Nothing brings a group together like a good game of sport. And what a rush it has been for Canada. Following the exhilarating races and the heart warming stories of our athletes has really created a bonding experience for our communities and for our country.
This once in a lifetime experience for all of us in Vancouver truly does bring ‘glowing hearts’. It will be years before our little red mittens fail to rouse a smile out of a complete stranger. The spirit running through Vancouver is such a wonderful reminder. And by the looks our Olympic poll most companies are getting a chance to enjoy the games and still stay productive, and in many instances together decked out in red and white! We even saw a Canadian fan dressed in the jacket of a santa suit!
Being so close to a world class event make us think about the positive effect time spent with our own team means to us. Getting out of the structured corporate team building can sometimes unlock that special extra that brings a team together. We are due for one our own ‘out of the box’ team get togethers. We hope the Olympics inspires you too. GO Canada GO!
We are curious to see how businesses in Vancouver are affected by the biggest party in town. Aren’t you? Take this quick poll to find out. Choose all that apply.
I believe the time is right now. Stand tall and make the world proud.
In this exciting time leading up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, there is a certain buzz about town – traffic will be crazy, visitors will flock by the 1000′s and most importantly, dreams will come true! All the dreams that were once sparked by a goal and the question of “What if I could…”
At Lululemon, we are maniacal about goal setting. Within your first week, you will develop your own amazing hedgehog and set 1, 5 and 10 year goals. Your goals are broken down into categories of Career, Health and Personal with by-when dates of when they will be achieved. Some of these may be BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) and some may feel totally achievable – either way – they are written down and plastered (literally!) around the halls and on the walls of the office. That way everyone else knows what you are trying to accomplish and can help you get there! (Chip’s goal: to do the Grouse Grind the same number of times in a year as his age!)
This has inspired a culture of attracting high performing, goal oriented, boundary-pushers who care about their health and see the glass ¾ full! Kind of like the Olympics, it creates a buzz about the office, daily. Because every day is a day a goal can be achieved and we are all one step closer to realizing the dream!
Wanna lead like Lululemon? Get your egos outta the way – and get every employee to start drafting their goals! Organizations don’t need more people. Organizations need people who will come alive! Help your people come alive and they will contribute in ways you’d never have dreamed of. (And then you might need to hire more people as you will have inspired some to go off and pursue their goals. Isn’t that awesome? Bonus: they will leave as your biggest raving fans!)
The time is right now. Set goals. Take yourself on. The world is waiting for you!
Stephanie Corker Irwin is the Head of Recruitment at Lululemon athletica. When she is not in downward facing dog, she is a keen triathlete and a buzzing entrepreneur with the launch of her first business: NoMoSolo, coming to Vancouver March 24th. (Yep, it was on her goals!)
McNeill Nakamoto’s office is located in Yaletown, where one of the LiveCity locations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics is located. Already, we are experiencing some new activity and rearranged traffic patterns in our neighbourhood. Our business will be open as usual. We will still be available to service our clients and conduct interviews. We’ve made adjustments to our way of doing our work as effectively as possible, whether or not our employees can make the commute to Yaletown.
A wonderful legacy that the games has already left for us, is the addition of the Canada Line. Our staff use “the line” exclusively when attending meetings in the downtown area. This has helped McNak with our green initiatives.
Embracing what today’s modern technology has to offer, most of the team at McNak will be able to access their office computers remotely from home during the Olympic Games. Some of our staff will be telecommuting, and some will stagger their work hours. I know that I will be glued to my iPhone to keep in touch, as well as using Yammer to keep up to date on what my co-workers are doing.
As an employer, McNeill Nakamoto has offered their staff the utmost of flexibility during this time. We have approached this situation as not a challenge, but as a once in a lifetime event that we can embrace. Our team will continue to work effectively and be productive even if we don’t see each other every single day during the largest event our city has ever produced.
What plans do you have in place to keep your company running during the games? Please share by leaving a comment.
Nothing brings a group together like a good game of sport. And what a rush it has been for Canada. Following the exhilarating races and the heart warming stories of our athletes has really created a bonding experience for our communities and for our country.
