Like any other office environment, every once in awhile we need to step away from our computers, get out from behind our desks and bond over some fun. This sparked us thinking about ways we could disconnect from our screens and grow our comradery. We talked about wine tasting, art classes, cooking lessons, but finally decided (no really) on experiencing what it felt liked to be locked in a room together.
When we scanned the room options at Exit Strategy, a 60-minute escape room challenge, it didn’t take us long to find our challenge: Lost in Space.
Escaping with only a few seconds to spare we were fueled by a common goal – survival. Looking back, we learned more than the fact that the trying the same key in the same lock over and over won’t make it work. In order to successfully survive (and win) the game, you have to depend on each other.
We found our biggest take-aways were things overlapped with how we work together in the office. Here is what we learned:
Lesson 1: Have the right people on your team.
Remember back in elementary school when you got excited when all the fast kids were on your dodgeball team? The same goes in our office. As we tried to figure out different pieces of the puzzle, each person’s ideas, opinions and input were critical.
No one sat back and let the others do the work. No one was demanding that we do it their way. Everyone was important. Everyone had a voice and everyone’s talent and creativity was depended on.
Working to craft meaningful solutions for our clients, each person’s particular talents are utilized in order to create the best result. As a project develops, everyone who is involved has a voice and each person’s input is valuable. The best part about working with the right team members on a project is that you know you get the best result when you’re done!
Lesson 2: Communication is key.
Like any good relationship, you have to communicate. Sharing your thoughts during the game was critical. If you didn’t always ask or tell the rest of the team what you were thinking, you could miss connections, key insights and already discovered dead-ends.
For example, one of us had been staring at a small clip found inside an unlocked tool box. Instead of only looking around to see what it could connect to, once it was said aloud our 5 eyes and brains quickly figured out where it went, eventually leading us to an important code that opened the door.
In our office, this is true as well. If we are trying to find the best way to accomplish a project, we create flow charts and idea boards that help us as a group communicate all the key information of a project. We also pride ourselves on communicating thoroughly with the client to make sure that everyone is on the same page throughout the project.
Lesson 3: It feels good to celebrate.
With each key that worked, a discovery of something important and progress through the game, we had opportunities to celebrate with each other. A favorite moment of the game came when we had less than a minute to figure out the way out of the door, and we managed to get the right key into the right spot….and we got out.
In time.
Besides winning the game (you win by getting out within a certain time frame- which means you need to wear extra deodorant for this game), we had the chance to accomplish something together.
At Moonlight there’s nothing quite like seeing ideas we’ve helped dream up with our clients put into motion. Whether it’s celebrating with the client who finally has a brand they believe in or seeing the community rally around a cause we’ve helped promote, it’s important to take time to appreciate those special moments.
While we’re not ready to sign up to get locked in a room as part of our workflow routine, sometimes it takes stepping away from the routine to realize the meaning in the every day.
