TheoremOne Retreat 2019: Escape Room
After a difficult breakfast given last night events, once again we divided by project, and the elevate sessions for engineering started. In them two teams sat across the table and for an hour, one team interviewed the other and gave recommendations. Then it was time to switch places and the same happened in the other direction. This was a great exercise, getting to know other projects, their issues, and getting feedback on how could we improve our own problems. I hope we find a way to repeat this exercise again in the months to come.
Next we all gathered in the main meeting room for a talk by Alex Finnemore, our Head of Revenue, with an update of what his team does and how we could help them. I’m thankful for having such talented people working on this important aspect of the company. We’re in good hands.
Lunch followed, refilling our energies for a whole team picture at the backyard of the hotel, and then the next mission: an Escape Room.
Each team was given the key card to a room. Each room had the same setup with clues and puzzles, and our mission was to solve everything to finally get the code for the safe, with a login and password to the Engineer’s home banking. Once there we were able to stop the Engineer from stealing All The Money In The World! Some of the puzzles included solving travel schedules that pointed us to the combination to open a lock, diving into the pool to retrieve clues from the bottom, find another clue in the bathroom window by steaming the bathroom, etc. It was a really fun game and a great experience on collaboration and task management for each team.
Some company members were chosen to film interviews, and the rest were freed to have some 3 hours of free time. Myself and a few others headed back to Saanen and Gstaad to buy gifts and chocolates.
Upon return to the hotel, we were debriefed on the outcome of our missions. We managed to stop The Engineer from stealing All The Money In The World! And we found out his real persona.
We were also shown some videos with highlights of everything we did this wonderful week and, once again, I confirmed that we work on the best company in the world.
Dinner was served and as I walked from table to table I saw a great group of people that was tired but happy. It was bittersweet because we knew it was the end, but still we managed to make good use of the hours we had left: some folks played poker, other danced at the hotel’s club, and some others lit up again the fire pit, sharing wine and beers and enjoying one last magical night in Switzerland.
Laughs, hugs and goodbyes happened, and as I finish writing these lines on my way home, I feel blessed and lucky for the memories and the certainty of being part of an amazing team of talented and wonderful human beings.
Thank you all, add I’ll see you next year!!! ❤️
