A Teambuild Q and A with our Winners!

TeamBuild 2014 may be over, but the experience, the knowledge and the opportunities gained will stay with our contestants forever. We would like to congratulate all our winners once again on their TeamBuild success; 2014 was such a fantastic year for everyone involved and we have been so impressed with the professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication displayed by all our winners that we wanted to get their view on the event.

Through a series of Q&A, our winners took a moment to reflect on their amazing Teambuild experience and what it meant for them. And by offering their views, they are giving us all a fascinating insight into what they gained from entering and how it will help them in their future working life. But that’s not all – here at Teambuild, we are constantly striving to give each and every contestant the best experience they can possibly have from such an event and by listening to our winners, we can strive to make Teambuild even better in 2015.

Take a look at what our winners have to say and be inspired for Teambuild 2015…

Arran Ewin, Architectural Assistant/Teambuild 2014 Winner

How did you find out about Teambuild?

I discovered Teambuild through a member of my team Emily Bonner, who was looking for people to form a team. I persuade Sally Emery and Samantha Barclay from KSS to join us in creating a team, whilst Emily sourced the other two members of the team: Emilie Webster and Helen Payne.

Only Emily and I had worked directly together in the past, but our companies have all worked together over the years. Our team was formed through our shared ethos and pre-existing working relationships between our respective companies to form a cohesive team.

What did you enjoy about Teambuild?

Teambuild offered a great opportunity to work with different members of the industry as a holistic whole rather than a series of separate companies. Teambuild gave me an insight into how the different disciplines perceive the industry and helped me understand their approach and perspectives across each stage of the competition. I would regard these insights as an invaluable experience in developing my own career.

What was your idea for Teambuild 2014 and why did you choose it?

Our approach was to provide a diverse solution to the problem presented by the judges. We did this by bending the initial brief to encompass the whole tower block of Eastbourne Terrace. We proposed different uses across its multiple floor plates, in order to diversify the client’s portfolio and de-risk the project, but also to create a holistic, robust and sustainable approach the project.

What skills have you learnt?

The competition enabled me to develop my ability to work well within a team; however, I also learnt a lot about myself, and how I react within group situations. As a result of the competition, I have discovered when to put myself forward for a task and when to step back and support the team.

What was your biggest challenge?

Our team was split over multiple companies and areas of the UK, so it was a challenge to meet together as a team. We had not previously entered the competition or knew of anyone in the last 20 years that had entered.

How do you think this has set you up for you and your future career?

Teambuild offers invaluable networking opportunities within your own team and others. I have a greater appreciation for different disciplines and understanding for their approach to the project.

Would you recommend the Teambuild event to others? If so, why?

I would recommend Teambuild to anyone who is keen to push themselves, wants to network within the industry and who wants to develop an understanding of their own roles and responsibilities, along with others within the design team.

Sally Emery (RIBA) Architect/Teambuild Winner 2014

How did you find out about Teambuild?

A colleague suggested we form a team after a contact from a different practice had mentioned it to him. I hadn’t heard of Teambuild until then.

What did you enjoy about Teambuild?

The big focus on working as a team on all the challenges, including the dinner challenge.

What was your idea for Teambuild 2014 and why did you choose it?

We proposed a low-level office development with a hotel above, plus an additional two floors of hotel with a roof top bar. We decided a hotel would work well next to the Crossrail development and the return seemed to be better than many of the other options available.

What skills have you learnt?

How to adapt as a team and let the appropriate individual lead the tasks they are more suited too. Having one leader for the whole weekend would have been restricting and we found it was best to be flexible and play to each other’s strengths.

What was your biggest challenge?

Public speaking. Presenting to the whole group at the start and end of the weekend was challenging, as it’s not something I do very often. The smaller presenting tasks within the group rooms were much easier however, and I thought I had improved by the end of the weekend.

How do you think this has set you up for you and your future career?

I think it’s given me more confidence in myself – and in my ability to work in the construction industry. The weekend also allowed me to make some new contacts, which I’m sure will be useful as I move on within the industry.

Would you recommend the Teambuild event to others?

Yes, definitely. In particular to those in the process of doing their RIBA Part 3 qualification as I think it would be a really good introduction to a lot of the topics covered, especially the procurement and risk task on day one.

 

Emily Bonner, Structural engineer (Mott MacDonald)/Teambuild Winner 2014

How did you find out about Teambuild?

A senior member of staff in my team took part in the competition as a graduate and recommended it to me.

What did you enjoy about Teambuild?

The opportunity to work more closely with young people from other companies, and to solve challenges as a multi-disciplinary team – something which there are few opportunities to be involved in as a graduate.

What skills have you learnt?

I have learnt about working as a team, particularly how to delegate tasks to suit people’s skills and knowledge. I also learnt a lot of presentation skills.

What was your biggest challenge?

Giving lots of presentations, with little time to prepare.

How do you think this has set you up for you and your future career?

It has given me more confidence in my abilities and it has encouraged me to challenge myself, particularly when it comes to presenting.

Would you recommend the Teambuild event to others? If so, why?

Yes, it’s a great opportunity to meet other people in the profession and learn about other disciplines, as well as a good opportunity to test your knowledge.

 

Emilie Webster, Executive Surveyor (gardiner&theobald LLP)/Teambuild Winner 2014

How did you find out about Teambuild?

I hadn’t heard of it – one of my other teammates had been told about it by her supervisor and she suggested it.

What did you enjoy about Teambuild?

The chance to meet lots of new people and the chance to try something a bit different – not just sticking to your usual role, but getting involved in other aspects of the construction process too.

What was your idea for Teambuild 2014 and why did you choose it?

A hotel. It seemed that the area was saturated with office builds, but hotels produce a higher yield and there is large investment from foreign brands in London hotels at the moment.

What skills have you learnt?

Time management – the tasks were so quick we didn’t have time to waste!

Presentation skills – I hate giving presentations but on the weekend you just had to get on with it and present what you were working on. It made me realise how much I let my nerves affect me – on the first presentation I had days to worry about it but by the second I only had a few minutes to gather my thoughts and didn’t have time to get nervous! It also gave me a much better understanding of the other roles within the team.

What was your biggest challenge?

Meeting the time frames – it was very fast-paced throughout the weekend.

How do you think this has set you up for you and your future career?

I think it has given me a lot of confidence. It has also given me the opportunity to make a lot of new contacts and to be more self-aware (understanding what I am good at and what I need to work on). It has also helped me identify which aspects of my work I enjoy, which I think will definitely help me plan and direct my career in the right direction.

Would you recommend the Teambuild event to others? If so, why?

Yes, definitely! I think it pushes you outside of your comfort zone – you have to work on things that you wouldn’t normally do. You don’t have all the resources you usually have at work so you have to think on your feet. The tight timeframes make you realise how much you can do in a short space of time. I think the confidence, time management and presentation skills you learn are invaluable – whatever your profession.

Helen Payne, Senior Mechanical Engineer (BWB Consulting Limited) /Teambuild Winner 2014

How did you find out about Teambuild?

Emilie Webster on our team invited me to join the team after the mechanical engineer who was originally on the team dropped out.

What did you enjoy about Teambuild?

I enjoyed meeting new people, including my team, and working through all the stages of a project over a weekend. Normally, this would take several months, maybe even years.

What was your idea for Teambuild 2014 and why did you choose it?

Our idea at outline design was to design a ‘mixed use’ scheme for Land Securities. This met their brief for diversifying their investments to reduce risk. Our scheme included offices to tie into the adjacent buildings, a conference centre and a hotel, with a rooftop restaurant to make the best use of the views and create an iconic landmark in Paddington. These land uses are sought after in Paddington, as Cross Rail will improve transport links, making Paddington a transport hub for both work and pleasure.

What skills have you learnt?

I have definitely improved my presentation skills. It was great receiving feedback from the judges on presentation skills and then having the opportunity to put that into practice just a few hours later.

What was your biggest challenge?

Meeting the client’s brief in such a short space of time. For most tasks, we had around 1 ½ – 2 hours to understand the client’s brief, develop the design and information, and prepare a presentation. This makes the weekend feel very intense, but it is great fun!

How do you think this has set you up for you and your future career?

It has helped me to improve my confidence generally, particularly when making presentations. Presenting is not something that I have a chance to do every day, so when I do, I sometimes become nervous. This process has helped me overcome the nerves by giving me feedback on presentation skills and how to answer direct questions from the client.

Would you recommend the Teambuild event to others? If so, why?

Definitely! The process allows you to learn so much about yourself, how to work as a team and how to improve your presentation skills.