It’s time to get your team started!
“But wait,” you say, “the Challenges aren’t available yet! Why would we get started?”
The time leading up to the release of the Team Challenges is an unexpected gift to teams and Team Managers. This year, divide your Destination Imagination (DI) season into team-building and prep time (now until your preferred Team Challenge is released – November or December 1) and Challenge solving time (November or December until your team’s first tournament).
Use this time to complete your training, help your team members learn to work together, have some virtual fun together, do something socially distanced outside together, and practice Instant Challenges. We released new materials that will help you as you prepare for this new, exciting, and different DI season. Once you purchase a Team Number and complete your background check, you will gain access to some of our available materials, including an Instant Challenge Bonus Pack, our Roadmap guide for Team Managers, and online trainings.
Complete your training as a Team Manager
There are several training courses available including:
- Getting Started as a Team Manager – This includes information about managing a virtual team.
- Understanding Interference – This includes updated interactions, including a Team Manager escape room.
- Keeping DI Participants Safe – While this course is the same as last year, it is always a good idea to review it each year.
- Understanding Team Choice Elements – This is a new course that Team Managers can use to assist their team members as they decide on their Team Choice Elements.
- Completing a DI Expense Report – This is another new course that will help team members complete their Expense Report correctly.
Keep an eye out for new and updated trainings in the Learning Management System
- Coming soon – DI training courses translated into Spanish, Ukrainian, French Canadian, Polish, Turkish, Mandarin, Korean, and Arabic. Translation work began at the end of September. The translated courses will be uploaded into the Learning Management System as soon as they are available.
- Additional trainings, including Challenge-specific, scoring, and more, will be made available in the coming months.
Work on teamwork!
- Roadmap is now available in the Resource Area. Take this time to read the document. Chapter 3 will help you plan your meetings and the rest of the document includes resources for you to help you manage your team.
- The “Facilitating for Successful Teamwork” chapter includes many exercises that can be adapted and completed virtually to help your team connect with each other.
- If possible, consider having a few of your group meetings outside, as long as you socially distance, wear masks, and follow any COVID-19 safety guidelines in your area.
- Having fun together is a great way to solidify a sense of team. Consider going to the zoo, a museum, or anything that is open and safe in your area.
Start Thinking about the Team Challenge
- Have your team members look over the Challenge Previews and First Look PDF and begin discussing which Team Challenge they would like to complete.
- Ask your team members to talk about potential themes and ideas for the Team Challenges.
- Help your team learn about video production techniques, editing, and storytelling via video. All of the Team Challenges will be presented through video.
- Watch the winning video submissions from 2020 Virtual Global Finals to see how other teams solved a Team Challenge virtually. Visit online museums or watch video production and editing or storytelling tutorial together as a team.
Practice Instant Challenges
- Roadmap includes both standard Instant Challenges and Instant Challenges that are designed to be solved virtually.
- An Instant Challenge Bonus Pack is also available in the Resource Area. This Instant Challenge pack includes suggestions for converting standard in-person Instant Challenges into virtual Instant Challenges.
- Don’t worry about running out of Instant Challenges to practice! When our 2020-21 DI season begins on November 1, 2020, another Instant Challenge Practice Set will be made available.
Enjoy this extra time with your team, and then get ready to hit the ground running when your Team Challenge is released!
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