How the members of a large judo club arrange their club championship and the subsequent Christmas party, you can read here:
1. The Familiar Competition Followed by Something New
1.1. First, There Are Distressing News
The club championship is a long-standing pre-Christmas tradition. Following its completion, all participants, as well as further members have over the last few years celebrated in the same pizzeria, which all of them just loved. This year, however, they have to realise deeply saddened that the very pizzeria has not survived the hard times economically.
However, the sports club itsself with its many departments possesses a club house. Why shouldn't the judo department celebrate there, as well? This is something new and needs to be meticulously planned and organised on top of the competition.
1.2. Planning in Advance and What Does the Environment Look Like?
The ones responsible for planning the event, we can almost call them the masters of ceremonies of the judo department, Anna, Sarah, and Peter, anticipate that quite a few of the other divisions will organise a Christmas party and, therefore, plan the date early in advance.
After the three of them have obtained the confirmation of their desired date, they ask for an inspection of the venue in advance, because, in their view, it is vital for a successful party to know the environment well.
1.3. No-One Can Know So Much by Heart
Prior to their appointment, they think of many questions: Where will they set up their planned buffet, and where can their guests sit down in a cosy atmosphere? How will the kitchen be equipped? Will there be a dishwasher, or how shall they manage the anticipated huge numbers of used plates?
As Sarah, Anna, and Peter don't want to forget anything during their appointment, they have written down all the important items. They also use their mnemonic.
After everything has been completely clarified, and they have seen that the venue is as welcoming as it is practical, they are relieved as they end their appointment. They will miss their pizzeria, but their first step towards their party was successful.
2. The Industrious Judoka Launch into Their Preparations
2.1. Help, Our Team Is too Small, and We Need to Communicate That Clearly
Peter, Anna, and Sarah realise that they will have many more preparations than in the years before. They will be needing help and decide to call for it early. On the same day, they turn to their club mates with an email. They communicate their situation clearly and ask their companions to assist them.
2.2. The Expanded Team Gets Organised and Starts Working
Liza, Johanna, Ben, and Christian have joined in rapidly. Only one day later, Kate and Tom follow them. The expanded team meets for the first time. Equipped with writing utensils, laptops, a flipchart, and plenty of gingerbread, they first assign themselves to the respective tasks. These are food and beverages for the party, organising the party, and organising the competition.
Leadership
Peter will lead the preparation of the buffet, a mixture of delivered warm dishes, as well as salads and desserts, which the guest will bring along. Anna will take care of the organisation of the party itsself which includes, for instance, the invitations, and acquisition of crockery, the preparation of the venue with enough seats, decoration, and many more details.
Sarah will lead the organisation of the athletic competition. She will take care of timely enrollment, and classifications, the scheduling of the subgroups of the competition, the preparation of the gym, as well as the ordering of the trophies. Immediately, she thinks of many more items.
All New Team Members May Participate with Assertiveness
The six new team members assign themselves spontaneously to the three areas of responsibility. Kate and Tom join Peter, Anna will be supported actively by Benny and Christian. Liza and Johanna will prepare the competition together with Sarah.
Right from the start, the three experienced encourage their new team members to contribute constructively, to make suggestions, and to address neglects, or critical incidents, which they may notice, with assertiveness.
Planning, Cognitive Aids, and Resources
In their subgroups, the members of all three areas of responsibility are now discussing the details. Checklists and organigrammes are being written, materials and time scheduling planned, resources discussed, and, from time to time, a hearty laugh can be heard.
3. So Many Different Items Need to Be Considered and Done
3.1. A Substantial Workload
In all three areas, there is a substantial workload. Deftly, the leaders distribute these between their team members and themselves.
So, Peter asks his assistants, Kate and Tom, to take care of the salads and desserts, whilst he himself talks to butchers and catering services to inquire about prices of meat and vegetarian dishes. After consulting with his team, he finally places the orders.
3.2. We Need a Wealth of Information
To organise the setting of the party perfectly, Anna needs a wealth of information. She then needs to consider every single piece of it. She asks Benny to process the registration including the deadline early so that she can prepare for the respective number of guests. In the meantime, Christian confers with Peter to find out how many dishes and beverages will have to be accomodated on the buffet, from which it can be deducted, how many tables have to be placed where for this.
3.3. Unfortunate Injuries Can Regrettably Not Be Ruled Out
Whilst Liza and Johanna are allocating the participants to the according start groups, Sarah anticipates that, unfortunately, injuries may happen. Therefore, she needs to plan for first aid. She herself hasn´t to deal with this that often and contemplates what resources she has at her disposal.
A close friend of hers is with the emergency medical service. Together with her, Sarah repeats elaborately, what types of injuries are most common, what first aid procedures may become necessary, and what kinds of dressing material she needs to have in place.
4. The Competition and the Party Take Shape
4.1. First Deliveries Arrive and Are Checked Meticulously
One week in advance of the event, the trophies and medals are being delivered to Sarah, and one day prior to the Christmas party, Anna receives the poinsettias and fir branches, which she had ordered. Both of them accept the deliveries in person. They don´t want to hurt anyone´s feelings, but have sensible doubts whether everything is complete. Meticulously, they double check the delivery notes and the goods themselves. They don´t merely assume that executions, or quantities will be in order.
4.2. Treacherous Assumptions
Once again, Anna, Benny, and Christian go over the plates, glasses, and cutlery, which actually are stored in the club house. Concerning the washing up, where there is a dishwasher, there are the dishwasher tabs, as well. Really?
When Christian brings the topic up, Anna says immediately that he is right. The little team may not fixate on that assumption and then be left without a detergent. They decide to confirm that prior to their training on the next day. Together the team reflects whether it might make any more fixation errors. In order to avoid them, it will examine all other assumptions thoroughly (under the sink are the dustbin and, of course, the fitting rubbish bags).
5. It's Make or Break
The big day has arrived. In the perfectly prepared gym, the first competitors are warming up. Amongst them is also Sarah, together with other members of our organisation team. She has discussed this with Liza and Johanna early in advance and made sure that Peter with his experience will support the two newer team members actively.
5.1. Excellent Teamwork Is Always Sought After
Now, the team members pay even more attention to delivering excellent teamwork. For instance, they concentrate on the start lists and calling the participants by name in the right order. Continuously, they coordinate their tasks with one another and ascertain that they have understood everything correctly. In addition, they ensure a constructive atmosphere in the first place. Despite their great concentration, they notice that everything is running smoothly. Of course, they are absolutely delighted about it and this is worth all the efforts.
5.2. Sarah Must Now Allocate Her Attention Wisely
On the one hand, Sarah´s heart is with her industrious team, but on the other hand she knows that she must allocate her attention wisely now if she wants to be successful. The judges, as well, have to focus their attention exactly. No forbidden manoeuvre and no point, which a competitor is just scoring, may evade them. Deliberately, they have to disregard the elated cheers from the audience to concentrate on their task.
6. The Well-Deserved Christmas Party
6.1. The Team Adapts Once More and Continues to Deliver Great Work
After the solemn award ceremony, everyone is celebrating in a relaxed manner. Sarah is happy, she has won silver in her start category. Despite of this, she in particular adapts swiftly, as the team is still in high demand. Anna and Peter are leading, Sarah now becomes a team member with Peter and is helping actively on the buffet with the arrangement and replenishment of dishes. The team members still pay attention to a constructive atmosphere and good communication. They take the challenge in their stride.
6.2. The Party Is Dynamic
The guests help themselves heartily to the main course in several rounds. The team has to provide empty tea trolleys for the used plates several times, before the guests start to place them next to the precious Christmas lamp arches on the window sills.
Beverages are being poured into glasses, empty bottles have to be taken away and new ones have to be provided. And when is the best time to offer the desserts on the buffet? As hard-working members of the club are being honoured for their commitment, this is the perfect moment to change over in the background.
Time and again, the team re-evaluates the situation and decides, what courses of action are necessary when. Within a few seconds, it clarifies what it will have to do in the next minutes, and who will take on what tasks.
6.3. How to Solve Small Incidents
In the middle of a conversation, a glass is accidentally swept from the edge of the table by a passionate gesture. One guest stumbles and, fortunately, manages not to fall. Part of his dessert, however, which he is transporting to his seat, lands on the wooden floor with a wet slapping sound.
Over and over again, a team member interrupts what he or she is doing in order to prioritise these small incidents dynamically and to tidy up.
6.4. A Huge Praise and Small Christmas Baskets
To their surprise, all team members are asked by the board of the club to come to the front of the banqueting hall a little later that evening. There, a respectable gift box has already been placed. Where did it come from without anyone noticing it?
The board members explicitly wished to thank the committed hosts from the bottom of their hearts for the most successful competition and the atmospheric Christmas party. Now, small Christmas baskets are lifted out of the gift box, and the board members present every single team member with one of those.
Whilst the team steps down from the podium accompanied by the frenetic applause from their guests, we may have the small but precious Christmas wish that brilliant teamwork will also be honoured more and more during the daily use of CRM - and not only there.
7. Finalising Work and a Cosy Debriefing Session
After the celebrations have lasted until long after midnight, the team immediately tidies up what is most necessary. A substantial part of the leftovers have been carried away by grateful and happy guests. Exhausted but very satisfied, all the team members make their way home, as well. They will meet again after a few hours already.
Debrifing Session at a Cosy Advent Breakfast Table
The day after the superb Christmas party, the team has to hand over the club house in splendid condition. Therefore, it meets there and starts the day with a cosy Advent breakfast to which a lot of coffee is served after the short night.
At the same time, Anna, Sarah, and Peter seize the opportunity to have a debriefing session together with their team members. During that, they want to know from their newcomers first, how they have perceived the preparations, the competition, and the party, as well as what observations they have made. In doing so, the prevent that their industrious assistants agree to the opinions of the experienced due to caution, or restraint.
There are only a few minor items which the team has noticed and writes down carefully for the next year. Then, it starts the clean-up.
Praise and Gratitude Again
After the last floor has been swept thoroughly, the team gathers again for a closing coffee break. Anna, Peter, and Sarah follow their board of the club and praise their companions to the skies and thank them for the jointly executed work.
8. Merry Christmas and Welcome back in the New Year
If you would like to know more about successful teamwork for your Christmas preparations, please visit last year´s hard-working Christmas bakers .
Dear readers, I wish you a solemn and cosy time in Advent, a Merry Christmas and already now a Happy New Year full of luck and success!
I will be delighted to welcome you back with new blog articles in the new year.
Author: Eva-Maria Schottdorf
Date: December 3rd 2022
On my blog page , I have linked more blog articles for you.