A high-level leadership meeting of international businessmen and women took on a decidedly local angle when Genentech hosted a Rescue Buddies™ workshop as part of a recent California meeting.

Paying it Forward in Pacifica, CA

The biotechnology company Genentech held a meeting in Pacifica, CA. Attendees represented countries like England, Switzerland, the U.S., and more. These were strong performers at the top of their game. They were getting together to discuss company goals and how best to meet them. Tucked into a full day’s worth of meetings, Magnovo’s Rescue Buddies™ gave everyone a chance to take a break. People got to try something different, without straying from the leadership theme of the meetings.

Through carefully prepared challenges, activities, and obstacles, participants in the Rescue Buddies™ program practiced hands-on leadership and teamwork skills. These are the kind of soft skills essential to continued workplace success. The 25 people in attendance quickly sorted themselves into five teams and seemed eager to break up the day’s schedule with something fun and meaningful.

Rescue Buddies™ Get Real

The workshop was held in the Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen & Pisco Bar, overlooking the Pacifica Beach. It was the kind of scenery people dream about. But this group had their eyes on the prize. They were assembling as many stuffed animals as they could to help children in crisis situations served by the local police department.

Teams flexed their communication and teamwork skills in trying to best each other in each of the challenges and games we set up before them. With each win, they earned additional parts for more stuffed animals. It was definitely competitive. As the afternoon went by, the pace of winning and assembling Rescue Buddies™ picked up; teams were refining their skills through practice, motivated by helping children. By the time we wrapped up the program, we had dozens of Rescue Buddies™. The group presented them to the Pacifica Police Department.

Genentech Helps Children

While Genentech is known for working on medicines that help people physically, with Rescue Buddies™, they helped kids emotionally. All of the participants were eager to share their Rescue Buddies™ with Joseph Spanheimer, a representative of the police department. He took the time to share with the group just how Rescue Buddies™ are given out to children by the department.

Participants were clearly moved when they learned what kind of situations some children find themselves in; lots of these folks are parents, too, and the connection was quick. The Genentech team found it very rewarding to help children while they also practiced key workplace skills.