At Work Challenge captains keep teams motivated
Riding high on the energetic launch of the Fittest Loser At Work Challenge, team captains are finding ways to overcome obstacles and keep fellow members motivated.
Front and center in their task lies the hurdle of weaving professional relationships and personal health goals, into one cohesive team mission.
Diverse cultures, history and experiences, also create challenges when co-workers come together to form a team.
As a captain, how do you keep the energy lively and meaningful, while charting a course to the fittest finish line?
Let's check in on team progress, three weeks into the competition.
Elk Grove Village TWE Inc, Team The Waist Eliminators, struggles to find time for additional exercise due to lots of desk sitting and little walking.
Captain Jennifer Bunger got on board with Fitbit, and after a personal trial run with the health tracker, placed an order for the entire company. In addition to putting sweets on ice, this group used their biggest on-site asset: a huge warehouse for a new program, "Tag-Team Walking."
Designed to infuse exercise and game energy into their day, they are bringing a new fitness spin to their 10 a.m. work break. When 10 a.m. hits, an alarm goes off and the first person takes a walk around the warehouse. When they get back, they tag the first person on the team they see. Then that person walks, and so on.
Management Association Team Refit, a Downers Grove company, stays motivated when they hold each other accountable via email.
"Our biggest challenge is keeping the momentum going when life gets busy," says Captain Julie Belloli. "We're rarely in the office together, so it's tough to work out as a group."
Team member Mary Lynn Fayoumi says fellow co-workers remain creative and helpful, willing to share tips and ideas. Joy Lynn Hyer sees how fellow team members help to build each other up by giving encouragement and recognition.
Companion teams from Salon Lorrene in Palatine, put on Thursday potluck lunches featuring healthy entrees.
Taking a walk on the culinary wild side with new foods, cooking classes and sharing recipes, helps keep everyone on track for preparing healthy meals at work and home. This high energy group has organized workout teams for kickboxing, boot camp and yoga. The teams challenging themselves individually to dig deeper during workouts, they also motivate each other to reach for a personal best.
Captain Lori Tumilty of Itasca's RobertShaw Team RobertShaw 1, has experienced how differences among team members poses challenges.
Their weekly meetings to discuss problems, frustrations and progress continue to offer a source of strength, Lori says, sharing her insights to success.
"It is OK to be frustrated, but you need to keep trying. That is what the team is about, encouragement and continuing to move forward, even if your scale said you moved backward," she said.
Your At Work Challenge quote of the week: "There is no "I" in team, but there is in win." Michael Jordan.