It was that time of year again - the annual gathering of the business that, just like at our 2023 Dare to Discover event, proved once more that not all corporate Town Hall events are created equal.
Breaking away from the traditional monotony and fluorescently lit boardrooms, you know an Aventum gathering will always dare to be different.
The theme of the day centred around exploration as we dared people to think about things differently, challenging them to think about what their ‘dare’ would be.
Venue Showcase
Home for the day was Woolwich Works in East London - equipped with modern technical infrastructure, on the banks of the River Thames.
Recently named London’s Best New Culture Spot by Time Out, the building’s heritage is woven into the fabric of the space. Exposed brickwork, painted concrete and an asymmetrical glass roof helped to create a suitable base camp for an afternoon of motivational discussions and activities.
What is Your Biggest ‘Dare’?
With international colleagues and teams from around the world joining us remotely, the event united the Group from near and far.
Kicking things off, Aventum Group CEO David Bearman took to the stage, detailing the importance of teamwork. David’s dare, to lead, followed a sensational weekend in Saudi Arabia for his son Ollie Bearman. David’s discussion centred on how it is seldom the effort of just one person to get an entire project across the finish line.
Focusing on the importance of every individual’s role in motorsport towards a team’s success, David showed how that could be translated into business success at Aventum Group. When he asked people to express their aspirations in what they ‘dare’ to do, answers were written on paper planes and thrown towards the stage.
From climbing mountains and running marathons to having children and planting trees, the ‘Dares’ embodied the spirit of human ambition and we hope everyone dares to pursue their goals.
Dare to Inspire
James Baird and Paul Richards from Consilium took to the stage with their vision of inspiration. They shared a narrative of Consilium’s dynamic journey in the last 12 months, marked by rapid expansion and the fusion of diverse perspectives.
Amidst global competition, they championed a high-performing team ethos in a team committed to prioritising people over profit and delivering excellence.
Dare to Pioneer
Charlie Sim and Edmund Bradbury of The Foundation seized the spotlight with their approach to pioneering. They explored the essence of true business success, emphasising the importance of being customer-led.
Through an engaging map drawing activity, they highlighted the challenge of perspective and the necessity of seeing the world from the outside in, rather than the inside out. Their message resonated: to pioneer effectively, one must stand in the shoes of others and innovate with empathy.
Dare to Move
Next up, Ian Anson of Rokstone took to the stage to discuss the importance of taking action, the power of creative thinking and overall adaptability - all of which he credited to Rokstone’s success.
Ian highlighted the role of prompt communication, urging everyone to act now, without hesitation. With illustrative examples, Ian inspired people to seize the moment, move decisively and drive change today - do not wait until tomorrow.
Dare to Innovate
Next on stage was Hasani Jess, who encouraged people to embrace the courage required to tackle difficult tasks. He urged people to remember that just because there is already a way to do something, does not mean it cannot be improved.
Following Hasani was James Fairgrieve, who announced the launch of the ‘Bear Cave’ initiative. An exciting and rewarding innovation challenge, open to all Aventum Group colleagues, the concept provides the opportunity to showcase individual talent and possibly even change the face of the business.
Dare to Challenge
Jamie ‘Adventureman’ McDonald, who also hosted the event, introduced his dare - to challenge. In a part of the afternoon which featured colleagues riding a static bicycle on the stage, he announced Aventum’s charitable plans for the year ahead, which included achieving a World Record in the EC3 Bike Relay. (Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more on that one)!
Dynamic Engagement
For those attending in person, colleagues were divided into two groups. Enabling people to connect with people they may have never met or worked with before, half of the Group took part in Robot Wars, while the other half faced a Formula 1-focused challenge.
In the F1 challenge, teams got a pre-designed chassis and needed to blueprint a bodywork design to build and brand the car, with points awarded for the best designs. From questionable team names to varied pit lane strategies, once complete, the cars raced to see who would emerge victorious.
Meanwhile, in Robot Wars, teams were briefed on building their robot, working together to construct their machines before adding stylish customisation. Then, it was time to go into battle.
Our remote and international colleagues took part in an escape room task online, working together to crack codes and battle in teams in an Arctic survival-themed challenge. Winning teams from all activities were crowned in David’s closing remarks.
Summary
With many colleagues attending their first Dare to Discover event, the afternoon inspired people across the business. We hope the lessons learned from the day will stay with each of our colleagues and dare them to seek out new growth opportunities personally and professionally.
