“Our team retreat with DA felt truly tailored to our company and needs.”
It’s amazing what can happen when you step away from the office and refocus on what really matters: teamwork, collaboration, and shared goals. We had the opportunity to facilitate a retreat day for the team at Networking Technologies that included the perfect blend of strategy, connection, and fun.
The team got to participate in various mental and physical activities, take a deep dive into their individual and team Predictive Index results, and enjoy intensional time of mindfulness and mediation.
Wendy DeArment, Chief Operating Officer shared her experience with us:
Explain who you are, the position you hold, and the company you’re with.
My name is Wendy DeArment and I am the Chief Operating Officer at Networking Technologies, LLC. I have been with Networking Technologies since May 1, 2007 in various positions. My last position prior to COO was Director of Operations, in which I oversaw the day-to-day operations of the business making sure our teams work together. Today, as COO, I still am responsible for our operations, as well as leading our Executive Leadership team. I work closely with the CEO almost daily. For those familiar with the Entrepreneurial Operating System, I am our EOS Integrator, making sure everyone is following our core processes and ensure all key messages are properly cascaded to the rest of the organization.
Explain a little about the training program itself. The format, was it interactive, how it engaged the participants with the material being learned, etc.
I thought the training program was very engaging and interactive, compared to some that are more information providing. Throughout the day, there were questions to answer, activities to perform, feedback to give. It was not boring. Wrapping this around our organization’s core values and utilizing the Predictive Index assessments was very important and helpful.
From your perspective, what was the value of engaging with a third-party provider to facilitate the training program versus doing it in-house?
When you work with a third-party provider, they are unbiased towards the employees. They don’t come into the program with preconceived thoughts on how it’s going to go, or who needs pulled out of their shell to participate. Everyone is treated the same way, with the same expectations and the same experience. Also, this saves us time from having to come up with ideas on team building, etc.
How did the incorporation of Predictive Index enhance your retreat experience? What did the results teach you about yourself and your fellow coworkers?
Since we use the Predictive Index (PI) assessments as part of our hiring process, it was great to see how accurate the results were for every individual in our company. Reading through the results gives me an idea on how to approach each person on our leadership team, how to more effectively communicate with them, and how we can build better teams based on the team results and each person’s PI. Going through the team building scenarios, one with like-minded individuals and the other with at least one person from each quadrant really put into perspective how well we can work together and what brings the best results.
How did Decision Associates’ leadership training differ from other programs you have been a part of elsewhere in the past?
This one felt it was really tailored to our company and our needs. It was more interactive throughout the entire day, not just the second half of the day.
What positive changes have you witnessed in your fellow participants after having completed the training sessions?
Even as of last week, PI results were brought up and mentioned in conversation when talking about putting a team together (not by the Leadership Team either). Also, the meditation aspect had an impact as that also came up last week where we were talking about clarity breaks and coming back refreshed.
One of Decision Associates’ core values is continuous improvement. Describe a concept or skill you learned in Leadership Academy that has positively improved your current position, your organization, and/or your relationships with peers.
Being able to reference everyone’s PI’s when I am thinking about communications, or we are trying to build teams for specific projects within our organization has been helpful. Another concept I am trying to focus on is the meditation piece. I know I need to slow down a moment, take that break so I can come back refreshed and ready to go, but this will take practice.
What would you say to the leader of an organization who is considering Decision Associates’ as a leadership training partner?
This is worth the investment. It saves you time and energy from creating your own program, it’s tailored to your organization and the needs of your organization, and your employees will be more willing to participate.