We learn a lot on the job and in the office, but a recent team activity taught us an important lesson that we can apply to work too. Last week, both offices met at Flying Rabbit to skeet shoot together for the afternoon. While some people had been before, it was the first time for several others.
“I’ve been to Flying Rabbit a few times before,” said Valerie Hill, one of our Charlottesville engineers. “The important thing is to stay focused on the clay and make sure you’re ready for it when it launches.”
After a brief lesson and some practice rounds, even the rookies were ready to head out to the course. Most of the stations consist of two clays that fly in the air from different directions, but a few stations in, there was a “rabbit” clay that rolled on the ground instead.
“You need to stay ahead of it,” said Troy Rudolph, one of our Harrisonburg engineers who was helping some of the new people. He aimed a little ahead of where the clay would go and hit it on the first try.
“It made me think about the work we do,” said Michael Gennaro, a Charlottesville engineer. “A lot of what we do is reactive – when a plan is changed or new information comes in. But any time you can stay ahead of the work and kind of predict where it’s going, it’s a lot easier to stay on target and get it done.”
Whether the clay is on the ground or in the air, skeet shooting takes a lot of focus. By the end of the afternoon, everyone had successfully hit a target at least once. It just goes to show that keeping your eye on the prize, looking ahead, and working together can help everyone succeed. Those are lessons we can take back to the office!