Case Study
The Microsoft Case Study
Microsoft® needed to create a team building event that would help its executives ‘be the difference’ by taking a few more risks. They took a ‘risk’ themselves and engaged Jack Milner’s comedy team-building event, which produced some great comedy and seriously impressive results
Taking a group of people from within a big company and putting them into an unfamiliar situation does not always produce the best results. That is unless there is a powerful catalyst to make something special happen. Jack Milner’s company, Standup and Deliver is just such a catalyst.
Team Building
Getting to know the people in your company can be difficult. Nodding acquaintance is the norm outside the close circle of direct team members. Getting a real team spirit amongst 230 people is a challenge and one which was embraced by Microsoft EPG when it came to creating a team building workshop for their annual 3-day conference.
It’s serious yet fun!
Standup and deliver was personally recommended by another division of Microsoft which had successfully used Jack Milner for sales and presentation skills training.
New General Manager, John Jester, was looking for an event to build on the theme of the new business mantra ‘Be the difference’. The key objectives were to improve communications, reduce a natural aversion to risk taking and above all have some fun!
Comedy requires commitment
Jack Milner revealed, “Comedy requires commitment, which is why it works so well as a group training exercise. One cynic would kill the event and smother creativity, a bit like in business, so the theme ‘Be the difference’ was so relevant to the success of the whole event. Everybody joined in.”
Laughter breaks down barriers
Laughter is a great way to break down barriers. It allows people to take some risks without being shown up or humiliated in any way. The workshops
are designed to promote risk taking, but also engender confidence in the participants to get things wrong and still feel safe.
And now the final curtain
Finally, new GM, John Jester added a concluding comment, “I am delighted with the success of our kick-off. Comedy added such a buzz to the event. Jack Milner’s approach and dedication to making it work, ensured this was a successful event. I recommend Jack and Standup & Deliver as a brilliant team to bring something completely different to a company conference.”
"I am delighted with the success of our kick-off. Comedy added such a buzz to the event"
- John Jester, GM Microsoft -