To celebrate Buckeye Innovation’s 15th year in business, we decided to do something different for our annual team retreat. In late June, our fully-remote team met up at Tanque Verde Ranch in Tuscon, Arizona.
The staff at Tanque Verde described the resort as a “summer camp,” but with nicer lodging. Our team members enjoyed group activities such as mountain biking, axe throwing, archery, pilates, and horseback riding. Others spent time cooling down in the pool (it was 100 degrees outside, after all). Through these activities, Buckeye staff had the chance to get outside their comfort zones and build camaraderie with team members they don’t usually get to interact with on a daily basis.
NFC Tag Hunt
Buckeye Innovation President Brad Griffith was very intentional about using the retreat to build closer bonds within the team. Prior to our departure, each team member filled out a Google form that included questions like, “what is a cause you’re very passionate about?” and, “what is your most vivid childhood memory?” Brad then created an NFC Tag Hunt that prompted the team to ask follow-up questions about those responses.
This method encouraged the team to move past small talk and have deep conversations about our passions and motivations. It set the standard for directing the flow of conversation. Even in the pool, where people were obviously not scanning NFC tags, the team often talked about their goals, favorite memories, and childhood dreams in the spirit of the tag hunt.
Getting Down to Business
It wasn’t all scenic views and chit-chat, though; we were also there to work. While on the retreat, we also held our quarterly meeting and discussed Buckeye’s business strategy in depth. Leadership hosted workshops on how we can better serve our clients, including tips on leading meetings and methods for understanding our clients’ goals. Through these meetings and workshops, the team gained insight into all the working parts of the business.
Building Community
We went to the ranch as coworkers. Some of us were friends, and some of us, especially newer employees, were essentially strangers.
We left the ranch as a community. We forged bonds in the heat. In getting to know each other better, we gained an appreciation for the skills and passions each person brings to the table. When we know our coworkers well, we also know what problems they might be able to solve. We get a sense for which projects might excite them. In this way, community is foundational to innovation, and we feel more inspired and aligned on our mission than ever.
