Company Picnic Planning

This high-energy team-building exercise, often called the "Move It" or "Chair Swap" game, is a staple in corporate training and group dynamics. While it looks like simple fun, it is designed to sharpen reflexes, improve non-verbal communication, and build a sense of collective rhythm within a team. The game is a fast-paced evolution of musical chairs, but with a focus on coordination rather than elimination. The Setup: A group sits in a circle with one person standing in the middle. The Objective: The person in the middle must secure a seat by causing the others to switch. The Trigger: Usually, the person in the center makes a specific movement or call (like stepping on a marked pattern on the floor). This signals everyone to stand up and find a new seat you cannot return to the chair you just left. The Twist: As the game progresses, the speed increases, and participants must rely on quick glances and "unspoken agreements" with teammates to ensure everyone finds a spot without colliding. Beyond the laughter, this exercise serves several psychological and professional purposes: 1. Breaking the "Professional Shell" In a corporate setting, people often stay within their comfort zones. This game forces physical movement and spontaneous interaction, which quickly lowers social barriers and builds psychological safety. 2. Improving Reaction Time and Agility Participants must process a visual or auditory cue and move instantly. It trains the brain to handle sudden changes in environment a direct metaphor for pivoting in a fast-moving business project. 3. Non-Verbal Synchronization Because the game happens so fast, you can't use words to coordinate. You have to read the body language and "energy" of the people around you to see where the open spaces are, fostering a deep sense of team synchrony. 3 Tips for a Successful Session If you are planning to run this at your next office meet or social gathering, keep these points in mind: Safety First: Ensure the flooring isn't slippery and that there is enough space between chairs to avoid collisions. Keep it Short: These games are high-intensity. A 5 to 10-minute session is usually enough to energize the room without causing fatigue. Debrief: After the game, ask the team: "What happened when the speed increased?" or "How did you know where to move without talking?" This helps translate the fun into a learning moment. "Games are the most elevated form of investigation." - Albert Einstein This exercise is a perfect example of how gamification can be used to improve office culture and employee engagement. It’s simple, requires zero equipment (just chairs), and leaves everyone in a better mood for the work ahead. Have you ever tried a high-energy icebreaker like this at your workplace?

If you’re tired of team exercises that feel forced, try the Start / Stop / Continue ritual that actually builds team bonding. Here’s how to do it: Step 1: Pick a topic Choose one specific area you want to improve. You can do this as a team (like marketing strategy, branding, or workflow) or even as a couple or family (like health habits or household routines). When my team did this for our marketing strategy, we asked: “What’s working? What’s not? What should we try next?” Step 2: Sticky it up Give everyone a stack of sticky notes. Each person writes down every task they do related to that topic (one per note). Then, color-code: • Different colors for different people (for transparency) • Or all one color if you want to keep feedback anonymous This part alone often surprises people. We realize how many invisible tasks we’re doing, and how much effort goes unnoticed. Step 3: Place the tasks Draw three columns on the board: 🟢 Start – New ideas or things worth trying 🔴 Stop – Tasks that drain time or add no real value 🟡 Continue – What’s working and worth doubling down on Then, together, sort each sticky. When we did this at Science of People, we learned: • We wanted to start experimenting with Medium and LinkedIn posts • We needed to stop wasting time on low-return platforms (sorry, X) • And we should continue doing more of what was driving real results (YouTube, email newsletters, and blog writing) If you disagree on something (like we did about Medium), place it in between columns as a trial. Set a test period. For example, “Let’s try this for 2 months and then review.” Step 4: Create a safe space This is a critical step. Start / Stop / Continue only works when feedback feels safe. You’re talking about the task, not the person. We even use different colored stickies to separate ideas from ownership. That way, no one feels attacked. When people feel psychologically safe, they share the truth, and that’s when real improvement happens. Step 5: Assign and act Insight without action is just decoration. So before you finish, assign ownership: • Who’s starting the new tasks? • Who’s stopping or phasing out the old ones? And for the “Continue” column, ask: “Can we make this even better?” A bonus: It works outside of work, too I even do this exercise with my husband once a year, for our health and habits. We’ve listed things like: • Start: Morning protein shakes, evening routines • Stop: Buying soda, eating out too often •Continue: Yoga and weekend soccer We walk away feeling more connected and intentional. The takeaway: When you pause to ask, “What should we start, stop, and continue?” you give yourself (and your team) permission to refocus energy where it truly matters.

Here are 2 killer team exercises to help you create your ideal company culture. A strong culture can boost morale, enhance productivity, and ensure everyone is aligned with the company's values and goals. I recently developed a list of 100 positive words to describe company culture, and I thought it would be great to share two exercises that can help you and/or your team identify and amplify your strengths. Many organisations focus on the negative and what they are not doing. I wanted to focus, for these exercises anyhow, on the positive aspects of company culture so you can double down on them. 📢 You can run these as a team exercise or as a self-assessment. 💡 Exercise 1: Culture Strengths Identification 🎯 Objective: Identify the top three words that best describe your company's current culture. 📄 Instructions: Individual Reflection: Give each team member a few minutes to review the list of 100 positive words and write down the three words they feel best describe your company's culture. Group Discussion: Have each team member share their top three words with the group. Discuss why they chose these words and what specific examples from the workplace support their choices. Consensus Building: As a team, come to a consensus on the top three words that best represent your current culture. These words will serve as a foundation for recognising your strengths and building upon them. 💡 Exercise 2: Culture Aspirations 🎯 Objective: Identify three words from the list that represent aspirational goals for your company's culture. 📄 Instructions: Individual Reflection: Ask each team member to select three words from the list that they believe should represent the future culture of the company. Group Discussion: Share and discuss these aspirational words as a team. Highlight why these words were chosen and how they can positively impact the company. Action Planning: Develop a plan for how the team can work together to implement and live these aspirational cultural traits. Identify specific actions, initiatives, or behaviours that will help bring these words to life within your organisation. 🧠 Remember By focusing on the positive aspects of your company culture, you can create a more engaged and motivated team. These exercises not only help in recognising the current strengths but also in setting a clear vision for the future. ----------------------------- For more valuable content, follow me, Sean McPheat and then hit the 🔔 button to stay updated on my future posts. ❓ P.S. Interested in upskilling, business, and leadership tips? Then you'll love my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eWPjAjV7 Subscribe and you'll get over 250 of my best infographics for free.

🚀 Wrapped up an exciting workshop with a scaleup. Here's how to deliver killer sessions 👇 1️⃣ Less is more: We focused on quality over quantity. One big, memorable activity beats a dozen forgettable ones. 2️⃣ The main event? A high-stakes egg drop! Teams built landers to protect eggs from a big fall. Talk about a crash course in problem-solving! 🥚💥 3️⃣ The real magic? It happened AFTER the eggs landed (or splattered 😅). The magic is in the the debrief. Debrief is crucial. 𝗪𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀: - What's propelling us forward? 🌬️ - What's holding us back? ⚓ - What hidden rocks (risks) can hinder our progress? 🪨 - What's our island paradise (goal)? 🏝️ This visual metaphor unlocked buried conversations. It's amazing how a simple drawing reveals complex dynamics! 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀? Simply put, you can see in real-time teams building trust, gaining clarity, and deepening bonds. In a time where workplace dynamics are spent over endless Zoom calls and Slack threads, there's something irreplaceable about being in the same room, facing the same challenges, and yes, cleaning up the same egg mess together. 🧼 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽: 1. Focus on depth, not breadth 2. Create a memorable centerpiece activity 3. Dedicate ample time for reflection and debrief 4. Use visual metaphors to unlock deeper insights 5. Balance structure with spontaneity --- 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀? Share in the comments - let's learn from each other! 👇 #TeamBuilding #Leadership #Workshops #ScaleupLife #EggDropSurvivors --- I'm Hugo Pereira. I'm the co-founder of Ritmoo and a fractional growth advisor who has taken businesses from $1m to $100m+. I love building purpose-driven, resilient teams. Follow me to master growth, leadership, and teamwork. My book, "Teamwork Transformed," arrives in 2024.

Misunderstanding of hands-on experiential learning happens to me all the time. "It just looks like you're playing". From the outside looking in, my workshops can appear on the surface to be adults "playing" with anything from Kinects while building a Mars Rover Prototype to bricks and figures during a LEGO® Serious Play® workshop. What is really happening is much deeper and resonates long after the workshop ends: - Self-reflection = increased self-awareness - Creative thinking = improved problem-solving - Speaking in metaphor and story-telling = stronger connection to each other Covering topics like increasing collaboration, navigating team conflict, strengthening trust, and embracing shared leadership will make a difference in how your team shows up day in and day out. Bringing these topics to life in a way that is memorable, forges cohesion, and encourages people to dig a little deeper... that is what these purposeful methods bring out. You're looking for a way to invest in your team's performance that is educating, engaging, and entertaining. I'll bring the concepts and tools you need. Let's talk it through, but be forewarned, there will be laughter and learning happening along the way! #legoseriousplay #leadershipdevelopment #investinyourteam #teambuilding

The recent Philips Warning Letter from FDA calls out several things that are applicable to all teams, and we can learn from this helpful reminder: 1) you must maintain an approved supplier list, you must have a supplier management SOP and evidence you are following it ("Supplier Management Plans" are a great idea, with regular, documented performance and operations reviews) 2) you must assess your suppliers for adequacy and document this (audit your suppliers with auditors who understand the actual regulations those suppliers fall under and their services.... think GMP auditors auditing GCP suppliers -- there is real risk in that approach!)) 3) your metrics requirements and risk management plan must include metrics for every single thing you say you are going to measure - you should assess performance, not just simple metrics 4) your corrective actions (the "CA" in CAPA) must include HOW you will show these CAs are adequate ("Verification of Effectiveness") 5) your suppliers must have a requirement to notify you of changes in services ("Change Notification Process") in their contract with you 6) "internal suppliers" are still suppliers and fall under your ASL, supplier evaluation/audit, and Supplier Management Requirements 7) Your complaints process must include ALL aspects per 21 CFR 820.198(a) 8) You must have a complete CAPA procedure and evidence you are following it. You MUST open CAPAs when needed 9) and more https://lnkd.in/g3RQ3tTz

An effective Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) operating model is essential for organizations to manage vendor risks, maintain compliance, and strengthen operational resilience. A mature TPRM framework integrates governance, risk assessment, due diligence, ongoing monitoring, incident management, and secure offboarding into a continuous lifecycle. By aligning business owners, risk & compliance teams, and internal audit through the “Three Lines of Defense” model, organizations can create stronger accountability and proactive risk oversight. Key focus areas include: • Vendor identification and criticality assessment • Financial, operational, cyber, and ESG due diligence • Contractual safeguards and SLA management • Continuous monitoring and incident escalation • Secure exit and offboarding processes • Automation, reporting, and cross-functional collaboration Strong TPRM practices help organizations: ✔ Improve regulatory compliance and audit readiness ✔ Enhance operational resilience and business continuity ✔ Increase transparency in vendor relationships ✔ Strengthen cybersecurity and data protection ✔ Enable better risk-based decision-making In today’s interconnected ecosystem, managing third-party risk is no longer optional — it is a strategic pillar for trust, resilience, and sustainable growth. #TPRM #ThirdPartyRiskManagement #RiskManagement #CyberSecurity #GRC #Compliance #OperationalResilience #VendorRisk #InformationSecurity #InternalAudit #Governance #BusinessContinuity

🚢 From the Bridge to the Boardroom: Leading a World-Class Third-Party Risk Management Program In the US Navy, we have a saying: “Trust, but verify.” Whether you’re standing watch in the Combat Information Center or negotiating with a new tech vendor, the principle is the same — your mission’s success depends on the reliability of your partners. In my leadership journey — from commanding cyber defense units to serving as CISO — I’ve seen how Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) can either safeguard your mission or sink it. The recent ProcessUnity Third-Party Risk Management Best Practices guide reminded me that great TPRM leadership isn’t just about ticking compliance boxes — it’s about building a living system that: 1️⃣ Keeps Risk Out from the Start Conduct inherent risk assessments before you sign the contract. Tier vendors (Low, Medium, High, Critical) based on operational, security, compliance, and financial factors. 2️⃣ Monitors Continuously, Not Just Annually Use residual risk scores to set review cadences. High-risk vendors? Review at least annually. Lower-risk vendors? Adjust frequency to conserve resources without sacrificing vigilance. 3️⃣ Documents & Automates for Consistency Mature programs replace spreadsheets with automation to track onboarding, due diligence, and SLA performance. Smart, self-scoring questionnaires help you focus on the issues that matter most. 4️⃣ Integrates External Intelligence Cybersecurity ratings, financial health scores, AML checks, ESG ratings — these serve as your “virtual watchstanders” between formal reviews. 5️⃣ Drives ROI, Not Just Risk Reduction Weed out underperformers, negotiate better terms, and transform your TPRM program from a cost center to a strategic advantage. 💡 Leadership takeaway: Whether you’re leading a warfighting command or a security engineering team, the fundamentals are the same: define the process, enforce accountability, and build trust through verification. 📣 Over to you: If you had to improve ONE aspect of your vendor risk management today, what would it be? How do you balance speed-to-contract with thorough due diligence in your role? Let’s learn from each other. The threats are evolving — our leadership in risk management must evolve faster. #Leadership #Cybersecurity #RiskManagement #NavyToSiliconValley #ThirdPartyRisk #TPRM #VendorManagement #ServantLeadership

Your vendors are bleeding you dry—not money, time. After managing 100+ vendor relationships across Microsoft, Instacart, and our portfolio companies, I built a system that cuts project timelines by 70%. The problem: You think hiring experts means abdicating responsibility. Wrong. Your vendors manage 50 other clients. You're not their priority unless you make yourself one. Four Frameworks That Actually Work: 1. Deconstruct Your Blockers Don't ask "what's the update?" Ask "what specific approval are we waiting for?" Financial? Technical? Legal? You can't fix what you can't name. I've seen 6-week delays resolved in one call once we identified the actual blocker. 2. Own the Project Management Your vendors are specialists, not coordinators. Schedule the calls. Create the docs. Connect the dots. Yes, you're doing their job. It's also the highest-leverage work you can do. 3. Demand Time Boxes "We're working on it" = infinite timeline "Engineering review takes 5-7 days" = accountability Even vague deadlines beat no deadlines. One portfolio company cut deployment cycles 60% just by requiring time estimates. 4. Confidence ≠ Commitment "We're confident about approval" isn't "It's approved." Push for binary answers. This distinction alone prevents countless surprises. The Process: Monday: Status email to all parties Wednesday: 15-min sync if blocked Friday: Document decisions + next actions Rule: Never let a week pass without documented progress Real Results: Applied this to 6 portfolio companies last quarter: Project completion: 12 weeks → 4 weeks Cost overruns: Down 40% Vendor performance: Up 70% Best part? Our vendors started using our process with other clients. Advanced Play: Create quarterly vendor scorecards. Measure response time, timeline accuracy, and technical competence. Share transparently. Performance improves within one quarter. Why This Matters: Every week of delay costs runway. Every vendor inefficiency is a competitor's opportunity. The companies that scale aren't the ones with the best vendors—they're the ones who best manage them. Your Move: Pick your worst vendor relationship. Apply one framework this week. Document what changes. Vendor management isn't sexy, but neither is running out of runway because every project takes 3x longer than it should. What vendor challenges are you facing? Share what's worked (or hasn't) below. — Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Kevin Henrikson for more. Weekly frameworks on AI, startups, leadership, and scaling. Join 2000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/gstGkhJF

The First 5 Questions I Ask Before Letting a Vendor Anywhere Near My Client's Business Bad vendor relationships don’t just waste money. They wreck timelines. They kill client trust. They keep you up at night wondering how you’re going to fix it. And 9 times out of 10? The warning signs were there before the ink dried, if you knew what to ask. Here’s what you should always ask, and why skipping any of these is an open invitation for disaster: 1️⃣ “Prove it.” If they can’t show past results that look like what you need, you’re paying them to learn on your dime. 2️⃣ “Who’s my point person?” That smooth-talking salesperson might not be anywhere near your project. If you don’t know who’s actually doing the work, expect surprises , and not necessarily the good kind. 3️⃣ “What happens when it goes sideways?” Things will go wrong. If they’ve got no real example of fixing a mess fast, your problem will become their learning curve. 4️⃣ “Where’s the fine print hiding?” I’ve seen auto-renews lock companies into overpriced deals for years. Don’t find out the hard way that ‘cancel anytime’ really means ‘cancel in writing, 90 days before the moon is full.’ 5️⃣ “How’s your house in order?” Compliance gaps, weak security, expired insurance, one slip here and you’re not just losing a vendor, you’re inviting legal and financial fallout. If they have gaps here, where else are they failing. Skip these questions, and you’re not “saving time.” You’re setting yourself up for months, or years, of avoidable headaches. What’s your non-negotiable vendor question? I’m Melissa, and I help businesses save money, reduce risk, and work smarter through better procurement, contract management, and efficiency. If you want practical, real-world tips to protect your bottom line and streamline operations, follow me. #Procurement #VendorManagement #Contracts #BusinessEfficiency #RiskManagement