So yesterday was our annual kickoff day, which we held in the Bullitt Hotel in Belfast. But why do we hold an annual kickoff day?
It allows our whole company (now 20 Hawks) to come together to launch the year with intent, structure and cohesion.
We get an opportunity to discuss what we did right and celebrate that success. We also triage what we didn't get right and discuss how we will improve and remedy for the coming year. We put the past in the past, and we create a future to live into.
As a rapidly growing business, maintaining and also improving our culture is an ongoing challenge. The annual kickoff allows us to recap on our core values, vision and mission which keeps both the old Hawks and new on the same page.
Aside from the senior leadership team just presenting and dictating, every single Hawk has the opportunity to make their own presentation, which is completely autonomous and with a format of their own choosing. We find the opportunity to stand up in front of your team to discuss your achievements and disappointments for the previous year, plans for the new year, personal goals, wedding plans and suggestions for improvement etc. give everyone in Hayward Hawk a real sense of ownership, achievement and belonging.
We take part in a well thought out, challenging and relevant team building activity. And we take away some form of learning from it. (Watch out for a post on this years).
Our kickoff is no stroll in the park. It is real work around planning, structuring and creating the year. It is one of our best uses for company money and time.
Top takeaway: Hold a kickoff meeting this year. Don't even limit yourself to just one, half-yearly and quarterly also work :)
