"I flew search-and-rescue helicopters in the Air Force, and my job was to save lives.  I was part of a team called an aircrew—I was an aircraft commander, I had a co-pilot, flight engineer, and two pararescue men (who are the craziest guys you’ll ever meet, but they’re the guys you want around if you’re injured).  I didn’t necessarily know which people I’d be flying with on a given day, but because we were well-trained, knew our tools and process inside and out, and had common experience, we could hop into a helicopter (sometimes on very short notice) and work together to save lives.  There were also times when, as an on-scene commander, I got to see multiple aircraft (helicopter and fixed-wing), watercraft and individuals who, because of planning, experience and training, were able to work together effectively to save lives.

"I’m also a musician, and was part of a tremendous team called a marching band.  Think about marching bands for a second—every member marches to a different spot, playing a different instrument, or a different musical part, than the person next to them.  It works because each person knows their tools (instruments), understands the process of getting from one formation to another without crushing each other, and the team has the mutual experience of intensive instruction and practice, both on and off the field.  And the results are amazing.

"Finally, I’m a software engineer as well.  I’ve worked on (and led) teams of coders and other engineers, and have seen how team dynamics can affect the final product.  It’s a different set of tools, processes and experiences, but the same lessons apply—for your team to succeed, you need to have bonding time together.

"Using my experience as a rescue pilot, musician and software engineer, I’ve developed an exercise to help teams get better at what they do.  I provide them with tools they’ve never used, give them a process to use them, and with a little instruction and experience, they will be doing something new, together.  They’ll be working at something fun (but hard), solving problems together, and learning a new skill.  Along the way we’ll discuss how it relates to their tools at work, the processes they use in their job, and the experiences they can use to hone their craft and strengthen their team.

"It’s fun, it’s safe, it’s effective, I can bring it to your location, and if you trust me with your team for two hours, I will hand you back a better team."

- Phil Curl, Founder / Chief Instructor