place at the top of a long and winding road. No kidding.

Equally profound, metaphorically speaking was the company’s reason for doing the workshop. The Waymo team is scattered geographically. Face-to-face meetings are few and far between. The managers wanted the workers to recognize the importance of their individual roles in the success of the whole team.

The big picture of synergy in the workplace

The managers wanted their employees to recognize where they fit in the big picture. Each employee is like the components of the cars they design and build. Each plays a distinctly different role. Some of their contributions are hidden from view, but without their efforts, the cars won’t work.

During our Big Picture workshop, participants literally create a big picture. We divided the 20 Waymo staffers into 2 groups. Each group collaborated on the concept of the piece. Then each person took a 6×6 canvas and created a portion of the group’s artwork.

In addition to paint, they used seashells, pebbles, and other media. The assembly of the 3D canvases revealed one astonishing masterpiece. Each team had a vision and now it sat right in front of their eyes. It was revelatory. Our facilitators got rave reviews about the whole process.

Without exception, each Waymo employee more clearly recognized their value to the team and to the design and construction of their amazing cars.

A portion of one of their masterworks was a car driving off into the sunset—self-driving, no doubt. No kidding.

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Creating Team Synergy in The York Risk Services Group

Team synergy is a matter of life and death at the York Risk Services Group. Why? Because they deal with the shock and trauma of natural disasters and personal crises every day. They couldn’t face the constant onslaught of such tragedies without a solid team.

The business of risk

York Risk Services Group is an industry leader in specialty claims and risk management services. In fact, they rank number 1 in catastrophe and large loss claims management.

The crisis may involve a natural disaster like a hurricane, fire, flood, or tornado. Or it may be the result of an unforeseen medical emergency, accident, or other hardship. Whatever the calamity, their corporate mission is “…getting people back to health, work, and productivity.”

And this also extends to their own employees. The York Risk Services Group believes that charity and compassion should start at home.

Charity bolsters team synergy

They understand the residual emotional fallout people suffer after a fiasco. So it made perfect sense for them to embrace our Rescue Buddies Charitable Teambuilding Workshop.

Rescue Buddies are stuffed toys–bears, lions, tigers, pigs, birds, and fish–that exist for one purpose. Each one is made for a child who has suffered a family hardship–fire, displacement, or domestic violence. These cuddly toys help to “rescue” the children emotionally by giving them something to hold onto. They’re handed out by first responders–police officers and EMS–whenever they encounter a child in need of support.

York gathered 160 of its brightest and best managers to meet us at Loews Chicago O’hare Hotel for an exercise in team bonding through toy building. The goal was to create team synergy among these executives who rarely have the chance to work together one-on-one.

The power of team synergy

We were on a pretty tight deadline which made teamwork especially important. True to form, the York crews shifted their team spirit into overdrive and it was a wonderful sight to behold.

Everyone was galvanized into action and fully synced up to work in teams. Each group had to “earn” the components to build their toys. But then they subjected the toys to the scrutiny of their teammates.

They squeeze tested each others’ cuddle-bugs for maximum huggability. And they had to meet each staffer’s own personal standards. Meanwhile, the Magnovo facilitator conducted safety checks to make sure each toy was double-sealed so kids couldn’t remove any of the stuffing.

Some groups actually took their toys to other tables for inspection. If everyone agreed that they could survive a toddler’s cuddles and hugs, they passed. Seeking consensus within their own a team was one thing, but submitting to the judgment of the competition was amazing!

And none of them was competing for bragging rights. They wanted to make sure that each toy would provide maximum comfort to their new owners. All of the managers were focused on the children and the suffering they’d endured.

SOS Children’s Village reps came to collect the 160 Rescue Buddies. Hands down, they’re one of Magnovo’s favorite charities. For 25 years they’ve redefined what it means to be a foster parent throughout Illinois.

We knew that our bountiful stash of toys would be in good hands and that they’d go to kids who desperately needed them.

Among the York contingent were several national directors and corporate vice presidents. Three of them reported that they’d never done anything this significant before nor had as much fun at a teambuilding event. Each manager wants Magnovo to come to their location and train their staff. We can’t wait!

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Quick Quote Wednesday 8.22.18

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