However, I found this nice blog post about Special Olympics on Mothers day. Check it out!

Today we remember mothers who inspire, love, sacrifice, devote and never stop looking after us no matter our age or ability. Glen Finland, mother of Special Olympics athlete David Finland, shares some reflections on motherhood. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and moms-to-be! More…

Before you start your weekend, you should first end your hectic week with a funny video.

Time to talk a bit about “camaraderie”. This word popped up in our 10sec pitch a few years ago. It’s probably one of the most important words that characterizes the Hercules Trophy and many people don’t understand why it’s so important within business teams.

Camaraderie is crucial to build great teams. If you don’t connect on an emotional level, you won’t achieve smashing results together. Believe me, people won’t go the extra mile for your company, no matter how much bonuses you promised them. A few weeks ago I met a funny manager at a reception who said: “We don’t celebrate great results of teams. We pay our people more than enough.” He was serious. Hope he reads my blog and sees how shocking this statement is.

Gostick and Elton talk about 11 areas to focus on to build camaraderie in your business teams. It’s amazing to see that Hercules Trophy actually helps in EVERY single area!?!

• shared experiences: a lot of experiences on one day
• shared symbols: participants are proud to defend company colors
• shared challenges: a lot of hurdles and milestone on one day
• shared rewards: everybody’s a winner, we all celebrate like never before
• personal balance: Hercules Trophy takes you outside the business environment
• shared voice: no-brainer
• shared skills: you learn a lot about each other on one day, after one hour the curtains are gone
• shared competitors: o yes, you’ll meet a lot of them on one day
• shared fun: not too much
• shared environment: yep
• shared relationships: check

Gostick and Elton give great tips to work on every single area. I have one tip: join the Hercules Trophy with your team and you’ll work on every single one of them on one day!!!

Dear funny manager, if people really are your biggest assets, as you tell them in your yearly evaluation chat, INVEST in them to get a higher RETURN. It’s a pretty simple equation to so many of you just don’t understand. Try it, you’ll be amazed!

Have you seen his TED talk? It’s about the art of followership.

I couldn’t agree more with his analysis. I took out a few pieces to comment on:

• I like his statement at the end of his speech: “Why should I follow you?” Rings a bell? It’s another way of saying the first line in my mantra: “What’s your dream?” What are you passionate about? How can you ever be successful if you don’t know what your dream is?
• Do you think you have a “stupid” dream? There’s a great Apple video in his TED talk about people who think they are crazy enough to change the world. People who think different. So now you know why I like Jamie? If not, you should read my blog more often

• “You need to thank your followers constantly”. We do that. We call our followers fans. 90% comes back every year. That’s not just because the Hercules Trophy is such an awesome event. It’s so much more. Fans know why. you have to experience it ones, and then you’ll know. Even fans can’t explain. Fans make it their event. We just create a platform. So thanks again fans, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you.
• “People look for electrifying moments”. Nicely put Jaime! That’s what we do at Hercules Trophy. People need to get out of their daily routine, do sports, connect with other people, have fun, do some good…if we want them to lead the Herculean Lifestyle.

And about the Herculean Lifestyle we have exciting things to announce shortly. Watch this space. You’ll be surprised…or not, if you know us well!

The second edition of Hercules Trophy, the super-charged intercompany teambuilding and networking event, held at 7he Sevens Stadium in Dubai last Thursday, has been hailed a BIGGER and BETTER event by participants and organisers.

A total of 86 corporate teams, comprising between five and seven players, were put to 12 different sporting challenges with a fun twist designed to help them master teamwork and bonding. While only one team – Super Wild Wadi Athletic Gamers (SWAAG) from Wild Wadi Waterpark – took home the official 2012 Hercules Trophy (the team that came nearest to winning last year), all participants said they felt like winners and enjoyed the event.

Following Wild Wadi Waterpark in second place was Team TAYLOR from ALEC, LLC and third place was the 7 Deadly Sins from Bayt.com.

The full list of results can be found on the website: www.herculestrophy.com

Chris Perry, General Manager, Wild Wadi Waterpark said: “Congratulations to Wild Wadi for winning the 2012 Hercules Trophy and to biz-events for putting on another great event! Training starts on Sunday for Hercules 2013!”

The Hercules Trophy UAE 2012, organised by biz-events, the Middle East’s largest & leading corporate teambuilding company, got off to an early start with teams registering onsite by 7:30am. The exciting opening ceremony with the traditional lighting of the flame and reciting of oaths followed by the Hercules dance which all players and crew enthusiastically participated in certainly set the tone for the rest of the day.

That enthusiasm continued to build throughout the day as teams competed for points across 12 Herculean labours. Through the camaraderie of sport, participants got to think, act and perform as a team while strengthening relationships with their colleagues in a fun and non-threatening environment.

GM of Danzas, Michael Buckley the winner of first edition of Hercules Trophy Middle East in 2011 said “We had another great experience at the Hercules Trophy and we’re delighted to once again finish in the top five. The events were challenging but very enjoyable and we saw some great examples of team spirit, teamwork and fair play throughout the day. We congratulate Wild Wadi on their success this year but we’ll certainly be back again next year to try to reclaim our trophy!”

Commenting on the success of the second edition of Hercules Trophy UAE, Bev Mileham, General Manager of biz-events said: “We are delighted with the success of our second Hercules Trophy and are overwhelmed by the amazing spirit in which all the teams have embraced this incredible and unique intercompany team building event. Organising an event of this nature is no small feat and I have to thank our amazing crew lead by our exceptional Hercules Operations Manager, Tania Gelasini. We have already started thinking about the next one!”

About Hercules Trophy:

The Hercules Trophy is a super-charged inter-company teambuilding event that helps enhance relationships between employees, customers and suppliers through the camaraderie of sport.

The inaugural Hercules Trophy UAE organised by biz-events, the Middle East’s leading corporate teambuilding company was held in Dubai in February 2011 with 78 corporate teams. Teams of 5 to 7 people participate in 12 ‘labours’ or sporting challenges with a fun twist. Each activity requires participants to think, act and perform as a team, and the emotional resonance created by the event continues at both the team and individual level long after the day. So successful is the outcome of Hercules Trophy that the event enjoys a 91% return rate every year.

www.herculestrophy.com

About biz-events

Part of the biz-group, biz-events has evolved into the largest and most sophisticated team event management company in the region. Our team of event managers and facilitators deliver an average of 200 teambuilding events a year, engaging over 10,000 company employees annually. We guarantee flawless execution, instant impact and total employee engagement. biz-events is the exclusive licensed partner for Hercules Trophy in the UAE.

www.biz-events.com

Hercules crew from Hercules Germany, The Netherlands, USA and International will fly-in to help out during the event! We had a lot of fun last year…this year it’s going to be even bigger! Crew = crewcial!

Here in Europe we still have 2,6 years to go for the Europe/Eurasia Summer Games in Antwerp (SO2014). Happy to be part of the organising committee and happy to support Special Olympics here in Belgium through the Hercules Trophy!

I hope you’ll all help our famous mascot Herculix to do some good this year. The Herculix Foundation was founded by Inge and it supports Special Olympics in Belgium, Laureus Foundation in The Netherlands, Randall’s Island Sport Foundation in New York and much more to come.

Took the week off from Christmas until New Year. One of the rare holiday weeks this year. That’s what you get when you love your life.

I evaluated the year 2011 with Inge and decided what to focus on in 2012 to get closer to our long term goals.

Did everything go as planned? Of course not. Nothing ever does, so stop complaining and start working harder! Had major setbacks but also achieved a lot more than expected. Who would have thought exactly one year ago, we would have achieved so much??? So in the end 2011 was a smashing year.

As always, I share my short-term vows with everybody who wants to know. Inch by inch remember?

• Welcome a new member in the family on January 18th. Nope, Inge can’t be pregnant.
• Start playing golf again with Inge.
• Inform the Belgians that Special Olympics Summer Games 2014 are coming to Belgium and create a fabulous team of people who want to help me.
• Aim for +1.000 teams participating at a Hercules Trophy in the UAE, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, USA and South-Africa.
• Look for at least 4 new Hercules Trophy locations for 2014/2015/2016 so we can reach +5.000 teams per year. Singapore! New states in the USA! India? Australia? Canada? Abu Dhabi? Qatar? Sao Paolo?
• Support the Herculix Foundation with an eBook written by Inge and myself and collect lots of funding for all the good causes of Hercules Trophy.

My general gut feeling about 2012 tells me most people will now experience what we’ve experienced in the past 3 years: mayor uncertainty and chaos. It’s a challenge guys, but we’ve got great news for you: if it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger (Nietzsche).

No winner believes in luck (again Nietzsche), or do you think Messi is all about luck? In any fight, it’s the guy who’s willing to die, who’s gonna win that inch. Are you willing to fight and die for that inch? I am. Because that’s what’s living is.

Best of Messi

As every year, I will share my personal targets for 2012 with you. It never hurts to look back for a few minutes. To get in the mood, I always watch the Google Zeitgeist.

What a year it was! My Chinese Horoscope warned me in January 2011. It was going to be tough, but rewarding. The Chinese were right. I will personally remember 2011 as: revolutionary…

We’ve got news: for every player in a team, Hercules Trophy Belgium will donate 1 EUR to Special Olympics 2014 through the Herculix Foundation. How cool is that?

Show me the money!

Teambuilding + Sporting Day + Family Day + Employee Party + Customer Incentive + Festival + Networking Event + Fundraising + Corporate Branding = Hercules Trophy