December 19, 2019 by David Yoder Wedgworth Wire 0 comments

Day 1: From Strangers to Tears in 12 Hours Flat

Who knew you could take 30 complete strangers, add in a couple team-building challenges, rubber-play toys, Legos, and a personal item and bring these unique individuals to tears in less than 12 hours? That is just what occurred with the kickoff of Seminar I of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute’s Class XI. Here’s how it quickly added up:

30 strangers meet up at 9 AM at Lake Wauburg, south of Gainesville to learn who we will spend the next 22 months with,

THEN break them into teams with rubber play toys, tarps, team building exercises, an obstacle course with blindfolds, water cans and Legos,

NOW we know who we are teammates with and begin to glimpse just how cool this group is going to be interacting with.

Take these 30 now-teammates that did not know each other 12 hours previously, gather for an afternoon session on leading with humilty, and then take part in a meal graciously hosted by Florida Farm Bureau that evening.

THEN have them each bring a personal item to tell about themselves.

NOW you have tears, vulnerability, and a closeness to teammates that is something I have never seen come together so quickly.

After spending the day learning names and getting to know each other, we each shared a personal belonging that was special to us. Whether this was about a special pocket knife passed down from generation to generation, a very personal item maybe sacred or reminder of a parent, a Christmas ornament, a pair of work boots, a special memento necklace as a reminder of a dad passed too soon, a belt buckle or two, the wrist band announcing the birth of a brand new baby, or simply an item as a reminder of where we came from. All led to a connection of a team ready to see our communities and world in a whole new light.

“Team 11” is off to a great start. We now know who our teammates are, the names they will go by, and who forgot to wear deodorant the first day.

The Class 11 team of the WLI – the class so great that we require two #1s!