Granby Leadership Team Away Day: Building Trust and Collaboration

Move over the Famous Five and the Secret Seven, here come the Super Six.

Strategic Planning for 2024

All six of the Granby Leadership Team embarked on an exciting Away Day this week, where they came together to plan for the year ahead, tackle challenging tasks and strengthen existing bonds. The whole team contributed, Jo Kimber, Andrew Gregson, Caroline Noblett, Dave Saunders, Paul Dunleavy, and Victoria Pittman.

The first part of the day focused on strategic planning for 2024 before the team got into their outdoor gear. Just as at Granby HQ, the camaraderie among the members was clear from the start, creating a positive and supportive atmosphere, really important attributes as they focused on three core elements – collaboration, communication, and trust-building exercises.

Just as at Granby HQ, the camaraderie among the members was clear from the start, creating a positive and supportive atmosphere, really important attributes as they focused on three core elements – collaboration, communication, and trust-building exercises.

“Okay, we’ve collaborated and communicated beautifully – now, how do we get off?”

But talking the talk is one thing, walking the walk, or in this case, balancing on ropes is another! On a cold day, the Granby team got down and dirty, working hard under the watchful eye of trained instructors. From problem-solving challenges to team-building exercises, they approached each task with real enthusiasm and determination.

Caroline ponders her next move under the guidance of Head of IT, Paul.

Caroline Noblett was particularly pleased with the team’s exceptional communication skills.

“Of course, we expected to be able to communicate well, after all, it’s what we do each and every day. But what was a real eye – opener for me was just how well we were able to communicate whilst under a deal of physical and mental pressure. Yes, we deal with pressure each and every day, but this was way outside my comfort zone, and I was not alone.”

“Aren’t you two meant to be telling me what to do next?”

The lead instructor also commended the team, stating, “This was a great team: they are clearly very comfortable with each other, which meant they worked great together, communicated really well, and clearly trust one another.”

Andrew heading for new highs as he puts all his trust in his team.

At Granby we know that trust is the foundation of any successful team, and the Granby Leadership Team will look to bring the real learnings from the day back to Blackburn and into the workplace.

Caroline said “I won’t say I was surprised but I was really pleased to see how we actively listened to one another, shared ideas, and provided constructive feedback. This open communication is something we encourage at work, as we know how important it is in fostering trust. Ensuring everyone’s voice is heard is a massive part of who we are as an employee-owned business”.

We hope the experience will undoubtedly have a positive and lasting impact on the team – even if one or two are still nursing a few aching limbs!