It’s accepted fact around Cohesity that we have a phenomenal Inside Sales HQ Team. We do a great job. We hang out together after work. We do our weekly one-on-ones while walking around the downtown area that surrounds our building (rather than inside a stuffy conference room.) We know one another’s habits, likes, and dislikes. We operate like a work family.
Going out for Happy Hour for fun had gotten a little stale, so I decided to try something new … something that would get us out of the office while allowing us to strengthen our bond: I organized a Scavenger Hunt.
My goal for the day was simple: Let the ISRs have some fun while demonstrating that we can accomplish anything when we work together as a team.
We met up bright and early at 8am, and I split the group into two teams. Each team was given info on the general search area, which surrounds Cohesity HQ in downtown San Jose, Calif. The teams were also provided with a list of clues hinting at locations with a telltale feature. Upon finding a location, they were instructed to take a picture with all team members in it.
Each of these locations was familiar, because we walk past them all during the course of the work week. This was intended to remind everyone that we should always pay attention to the little things around us. This goes for all walks of life – whether we are doing our day-to-day jobs or we are just hanging out with family and friends.
As a feel-good bonus, after finding all items on the list, I asked each team to do a good deed. This could be something as simple as throwing away a piece of trash, or taking a picture with a random person and telling them to have a great day.
Ultimately, I wanted to open my team’s eyes about learning to lean on each other, like one solid family. At the same time, I wanted to show them how rewarding it can be to pay it forward and take care of others out there – you never really know when someone else is having a tough day and can use some kindness.
Because we are true Cohesians, the adventure wrapped up with a meal. We reflected as a team on the scavenger hunt, then it was back to work … at jobs we appreciated just a little bit more thanks to a fun day of team bonding.
Items to find:
- Life-sized board Game
- Bear that belongs in the snow
- Wolf on top of a street
- Sensing WATER installation
- Giant tank full of sharks
- Little piece of Italy
- Barbershop inside of a square
- Find a Burning Man Female sculpture that inspires peace
- Sculpture worth 200,000 coins
- Permanent iron hat
- Giant dome that is in the center of a hall
- Statue with two track runners
- Silver girl walking a silver dog
- Red tree with no leaves
- Amusement park that opened in 1961
- Plant across the street of a cemetery – find the center circle
Good Deeds to Perform:
- Take a picture with a random person and tell them to have a great day!
- Give a flower to a random person.
- Throw a random piece of trash from the street into a trashcan or dumpster.
- Help someone in need, a random act of kindness.
Shot of one team racing around downtown San Jose, scavenging for clues, having fun.
Random acts of kindness created some feel-good moments for the scavenger-hunt crews.
The scavenger hunt was a positive experience, so I’m sure we will continue to find creative ways of spending time together – improving as people, and as a team.
