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.