08/04/2026
Last week I stepped away from Chook HQ to participate in a non-corporate team building exercise, otherwise known as The Term One School Trip.
The were substantial… I’d like to share my key takeaways.
1. KPIs matter: only two injuries were sustained in my cohort with one ice pack deployed. Well within acceptable parameters.
2. Voice activation strategies matter: you MUST utilise the power of the singing word to command group attention. A rapid-fire clap is a suitable addition when circumstances require.
3. Stakeholder buy-in is essential: holding one’s hand aloft and expecting the gesture to be reciprocated, followed by silence, can take an uncomfortably long time when the audience is between eight and nine years old. Please see point 2.
4. Know your non-negotiables: being told “you can drive instead of coming on the bus” produces a level of joy I can only compare to a $10m lottery win. Guard this privilege carefully.
5. Language matters, choose it wisely: stating “don’t run” to a group is, in practice, an invitation to maximise speed across all subsequent activities.
6. Protocol must be clearly defined: under NO circumstances should anyone attempt to stand up, unless formally invited by a qualified member of the teaching community.
Feel free to cascade these learnings to your teams.