A 2-day meeting in the beautiful North Brabant
We at goMICE regularly organise (multi-day) Meetings for various clients. This time I am reporting on a 2-day meeting organised by us. We were also personally present ourselves to ensure everything ran smoothly.
The objective of the meeting
Aside from organising a good and enjoyable meeting, the goal was to challenge the group and push their boundaries. With that objective in mind, we got to work.
The client's regular project manager: Nadia had once again organised everything brilliantly from A to Z. We therefore set off for the venue with confidence; everything was under control. This time we had chosen a “green“ location, but one equipped with all modern conveniences and technology.
We arrived on site early. We quickly went through and checked everything with our contact person on the spot. This included the plenary hall, the AV equipment and the check-in procedure.
The meeting in North Brabant
The meeting went smoothly. Meanwhile, together with our regular supplier, we were busy shaping the planned outdoor cooking. When everything is set up and displayed outside, it often generates great reactions from the participants!
Soon it was time for drinks and once again the participants were surprised by what they found in the beautiful garden. The weather was lovely, which makes the way we set up outdoor cooking look extra cool.
The cookery workshop was organised in an “old-style” fashion. The cooking was to be prepared over an open fire in various types of pans. The brief was to generate a lot of interaction, which would also strengthen team spirit. This was achieved very well in this way, because cooking together always brings people together after all. Just like with this group.
Outdoor-cooking workshop
We divided the group into smaller groups, the aprons were handed out and very soon each group was busy preparing a part of the overall meal. Half a cow had to be boned, which a real butcher assisted with.
There was also a whole salmon that needed to be prepared. Real chefs provided the right support in the preparation of all the dishes. For some it took a little getting used to, but before long everyone was visibly enjoying themselves.
Simultaneously at table
The trick is always for all the groups to finish at the same time and that was successful once again. After about 1.5 hours of cooking, it was time to take a seat in the garden and enjoy all the delicious, honest dishes. Everyone was unanimous about the quality: delightfully flavorful meat and fish, just as it is supposed to taste!
A long summer evening
The participants stayed outside enjoying themselves for a long time before finally heading off to bed. Recharging for a bit was definitely needed, because in the morning an ultimate challenge was on the agenda: an Expedition Robinson challenge!
The Expedition Robinson Challenge
After breakfast, the time had come. Once again, the group was divided into smaller groups and they really had to bite the bullet. Whereas the day before everyone still thought they were tough when butchering half a cow, they now recoiled when everyone heard that they also had to eat mealworms and grasshoppers, provided they wanted to emerge victorious from the battle!
Yet here too, no one showed any weakness and the competitive spirit quickly flared up again. Many difficult challenges had to be completed once more and everyone was visibly enjoying themselves. Some had to overcome a few hurdles, but boundaries were soon pushed!
It is great to see how people can change from being reticent to very fanatical. You see leaders stepping up and with that they eventually got their entire group fanatical.
Ultimately we received various compliments on the organisation and can look back with satisfaction on a successful 2-day meeting in North Brabant.