The ITS:Team got away from it all on August 21, gathering at Glen Eyrie for the annual retreat. The day focused on creativity, ITS:’s values, and the Kolbe and Strengths Finders assessments everyone took prior to the retreat. By all accounts, it was a successful day with many sharing stories, ideas, and insights into all things ITS:Team-related (and in some cases, non-ITS:Team-related).
Breakfast and conversation before the retreat begins.
Matt and Professor Jane Hilberry have a chat prior to the beginning of the retreat.
Brian welcomes the team to the retreat.
Professor Jane Hilberry discusses how metaphors can help us think creatively.
The goody table – let the metaphors begin!
A picture is worth a thousand words, or at least a solution to a problem.
Choosing items for the metaphor exercise – choose wisely!
Gerald and David White picking out pictures for the next round in the creativity exercise.
Weston shares his group’s interpretation of how the picture provided a solution to a problem.
The “Trust” breakout group – Andrew, Matt, Gerald, Don, and Vish.
Time for lunch!
Getting some fresh air and sustenance before the afternoon sessions begin.
The group pauses during the Glen Eyrie Castle Tour, taking in the beautiful surroundings.
Walking back to the Carriage House for the afternoon sessions.
It is hard to think about work in a beautiful environment like this.
Gordon Parry and Helen Kain from Authentic Impact present the assessment findings and teach the team how to interpret the results.
There were many takeaways from the day: tools to help think creatively when solving problems, action items to help us live our values, and information about our individual and collective strengths, as well as how we like to take action and solve problems. We plan to keep the momentum from the retreat going by continuing the discussion about the action items on our values, as well as learning more about our strengths and preferences in up-coming team meetings, so stay tuned!
Thanks, Chad, for the additional photos, and thanks to everyone for participating in a successful day!
ITS:Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro
