Who says that team building can’t be fun? Not the folks from Capital One Bank in McLean, VA! We spent the day helping this group work on building relationships and networking, with a theme of “getting to know you”. We pulled out all the stops with ice breakers, and we all got an unexpected surprise!
Big Things Come In Small Packages
The folks from Capital One Bank planned on having roughly 40 participants at this day-long event at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner; however, only about 25 employees attended. Fortunately, we planned activities that could be scaled up or down, as needed, and so we were able to adapt easily. This group may have been small but they were powerhouses when it came to our Bike-a-Thon™ activity.
The day kicked off with an introduction and welcome message, and then we jumped right in with ice breaker games. Perennial favorites are Say What I Say, Air Writing, Flip the Cup, and Blind Ball Drop. Then we played a few more games before a break. Each of these activities gave participants a chance to work together and have fun, mixing it up with folks they may not work closely within the office. After an hour-long break that included a brief guest speaker, we moved onto our Bike-a-Thon.™
Doing It For the Children
The Capital One Bank teams were pleasantly surprised by students from Houston Elementary School, who arrived on-site during the break. It was really exciting for the children to watch the Bike-a-Thon™ in action, especially knowing that these bikes would be theirs.
Our contact at the school, Darryl Webster, was really helpful in coordinating the kids’ attendance, and they really inspired the Capital One Bank folks. The banking teams may have been pretty small; however, they were able to complete enough bicycles for all of the children who attended the event to leave with their new bike.
Making a Difference in McLean, VA
Kids were excited at the thought of independence and freedom, and of course the fun of new bikes. Capital One Bank employees were able to see the tangible results of teamwork and networking in action. From earning bicycle parts to ironing out problem-solving issues, Capital One Bank teams enjoyed a full day of networking and getting to know each other better.
They built interpersonal relationships and goodwill by building and providing bikes to area kids in need. We are all optimistic that the Capital One Bank team practiced hands-on skills that will measurably transfer back to the office routine.