Customized, perception-shifting teambuilding anywhere in North America.
Shifting Gears helps teams stop, rethink, regroup and recharge.
What's the big idea behind Shifting Gears?
Actually, there are two. First, Shifting Gears makes people stop and rethink their ways of dealing with each other so that teams can move in a positive new direction. Second, it's mobile, so we can bring it to you, wherever you are.
Why does Shifting Gears help shift perceptions?
People are often held back by preconceived notions about themselves and others. Shifting Gears helps empower individuals and build team chemistry by shifting perceptions of what people are capable of, how they can contribute and how they should work together.
Specifically, what skills does Shifting Gears reinforce?
The program creates teams that perform better back at the office by teaching more effective problem solving, decision-making, risk taking, creativity, conflict resolution, communication, leadership, trust, and adaptability to change.
What does it mean that Shifting Gears is "experiential"?
Like all of our programs, Shifting Gears is experiential, or "experience-based," meaning that it teaches by doing because that's how people learn best. After leading your team through group problem-solving activities, our experienced and personable facilitators debrief and process each activity as you go to help your employees examine the outcomes, guide them toward Aha! moments and reinforce the teamwork lessons they learned.
Is this a "cookie-cutter" program like all the others?
Absolutely NOT. All Shifting Gears programs are customized to meet the desired outcomes of our clients. We will work with you to plan activities based on your goals as well as the demographic and psychographic makeup of your group. We have nearly 30 years of experience and are known for our innovative activities and processes.
Can you bring Shifting Gears to me?
Absolutely. All of our programs are designed on a mobile platform. We bring Shifting Gears anywhere you are including your workplace, hotel conference center or out-of-town meeting.
How much time should I plan for a program?
Our most popular Shifting Gears program format is a ½ day (about 4 hours) or, for more intensive team learning, we can conduct the program in a full day format (about 7 hours).
What are the core concepts behind Shifting Gears?
- Teaches through problem-solving activities, because that's how people learn best
- Focuses on all three critical components of teambuilding: relationships, teamwork and leadership
- Challenges commonly-held assumptions and encourages participants to look at old problems in brand new ways
- Clearly illustrates that some tasks literally cannot be accomplished by one person and are destined to fail without teamwork
What are the secret weapons behind Shifting Gears?
Two things: our innovative activities and the collective experience of our team, which is led by Greg Huber. Greg's spent his entire career developing, perfecting and carrying out teambuilding programs for stronger teams and more effective leaders. He and his staff custom design and facilitate every Shifting Gears program, putting their best experience and most inventive ideas into action.
So Shifting Gears is a program in Greg's company, Signature Teambuilding?
Yes. Signature Teambuilding is actually a division of Challenge Discovery, one of the country's most trusted teambuilding organizations. While the thrust of Signature Teambuilding has always been 100% customized programs, we recently made a slight departure and created two programs based on a format that has been popular and effective in our Challenge Discovery division: Meeting Busters and new Shifting Gears. Keep in mind that they are designed around popular frameworks but, as always, will be thoroughly customized to accomplish your goals for your team.
Can you tell me more about Challenge Discovery?
Sure. Challenge Discovery and its three divisions build stronger teams and better leaders through carefully designed programs that have been tested, refined and proven over time. About the three divisions:
Challenge Discovery offers experience-based teambuilding programs in an adventure-based outdoor setting that includes both low and high ropes course events.
PowerPlay is one of our mobile divisions and focuses on building relationships through fun activities carried out in a structured format. Generally for larger groups.
Signature Teambuilding combines the best of both. It's completely mobile like PowerPlay and offers customized programs designed to provide the same high-level learning as Challenge Discovery.
How is Shifting Gears different from Meeting Busters?
Meeting Busters is very short in duration and interrupts meetings with 60-90 minutes of teambuilding exercises. The activities give people a seventh-inning stretch and reinforce the big idea of your meeting by connecting activities to content. Shifting Gears uses many of the same activities as Meeting Busters, but it's longer, deeper and more intense through its facilitative process - therefore an even more productive teambuilding experience.
Why else should I consider Shifting Gears?
- Mobility. We come to you
- Inclusiveness. Everybody's included and participates at their own comfort level
- Purpose. Creates learning opportunities that reinforce big ideas such as teamwork, creativity or strategic thinking
- Customization. With activities planned to precisely match your needs for maximum success
- Effectiveness. Delivers a serious return on your investment
- All the other great stuff. Proven track record, professional program facilitators, flawless execution, reasonable prices and serious results for your investment
Can you describe possible activities in a Shifting Gears program?
Happy to do it. Here are a few popular activities. Please keep in mind, though, that we can completely customize Shifting Gears to accomplish exactly what you want it to.
Energizer(s) An energizer is an icebreaker activity designed to change the state of the group. Many times, following an intense initiative activity, groups need to decompress, laugh and have a bit of fun before moving into the next activity. We use energizers throughout the experience as necessary. Lesson: Collaboration
Newspaper Editor The large group is randomly broken into teams of about eight each. Teams are given one of four different assignments to complete. Teams work through the challenge individually only to realize that none of the teams can be successful if they work through the task without collaborating with the other teams. Lesson: Collaboration
Penny Drop In small groups, each person guesses how many drops of water they can put onto the face of a penny without the water spilling off. People usually guess a low number and are surprised when they find out how many more drops actually fit. Lesson: Realizing human potential
Maze Teams are challenged to find an invisible path through a series of squares on a grid and then to have their entire team cross the maze in the allotted amount of time. It is rare that a team will accomplish this task on the first attempt. A short intervention/debrief is held following the first attempt to allow the teams to look at behaviors that need to be changed for a successful second attempt. Lesson: Embracing change, thinking differently, taking risks
Helium Stick Team members hold a 10' tent pole waist high using only their forefingers. Then, they attempt to lower it to the ground as a team without anyone letting go at anytime. This activity is more challenging than it sounds. Lesson: Integrity, leadership and clear concise, communication
Zoom This initiative is slightly obtuse in that the team is required to figure out what the challenge is and then execute it within certain rules and parameters. Each person is given a card or tile with a picture on it. Team members may look at their own card and describe it but cannot show it to anyone else. The group needs to assemble in the order that becomes evident to its members through their communication process. Lesson: Communication that leads to collaboration, integrity, embracing diversity
Knex Team members rotate through a variety of roles during the exercise, each with specific parameters about how they are able to communicate. The goal is to reconstruct a complicated model using all the parts the team has been given. Lesson: Communicating effectively, identifying strengths and weaknesses, empathy
Cycle Time In part one, teams are provided with the parts of a challenging, life-size wooden puzzle. Once the puzzle has been completed, they must develop a process in which they can build the entire puzzle in less that a minute. Lesson: Innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, strategic thinking and planning, communicating effectively and supporting one another and the process
Steps to Change Teams are required to travel from point "A" to point "B" using only specific resources to step on to make their crossing. Resources change throughout the process, leaving the teams confident that they have developed a process that continues to work even when factors around them change. Lesson: Embracing change, change management
Build It Each team is given very specific directions and the materials necessary to construct a large cube as quickly as possible without time to plan. During the second round, the team is given time to plan and organize the same task. Lesson: Planning, supporting team members, proactive problem solving, trust
How much does Shifting Gears cost?
Half day program (4 hours)
Minimum $1,500*
10-25 people $125 per person
26-50 people $115 per person
51-75 people $100 per person
76-100 people $80 per person
100+ people Please contact us for pricing
Full day program (7 hours)
Minimum $2,000*
10-25 people $175 per person
26-50 people $155 per person
51-75 people $135 per person
76-100 people $115 per person
100+ people Please contact us for pricing
*Travel costs for Shifting Gears facilitators not included.
The program price doesn't include travel costs for Shifting Gears facilitators?
No, travel costs are extra. While the number of facilitators needed for any program depends on its design, Shifting Gears programs generally require only 1-2 for groups of up to 75. Your facilitators will do their absolute best to keep travel expenses down, with low-priced airfares with connections, double occupancy in hotels and reasonably priced meals. We know you need to keep an eye on your bottom line, and we're glad to help.
For more information or to schedule a Shifting Gears program, call Greg Huber today! (804) 651-8888
Greg Huber
Meeting Busters
5012 Windy Hollow Cr.
Glen Allen, VA 23059
804.651.8888
www.signatureteambuilding.com