We are now into our 7th year at Curium and at the beginning of the month we celebrated with a 2 day team event away from the office.
We had a truly fantastic couple of days where we worked hard during the day time and took a little time to relax and socialise in the evening. These occasions are always a fantastic opportunity to get together away from the office and to really get to know the guys we work with without the interruption of phones and emails.
One of the sessions on the first day was a kind of ‘getting to know the team’ which to begin with I thought was slightly odd as we all work together and spend time together at our monthly team days.
What a surprise I got when everyone was asked to stand up in turn and talk for a few minutes about themselves, their background, their education, employment history and family life. It was a real eye opener as we all found out so much more about each other and discovered that many of us have such a lot in common and many have hidden talents.
To be honest, I was a little nervous and out of my comfort zone when it was my turn to talk, where do I begin, how can I make it sound more interesting, would anyone really be interested in how I started my working life (which incidentally is very different to where I am now), what I get up to at the weekend and my chaotic but fun family life. Once I got started I quite enjoyed myself and was surprised at actually how much I have fitted in over the years.
During the drive home, after the event, I began to reflect on my life (sounds a bit heavy, I know) and also that of my colleagues and I have come to realise that at home and in business we all go through many phases, clambering over many obstacles in order to achieve our goals, making many mistakes along the way and learning from those experiences. Our beliefs, reputation and hobbies are what makes us who we are and our professional associations develop long-lasting connections with people who share our work-related experiences and interests.
This short team exercise made me understand the importance of taking the time to get to know those around us especially in the workplace. Work is a central part of most of our lives and getting to know our colleagues will make our relationships that much stronger, people will feel cared about, trusted and respected.
The power of getting to know one another is so immense, eclipsed only by first getting to know ourselves.” ― Bryant McGill, Voice of Reason
