Background Information: EirGrid plc is a leading Irish energy business, dedicated to the provision of transmission and market services for the benefit of electricity consumers. It is a state-owned commercial company. Eirgrid, formally known as ESB National Grid, participated in an annual team building event called the ‘ESB Power Challenge’. With the new Eirgrid management that annual event was discontinued. However, Eirgrid staff felt that this annual event had been far too beneficial for the people in the company to let go of it, and as a result, Eirgrid staff formed a committee with a view to reinstate it. This was agreed by management as a way of promoting awareness of the Eirgrid values.

After a very successful company team building event provided by Kippure Estate in 2008, Eirgrid chose Kippure Estate again to provide a two day experiential learning programme, which they called Daregrid!

Aims and Objectives: After a thorough needs assessment to define the objectives for the 2009 team building event, Kippure’s facilitators, together with the client, narrowed down the focus of the programme to ‘Living the Eirgrid Values’. Kippure Estate developed a team building programme based on reinforcing the corporate values listed by putting them into practice in a fun and challenging way:  

• Open communication
• The value of knowledge and learning
• Innovation
• Problem-solving
• Develop a ‘can do’ attitude  
• Partnership and teamwork
• Safety is never compromised

Kippure Estate created a tightly structured themed event around these values that saw 90 of their employees participate in challenges that included gentle and fun experiential learning team tasks, high ropes and low ropes activities as well as timed problem-solving activities and a survival treasure hunt based on wilderness survival skills. At the client’s suggestion, tthroughout the course of the event, the Kippure Estate instructors were looking out for participants that best displayed these values and novelty prizes were awarded accordingly at the end of the day.

Feedback: Eirgrid management and staff found the experience extremely rewarding and an excellent learning experience. Eirgrid’s staff found it morale-boosting and motivational. Cross-team communication has improved as a result and there is an upbeat ‘can-do’ attitude throughout the company, due to the awareness of the Eirgrid values.