When you think about organising a meeting the default solution is often to book a room or set up a Zoom/Teams etc call. This week our outplacement innovation team did something different.
When innovating you want to push back the boundaries. So our MD Mike Burgneay suggested we hold the meeting outdoors. Literally in a space with no walls and no constraints.
We are lucky to have access to a meeting facility with acres of outdoors space. However we decided even that had fences and gates. So we literally headed off on foot into the Nottinghamshire countryside with just a notepad and a few pens so we could scribble down ideas as they came.
The weather was amazing. Being outside was literally a breath of fresh air. We realised very quickly that the conversation was flowing and taking us in directions as expansive as our travels. We walked for miles – which was as good for our physical and mental well-being as it was creativity.
The highlight was probably finding a long stetch of footpath along the river Trent. Here we paused several times for “deep and meaningful” discussion before moving on. What was crystalising were some great ideas about the future of the business.
Chiumento has always been known for outplacement innovation – with many outplacement firsts to our credit. We’ve held many “creative” sessions over the years but I am struggling to remember once as productive as this.
The proof of the quality of the day was a single flipchart we produced on our return to our base. A very clear picture of our product development pathway for the next 2-3 years. Yes, it is very high level. And no, we don’t have all the answers. But as a point of departure it is a solid foundation for our outplacement innovation agenda.
People often talk about “thinking outside the box”. Part of that box can be a physical or technological meeting place. Our advice: get outside – the big oudoors will stretch your horizons.
Get in touch if you’d like to chat about the future of outplacement.
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