Untitled Document

Special Edition
July 2003

G.E. Medical Systems Selects Training Company & Location for Team Building!

The Learning E.D.G.E.
Chosen For its Experience, to Build a Stronger G.E. Medical Sales Team.

A real world, practical applications approach to the new world of business management, The Learning E.D.G.E. specializes in customized sales, marketing and customer service programs that enhance or change current performance to meet newly defined skill requirements.

The Learning E.D.G.E. is a Texas based developmental resource team available for those companies who have looked at the skill and knowledge base of their current sales, retail merchandising, project or marketing teams and don't find the needed level of competency to meet the challenges of today's changing business environment.

The Learning E.D.G.E. and their consulting resources have worked in several industries that include: consumer package goods, telecommunications, computer hard and soft ware, building, funeral, financial, chemical, pharmaceutical and travel, to name a few, and have helped build more solid and productive business teams in each.

The Learning E.D.G.E. has worked for companies like: Bayer Corporation, Nokia, Sabre, Bristol-Myers Squibb, American Airlines, U.S. Brick, Dell Computer, Mead Johnson Nutritional, Gadzooks, Lennox, Genuity, QualComm, Citigroup, Dobson Electric, Service Corp International, Dial Corp, Gillette, Johnson Wax, Kraft General Foods, M & M Mars, PaperMate, Rayovac, Capital One, GE Medical Systems, Zales and Reynolds Metals.

Texas Lil’s Dude Ranch is the premier location in Dallas/Fort Worth for family outings, corporate conferences/picnics or parties and lots more! Texas Lil’s Dude Ranch has a 38,000 sq. ft. conference center and over 360 acres of rolling hills and woods. The Ranch has horseback riding, a mini golf course and the largest tree slide in Texas! The ranch can host parties between 25 and 10,000 people.

GE Medical Systems Team Building Event Is Used To Wrap Up A Team Meeting

The GE Medical Systems Team came together for a team building session at Texas Lil’s in Justin to integrate new team members and was challenged to develop a stronger and more productive GE Medical Systems team of ONE. They wanted their team to bond while increasing their knowledge and appreciation for each other as valuable resources. They wanted the team to experience a few activities that would challenge them to become more cohesive and productive and deliver life applications to the team that could be applied on the job. The GE Medical Systems team also wanted to have some fun while addressing some very specific learning objectives that included:

1. Communicate more effectively
2. Increase our knowledge and appreciation of each other
3. Develop stronger customer & leadership skills that can apply with G.E. Medical Systems teams in each of our respective locations
4. Get more connected to one another to build a more flexible, cohesive and productive team
5. Encourage each other to “Kick Butt”
6. To have fun

With these goals in mind Rob Reilly talked with Joe Hudson, from The Learning E.D.G.E. Inc., to design a comprehensive learning and fun experience for the teams. The workshop was held at Texas Lil’s in Justin and focused on the learning objectives listed above. Information and activities worked to get the team members to know one another better, understand the power of each individual while bonding together for a stronger GE Medical Systems Team. The key attributes that needed to be displayed by each team member on every activity were: Trust, Positive Attitude, Loyal, Dependable and Role Player. Each team member worked to exhibit these attributes in each activity during the course of the afternoon. The adventure learning challenges included: The Outlaw Escape, Relay Roping, The Hollow Square, Posse Pursuit and The Lariat Pass. The team decided on one team name- Rob’s Rustlers. The team set out to conquer the Olympic challenges and turned in some incredible times setting one New Olympic Record. The times recorded by event were: Outlaw Escape: 11 minutes 15 seconds, Hollow Square: 8 correct Pieces in a time of 37 seconds, Posse Pursuit 6 minutes 32 seconds, The Lariat Pass: with 308 passes in 10 minutes and last, but far from least, Relay Roping: in an incredible minus 6 minutes, SETTING A NEW OLYMPIC RECORD!!!

Medals were awarded to the leaders for each event who were selected by the team. These included: Rob Reilly for Outlaw Escape, Helen Stewart for Relay Roping, Wade Brown for Hollow Square, John Stoa for Posse Pursuit and Mark Curley for the Lariat Pass.

Special Olympic designed T-Shirts were also presented to the rest of the team players. Special Thanks to Rob Reilly for his time and effort in handling all the meeting details!!

GE Medical Systems Event Can Spell Further Team Success

Key points made at the workshop included:

The three components needed for effective teams are: The Leader, the Team Members and The Challenge.
Discussing that a team is a group of individuals doing extra ordinary things together to reach a common goal.Success depends above all, upon people. Build relationships, teams, and partnerships -- and motivate people to contribute. Cultivate leadership, creativity, and excellence. Listen; seek new ideas and advice. “-Ruth Scott, Pres. & CEO, Assoc. for Portland (OR) Progress
Words of encouragement fan the spark of genius into the flame of achievement.
It takes 30 encouraging words or sentences to negate one discouraging word said in haste or anger. Let you brain engage before your jaw jacks.
Each team member is a resource no matter what the package. We are all given different skills, abilities and talents and have had different experiences. We come in a package that must be unwrapped and the contents used to reach our goals.

Applications for a Better Team Effort at GE Medical Systems

Outlaw Escape

Your talk\listen ratio is important.
Look at your options.
Develop a plan before you jump in the water or take a step on the bridge and stay with it.
Take advantage of your resources.
Good communication is essential.
We need to build and walk bridges to meet our team members and customers where they are.
You may have to go the extra mile to get together with other departments.
If you fall off the bridge, get up and get moving.
If a team member or customer falls we must help them up and continue.

Relay Roping

Encourage everyone including the support people.
Good leaders listen to the team.
Good team members listen to the leader.
Use your resources.
Adapt and be flexible.
Copy what is successful for another if it will work for you.
Move on after your mistakes.
Move ahead on projects that have multiple tasks with which you and your team have little experience.
When paired with others be sure each knows the rules and can accomplish the task.
If the glove doesn’t fit you still have to put it on and wear it. We don’t always have the proper tools or skills necessary for the task, but the task has to be completed anyway.

The Hollow Square

We need to plan with other departments to ensure plans are practical and executionable in the field.
Divide the task to keep one person from being overwhelmed.
It's often NOT the leader's job to make the decisions, but to facilitate and coordinate the combined input of the entire team.
Brainstorming is critical.
Encouragement "felt good" and spurred more and better activity.
Things don’t always seem as they appear and we should challenge the rules to ensure we are getting maximum effectiveness from all team members.
Check amoung your team for experience.
Clear communication is essential.

Posse Pursuit

Planning is important.
We have to completely trust our team so that they can move us to the goal.
If you start to drop a team member, regroup and add more support.
Each person must move through the project “hole”, but some have more of a challenge than others in doing so.
It takes team concentration and effort to move every member of the team.
When “holes are closed” on your project regroup and plan an alternate path to keep you moving forward.
Encourage, encourage, encourage.
Listen and respect the views of each team member.

Lariat Pass

Be an encourager.
We need to stay connected with our team members and customers.
We need to put our whole person into our projects.